milesk

I've read some posts and still have a few questions for our Hawaii trip at the end of January.

1. Is Pineapple the only fruit that can be brought back into the US?
2. Can we bring coffee back without issue?
3. Do we go through inspection prior to boarding in Hawaii?
4. Do we go through inspection when arriving in the US?

Thanks

cblaisd

Pssst..... You'll be in the U.S. the whole time

Anthemflyer

TSA will confiscate any fruit that is not sold in the airport, so pretty much only pineapple & touristy painted coconuts will be allowed. Coffee is OK, as its roasted. Basically any fresh fruit is prohibited due to pests & fungus. If its processed or roasted, you're OK.

You'll go thru the USDA screening when you are departing the islands to the mainland, but not inter-island.

You won't have any inspection once you reached the mainland.

donnyb

Predeparture
Passenger Baggage
Inspection Notice for
Travelers from Hawaii
to the U.S. Mainland
and Guam
American agriculture is constantly being threatened
by plant and animal pests and diseases. Many are
microscopic. Every traveler, even those traveling
from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland and Guam, may
unknowingly carry these hitchhikers that could
seriously damage American agriculture.
All passenger baggage moving from Hawaii to
the U.S. mainland and Guam is subject to inspection.
These inspections are performed prior to departure
at the airport by inspectors from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS). Please be prepared to
open and close your own baggage. Do not tape
coolers and boxes closed until after inspection.
In addition, all agricultural items being shipped to
the U.S. mainland must be inspected prior to being
presented to airline cargo offices, the post office, or
other courier services.
If you have any agricultural items with you,
please inform the inspector. Failure to declare these
items can result in delays and fines of $1,000 or
more.

Permitted Items from Hawaii into the U.S.
Mainland and Guam (after passing inspection):
Beach sand
Coconuts
Cooked foods
Dried seeds
Dried decorative arrangements
Fresh flowers (except gardenia, jade vine, and
Mauna Loa)
Hinahina (Spanish moss)
“Irish” or white potatoes
Pineapples
Rocks or stones
Seashells (except land snail shells)
Wood (including drift wood and sticks)
Note: Papayas require treatments before they can be
shipped to the U.S. mainland. Commercially canned
and thoroughly cooked foods are permitted.
Additional Items Permitted from Hawaii to Guam:
Beets
Rutabagas
Turnips (without tops)

Items from Hawaii Not Permitted into the U.S.
Mainland:
Berries of any kind, including coffee berries and sea
grapes
Cactus plants or parts
Cotton and cotton bolls
Fresh flowers of gardenia, jade vine, and Mauna Loa
Fresh pulpy fruits and vegetables (except pineapple)
Kikania and fresh pandanus
Live insects and snails
Plants in soil
Seeds with pulp and fresh seed pods
Soil
Sugarcane
Swamp cabbage (unchoy)
Sweet potato (raw)
The preceding lists are subject to change. For
more information, call the USDA, APHIS, Plant
Protection and Quarantine office at:
Hilo: (808) 933–6931
Honolulu: (808) 861–8490
Kailua–Kona: (808) 326–1252
Lihue: (808) 245–2831
Maui: (808) 877–5261
Agricultural Inspection Notice
Plant Protection and Quarantine September 2004
APHIS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation,
or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to
all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative
means for communication of program information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at
(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 14th and
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call
(202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

bocastephen

This is not really true - pineapples from any source (not just the airport) are OK to travel. You can buy pineapples from the supermarket, Costco (as many of us do), or even a private farm - they just need to be washed down so they're free of dirt and bugs.

Also, the TSA has nothing to do with this - they don't have the authority nor the right to confiscate any fruit of any kind, no matter the source. The ONLY authority who can examine and/or confiscate fruit at the airport is the USDA inspector.

OP: you do realize (I hope) that Hawai'i is part of the US and a state, so I'll assume you meant 'returning to the mainland'.

slippahs

This is the second or third time in about a month where Hawaii has been left out of the States on these forums.

To add on to the point about the USDA inspectors. All hand carried luggage that is screened by the TSA is also concurrently screened (in the overseas terminal at least) by USDA officers stationed past the TSA.

Also, for arriving pax, the Hawaii Ag Dept has trained beagles roaming baggage claim looking for things brought into Hawaii that shouldn't be there.

milesk

Thanks everyone! And yes I do know that Hawaii is a state and meant mainland. After reading posts (we're a first time Hawaii visitor) it seemed like there was additional inspections that are not performed on typical mainland flights.