Increased CBP Agriculture Exams & Wood Packaging Visibility

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture (CBPA) has recently increased the number of shipments being referred for agriculture exams. Over the past week, both internal observations and feedback from the customs broker community indicate a noticeable rise in inspection activity.

Importers should anticipate heightened scrutiny, particularly for shipments containing wood packaging materials such as pallets, crates, skids, dunnage, and bracing.

What to Expect

• Increased likelihood of agriculture exam referrals

• Greater focus on wood packaging compliance and visibility

• Potential delays in cargo release ranging from 5–10 days

• Longer wait times at exam stations due to higher volume

Key Recommendations to Help Reduce Delays

• Confirm all regulated wood packaging meets ISPM 15 requirements (pest-free, debarked, and properly heat-treated or fumigated)

• Ensure the IPPC/ISPM 15 stamp (“wheat stamp”) is permanent, legible, and easily visible without extensive unloading

• When possible, apply stamps on at least three visible sides of the packaging

If the required stamp is not visible during a tailgate exam, the container may be redirected to an exam station. Resulting in additional costs and delays.

While these steps cannot guarantee avoidance of an agriculture exam, they can help minimize the risk of unnecessary escalations due to visibility issues.

For additional guidance, importers are encouraged to review the USDA APHIS resource on ISPM 15-compliant wood packaging. Support is also available for pre-shipment reviews of documentation or packaging visibility.