Certification is typically not possible after a shipment has left the United States.
To avoid delays, added costs, or destruction of your shipment, it is imperative that you:
- Know your destination country and its import requirements.
- Contact us to determine phytosanitary requirements before the shipment leaves the United States—ideally before it leaves Minnesota.
If Your Shipment Has Already Left the U.S.
Your options may be limited. However, you may consider the following:
- Divert the shipment to a country that does not require a phytosanitary certificate.
- Return the shipment to the United States for official sampling and, if eligible, reshipment.
- Petition the USDA to allow certification based on:
- Your special circumstances, and
- Retained samples from the original shipment.
- Allow the shipment to proceed without certification.
This option may result in destruction of your commodity, depending on decisions made by regulatory officials at the destination.
Only if you had an official inspection completed prior to departure and within the destination country’s inspection time limits. The official inspection needs to have been completed by a state agriculture department, the USDA, or a federally licensed firm. If you are shipping grain, and a federally licensed firm did the inspection, they would have issued a form 921-2, Insects in Grain report which we would use to issue your phytosanitary certificate.
Certification is typically not possible after a shipment has left the United States.
To avoid delays, added costs, or destruction of your shipment, it is imperative that you:
- Know your destination country and its import requirements.
- Contact us to determine phytosanitary requirements before the shipment leaves the United States—ideally before it leaves Minnesota.
If Your Shipment Has Already Left the U.S.
Your options may be limited. However, you may consider the following:
- Divert the shipment to a country that does not require a phytosanitary certificate.
- Return the shipment to the United States for official sampling and, if eligible, reshipment.
- Petition the USDA to allow certification based on:
- Your special circumstances, and
- Retained samples from the original shipment.
- Allow the shipment to proceed without certification.
This option may result in destruction of your commodity, depending on decisions made by regulatory officials at the destination.
This is a form we can use in lieu of a separate, official inspection by MDA of your commodity. The 921-2 can be attached to a PCIT application and we can issue a phytosanitary certificate based on the application and inspection form.
921-2 Insects in Grain Form is limited to grain and grain products. Contact one of seven federally licensed, private grain inspection firms operating in Minnesota and schedule an official sampling appointment. They take an official sample, inspect it and upon your request issue a 921-2 form. All scheduling and subsequent sampling/inspection payments are arranged with the private grain inspection service. The contact information for federally authorized grain inspection companies in Minnesota can be found by contacting the MDA Export Program.
It is important to know the requirements of the importing country, prior to requesting a 921-2 form. Some countries require the inspection company look for additional items when issuing a 921-2. Inspection companies typically do not look for weed seeds or dirt. Some countries REQUIRE a specific certification relative to one or more of these items. In order to get all the necessary inspections and information listed on your 921-2, you will have to make arrangements with the inspection firm and confirm the company can make the necessary inspections and state them on the 921-2 form. If specific inspections are needed for your shipment, but are not listed on the 921-2, we will not be able to use the 921-2 to certify your shipment and an official sample will need to be sent to us for inspection.
This is a form we can use in lieu of a separate, official inspection by MDA of your commodity. The 921-2 can be attached to a PCIT application and we can issue a phytosanitary certificate based on the application and inspection form.
921-2 Insects in Grain Form is limited to grain and grain products. Contact one of seven federally licensed, private grain inspection firms operating in Minnesota and schedule an official sampling appointment. They take an official sample, inspect it and upon your request issue a 921-2 form. All scheduling and subsequent sampling/inspection payments are arranged with the private grain inspection service. The contact information for federally authorized grain inspection companies in Minnesota can be found by contacting the MDA Export Program.
It is important to know the requirements of the importing country, prior to requesting a 921-2 form. Some countries require the inspection company look for additional items when issuing a 921-2. Inspection companies typically do not look for weed seeds or dirt. Some countries REQUIRE a specific certification relative to one or more of these items. In order to get all the necessary inspections and information listed on your 921-2, you will have to make arrangements with the inspection firm and confirm the company can make the necessary inspections and state them on the 921-2 form. If specific inspections are needed for your shipment, but are not listed on the 921-2, we will not be able to use the 921-2 to certify your shipment and an official sample will need to be sent to us for inspection.
This is a form we can use in lieu of a separate, official inspection by MDA of your commodity. The 921-2 can be attached to a PCIT application and we can issue a phytosanitary certificate based on the application and inspection form.
921-2 Insects in Grain Form is limited to grain and grain products. Contact one of seven federally licensed, private grain inspection firms operating in Minnesota and schedule an official sampling appointment. They take an official sample, inspect it and upon your request issue a 921-2 form. All scheduling and subsequent sampling/inspection payments are arranged with the private grain inspection service. The contact information for federally authorized grain inspection companies in Minnesota can be found by contacting the MDA Export Program.
It is important to know the requirements of the importing country, prior to requesting a 921-2 form. Some countries require the inspection company look for additional items when issuing a 921-2. Inspection companies typically do not look for weed seeds or dirt. Some countries REQUIRE a specific certification relative to one or more of these items. In order to get all the necessary inspections and information listed on your 921-2, you will have to make arrangements with the inspection firm and confirm the company can make the necessary inspections and state them on the 921-2 form. If specific inspections are needed for your shipment, but are not listed on the 921-2, we will not be able to use the 921-2 to certify your shipment and an official sample will need to be sent to us for inspection.
We can issue certificates for less than the amount listed on the 921-2 form, but not more. Similarly, we cannot issue a certificate with a lot number or container number different from that listed on the 921-2. When we find an error between the application and 921-2, we will return the application in PCIT for you to correct. Sometimes the error is on the application, while other times it is on the 921-2. It is up to the issuing company to determine if a 921-2 form can be revised and reissued with a different weight, lot number, or container number. Please pay attention to conversion factors if you have the 921-2 issued in metric units but apply for a phytosanitary certificate in pounds (or vice versa). Incorrect calculations have delayed many certificates because the phytosanitary certificate application is for a greater quantity than is stated on the 921-2. Even if it is just a calculation error, we cannot exceed the amount listed on the 921-2.
Another reason for the rejection of a 921-2 is that the inspection date listed on the form exceeds 30 days. The USDA policy states that a phytosanitary certificate must be issued within 30 days of the inspection date listed on the 921-2. An exception is made if the commodity left the U.S. within 30 days (by bill of lading date). In those cases, we can issue a phytosanitary certificate up to 60 days from date of inspection. IMPORTANT: Each lot or container listed on an application must have been inspected within the 30 days. The inspection date is counted as day number 1. Since several months have more than 30 days, your inspection will likely expire 1-2 days before the same date the following month. For example: An inspection done on October 10 will expire on November 8. BE ADVISED THAT SOME COUNTRIES HAVE A 14 DAY INSPECTION TO ISSUANCE TIMELINE. We cannot issue a certificate if the destination country time limits have been exceeded. It is imperative to the success of your export process that you know the timeline established by the destination country. Application on the date of expiration is not acceptable. The certificate must be issued before expiration, not just applied for. You must apply at least three business days prior to expiration to ensure your phytosanitary certificate is issued in time.
We can issue certificates for less than the amount listed on the 921-2 form, but not more. Similarly, we cannot issue a certificate with a lot number or container number different from that listed on the 921-2. When we find an error between the application and 921-2, we will return the application in PCIT for you to correct. Sometimes the error is on the application, while other times it is on the 921-2. It is up to the issuing company to determine if a 921-2 form can be revised and reissued with a different weight, lot number, or container number. Please pay attention to conversion factors if you have the 921-2 issued in metric units but apply for a phytosanitary certificate in pounds (or vice versa). Incorrect calculations have delayed many certificates because the phytosanitary certificate application is for a greater quantity than is stated on the 921-2. Even if it is just a calculation error, we cannot exceed the amount listed on the 921-2.
Another reason for the rejection of a 921-2 is that the inspection date listed on the form exceeds 30 days. The USDA policy states that a phytosanitary certificate must be issued within 30 days of the inspection date listed on the 921-2. An exception is made if the commodity left the U.S. within 30 days (by bill of lading date). In those cases, we can issue a phytosanitary certificate up to 60 days from date of inspection. IMPORTANT: Each lot or container listed on an application must have been inspected within the 30 days. The inspection date is counted as day number 1. Since several months have more than 30 days, your inspection will likely expire 1-2 days before the same date the following month. For example: An inspection done on October 10 will expire on November 8. BE ADVISED THAT SOME COUNTRIES HAVE A 14 DAY INSPECTION TO ISSUANCE TIMELINE. We cannot issue a certificate if the destination country time limits have been exceeded. It is imperative to the success of your export process that you know the timeline established by the destination country. Application on the date of expiration is not acceptable. The certificate must be issued before expiration, not just applied for. You must apply at least three business days prior to expiration to ensure your phytosanitary certificate is issued in time.
We can issue certificates for less than the amount listed on the 921-2 form, but not more. Similarly, we cannot issue a certificate with a lot number or container number different from that listed on the 921-2. When we find an error between the application and 921-2, we will return the application in PCIT for you to correct. Sometimes the error is on the application, while other times it is on the 921-2. It is up to the issuing company to determine if a 921-2 form can be revised and reissued with a different weight, lot number, or container number. Please pay attention to conversion factors if you have the 921-2 issued in metric units but apply for a phytosanitary certificate in pounds (or vice versa). Incorrect calculations have delayed many certificates because the phytosanitary certificate application is for a greater quantity than is stated on the 921-2. Even if it is just a calculation error, we cannot exceed the amount listed on the 921-2.
Another reason for the rejection of a 921-2 is that the inspection date listed on the form exceeds 30 days. The USDA policy states that a phytosanitary certificate must be issued within 30 days of the inspection date listed on the 921-2. An exception is made if the commodity left the U.S. within 30 days (by bill of lading date). In those cases, we can issue a phytosanitary certificate up to 60 days from date of inspection. IMPORTANT: Each lot or container listed on an application must have been inspected within the 30 days. The inspection date is counted as day number 1. Since several months have more than 30 days, your inspection will likely expire 1-2 days before the same date the following month. For example: An inspection done on October 10 will expire on November 8. BE ADVISED THAT SOME COUNTRIES HAVE A 14 DAY INSPECTION TO ISSUANCE TIMELINE. We cannot issue a certificate if the destination country time limits have been exceeded. It is imperative to the success of your export process that you know the timeline established by the destination country. Application on the date of expiration is not acceptable. The certificate must be issued before expiration, not just applied for. You must apply at least three business days prior to expiration to ensure your phytosanitary certificate is issued in time.
The USDA has a formal petition and review process through which they handle these situations case-by-case. Typically the USDA will grant a ONE-TIME exception to a company. This exception is company specific and not "reason" related. The company gets one exception, not an individual.
The USDA has a formal petition and review process through which they handle these situations case-by-case. Typically the USDA will grant a ONE-TIME exception to a company. This exception is company specific and not "reason" related. The company gets one exception, not an individual.
