Question on frozen meat into Canada

I just came thru Canadian customs about 4 days ago. when the Canadian Customs agent asked me if we had any food with us I was honest and specific...this helps...and I told him we had some frozen meat and a few fresh vegetables all bought at Wal Mart in Bellingham...Knowing this and telling this seems to help. He said no worries on any of that he just wanted to know if we had any kind of fruit with a PIT in it.

Nope.

Oh By the way I said I have my Dog in the back of the pickup (who had been uncharacteristically quiet this whole time...

He asked if he had his vaccinations? YEP

Have a nice trip...

But I agree with bringing the meat. Meat in British Columbia is VERY expensive...and that is taking into account the currency difference in the Dollars.

bbaker2001 wrote:
they only took our wood, but coming back into USA they took all our meat

Where (which crossing) and when did the US agents take the meat? What kind of meat was it?

.. Eric

they only took our wood, but coming back into USA they took all our meat

schlep1967 wrote:
You could always take a sharpie and label the meat. Beef Tips - 4/1/2016

Exactly. We vacuum pack venison, fish, pork, beef and lamb that are home raised, caught or hunted and mark with date, species, and cut (if we can't readily identify) such as "Pork Chops-Center cut-xx/xx/xxxx or Ground black bear-xx/xx/xxxx". We mark packages with a Sharpie. Never had a problem or question.

When we're traveling through Canada to or from Alaska we don't want to take the time to stop and shop. I'm traveling through, not staying any longer than that takes. Besides, the reason I have my own meat and fish with me is that I know the quality and source of such meat and fish.

A lot of these "confiscations" is based on the politics of the moment, and the border clowns then look at the published rules to see how they can then justify it. Remember the egg thing in 2015? US customs confiscated 3 eggs from us as we entered Alaska from Canada. We had receipts and package markings that proved the eggs were bought in DELAWARE at Walmart.

I guess it all depends where you enter Canada. We've crossed into Ontario and into Alberta and was only asked the few usual questions. Gave short to the point answers and offered no more. Never been checked and passed right on through. Got drilled more coming back to the US.

You could always take a sharpie and label the meat. Beef Tips - 4/1/2016

If the law says..`must be labelled` and you want to take the chance? Go for it. But..why would anyone do that? If you leave your meat at home, you will for sure have it when you return. At the very least..if it is seized? Don't be cranky..its not like you didn't know.


Gary Haupt

Agree with KoPit, if they can't tell what it is they will most likely remove it, and factory packaging is something they usually insist on. I also agree that sometime don't take stuff, but not always. I remember coming back into Canada with Weiners we had bought in the USA and by the time we hit the 49th they were just in a zip lock bag in the fridge when we came back to Canada ..... " they took em".... Guy said he can't tell what they were.... I gave him the stink eye..... And we left...

Soup

I had a bunch of frozen stuff when I went into Canada last year. They spent 45 minutes going through my 5th wheel and never brought up the subject of my frozen meats which I had labeled.

Well, my first thought is 'why try to take piles of food, why not sample local food?'

Yes, they can take food not safely packaged. & labelling correctly is part of that safe packaging. They don't always confiscate though.

I am more apt to take baked beans, stewed tomatoes or other vegetables I have grown myself, cooked myself and sealed in mason jars. With them the seal is visible to all.

Plastic packaging carries less safety via a visible closure.

:C