Who else is examine your cargo besides CBP ?
If you are a food importer, at some point, you may hear your broker tell you, " your shipment is custom released but under FDA review.". Will you wonder about the relationship between CBP And FDA in your mind? How would they cooperate with each other? And how many government agencies like FDA functioned as their own?
When the goods come to the United States territory, depends on what type of commodity, there are perhaps more than CBP's eye look at the shipment, commonly known as Partner Government Agency (PGA). ( It is used to be called OGA in the old days)
FDA is one of the biggest and most influential partner government agencies. They have a very strict import compliance guide in overseeing food, drug, and medical-related products. FDA connects its system with CBP ACE System. By doing so, if the imported commodity is regulated by both CBP and FDA, entry summary data would automatically not only send to the CBP system but also the FDA portal. FDA and CBP share the same authority to review the entry data, place a hold on the cargo, and request additional information or exam the cargo.
Another government agency has a very similar name as FDA. It is called USDA, belonging to the Department of agriculture. Yet they both have few overlaps, but USDA mainly focused on much narrow food sectors: Meat, poultry, beef, egg, wood products, etc.
Some random Fun fact of American Partner Government Agency
Fish and Wildlife （FWS) is the only PGA that is still not connected to ACE Portal.
I've asked an officer from CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) that why would CPSC targets hairdryer product examinations lately. He told me some consumers report they get injured because he uses a hairdryer while taking a shower. And the label does not tell him this is supposed to be used and stored in a dry area. Therefore, the CPSC starts to enforce all hair dryer importers to properly label it to avoid consumer safety issues like this.
FDA regulates about 78 percent of the U.S. food supply. This includes everything we eat except for meat, poultry, and some egg products, which belongs to its brother agency USDA
it takes at least 6 months to get a license from TTB ( Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) but get an FDA registration license number can take 2 weeks, the fastest time period.
Here are complete sources of all the Partner Government Agency. Be sure to consult your broker if your commodity is subject to be regulated by any of them!
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
APHIS Trade
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS)
Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Federal Drug Administration (FDA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Department of Commerce
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Enforcement and Compliance within the International Trade Association
Office of Textiles and Apparel
Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Department of Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
Department of the Treasury
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)