Important Reminder: Solid Wood Packaging Restrictions

To prevent harmful insects from entering the U.S., the USDA requires all regulated Wood Packaging Material (WPM) for import, including crates, pallets and dunnage, to be treated prior to entry. After treatment, the WPM must be marked with the International Plant Protection logo in a visible location, preferably on at least 2 opposite sides.

Recently one of our Customs Clearance clients had a shipment arrive which did not have the necessary markings for solid wood packaging. Although we were able to make some arrangements for exporting the packaging—and not the contents, the law clearly states that in such a case, Customs has the right to refuse an entire shipment and mandate that it is returned to its origin at the importer’s expense. Such an order would have caused our client a costly penalty in money, and potentially even more in time.

To avoid such an event, we recommend that our clients send a reminder to any supplier who is packing with hard woods for either crating or bracing—reinforcing the fact that the appropriate stamps must be present on all hard wood arriving in the United States.

With over 100 other countries that support and enforce the International Plant Protection Convention standard, we also recommend that WPM for export be marked as well.

To make it easier for you, please click here for an attachment that you may send to your suppliers to explain the regulations.