The USDA is after me for ordering French Rations - NEW 5/21 UPDATES! This is happening! To everybody :-(

[Sailswish]

Easy to deduce this US seller to whom you are referring. Went to their site and it's been cleaned up of all the good stuff.

[OtisRNeedleman]

Time to contact the Congressperson/Senators. That's what I would do.

[Hardtack]

I don't get how foreign rations are on Amazon? So is it only rations with meat or dairy products?

[WorkmanMRE]

I believe the vegan rations are the way of the future. The fo-meat products are getting pretty tasty and filling! Thats all the customs will allow anymore. All the boxes ive seen opened by customs were meat based. The vegetarian and vegan always untouched. I get lucky that way.

[mikeoverhere]

I don't get how foreign rations are on Amazon? So is it only rations with meat or dairy products?

Meat, as far as I know. Fish/seafood is an exception.

[TerraParzel]

I believe the vegan rations are the way of the future. The fo-meat products are getting pretty tasty and filling! Thats all the customs will allow anymore. All the boxes ive seen opened by customs were meat based. The vegetarian and vegan always untouched. I get lucky that way.

Pretty sure the new MRE pizza is made from soy products. not real pepperoni

[mikeoverhere]

At the time USDA opened a case against me I was still awaiting two Russian rations I had ordered from out of country. Both packages have finally arrived and per instructions I left the parcels intact and will open them when I meet with the APHIS agent I have been corresponding with. One is intact and arrived some time ago, the other which just arrived today was inspected by US Customs en route and the box is taped up with green US Customs Inspection tape so they have probably already removed the meat components. I wonder if they used Google Translator like I do and if they had problems reading the direct on foil print, like I do. This is the first time I have ever imported a ration and had it inspected by US Customs.

[mikeoverhere]

And some further clarification from USDA APHIS:

"I heard back from my Veterinarian about importing meat through the mail.
It appears that only beef requires certification for canned shelf stable product. However, all other meats when regulated, state “use documents accompanying the shipment to make a regulatory decision”. This does not say “certification” but many CBP Officers do use this standard of proof. So If you have shelf stable poultry or pork sent through the mail from another country the CBP Officer will make the determination. Labeling must be in English and commercially packaged, not home made products. All agricultural items must be declared, undeclared items can be considered smuggled and will be seized by CBP.
So I was incorrect, it is just beef (all beef from any country) that must come under permit and be accompanied by certification by a veterinarian authorized by the country of origin. Other meats, packaged shelf stable commercially, would be determined on a case by case basis by Customs and Border Protections Agriculture Officers at the port of entry.

The Vet says that if the meat in your MREs is not beef you may keep it. Please review your packaging and ingredients lists and let me know if your products contain beef or beef byproducts."

[Richard w.]

This sucks, Mike. Seems you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and they've chosen you to make an example of.

I'm sorry to hear about the hassle. Thanks for warning us and I hope this doesn't spoil the hobby for you.

[mikeoverhere]

It already has ruined my hobby to a large degree. I can no longer take the risk of directly importing any foreign ration that contains meat. My options are quite limited now. I have to live my hobby largely through other people's reviews now. I just wish this hadn't happen so soon after getting back into this hobby, it has been a passion of mine for over a decade, I was merely dormant until some months ago and boom!

I do thank all of you who have expressed sympathy for my case, it's appreciated. I just hope to have been of some help to this community.