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California Agricultural Inspection Stations

Started by TheGrassGuy, February 13, 2021, 12:06:34 PM

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deathtopumpkins

I've been through a CA agricultural inspection station twice, both with my New Hampshire plates:

On US 97 in a Jeep, I was asked if I had any fruits or vegetables, then sent on my way.
On I-15 in a pickup truck, I was waved through without even stopping. Genuinely surprised here, but they seemed to be waving everyone through.

My other trips to California have coincidentally avoided the ag checkpoints.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

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deathtopumpkins

Quote from: SkyPesos on February 17, 2022, 01:46:50 PM
Not just CA. I remember seeing something similar on both directions of I-75 in FL (near MM 445) when heading down there. Trucks have to exit and get checked there, while cars can skip it. I think I-95 and I-10 may also have them, though I'm not really sure, as I only entered FL on I-75 before.

As was mentioned upthread, Florida has agricultural checkpoints for commercial vehicles only at essentially every road that crosses the state line - even minor state highways.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

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J N Winkler

"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

theroadwayone

Quote from: J N Winkler on February 17, 2022, 06:35:52 PM
The California agricultural inspection stations are evadable.
They're going to have to redo the one for the 15, now that it's at the border. One route would be NV-160-Tecopa Road-(NV-CA)-Old Spanish Trail Hwy-CA-127-15, which takes you to Baker.

wriddle082

Even though the Florida inspection stations are optional for passenger cars, my dad violated it once years ago when he drove past one with a houseplant tree in a U-Haul trailer.  Him and my stepmom were in the process of furnishing their new (at the time) condo in SW FL.  The tree was left out on the balcony after a visit, and a hurricane or tropical storm came along and knocked it over, as well as damage some screens.  So that foreign houseplant tree from Tennessee is no longer menacing the flora of SW FL.

Also 3 years ago, I was waved through the I-80 Truckee ag inspection checkpoint, probably because I was in a CA-plated rental car.

cahwyguy

Quote from: J N Winkler on February 17, 2022, 06:35:52 PM
The California agricultural inspection stations are evadable.

Note that is out of date, at least for I-15. The Yermo station is gone; the new station is just the other side of Primm. Much less evadable. Further, most passenger cars won't bother, and the real risk is trucked goods -- and they often can't do the detours (or can't afford the time lost). I work in Cybersecurity, and the goal isn't complete elimination of the risk, but bringing it down to an acceptable level. What California has is good enough.

Daniel
Daniel - California Highway Guy ● Highway Site: http://www.cahighways.org/ ●  Blog: http://blog.cahighways.org/ ● Podcast (CA Route by Route): http://caroutebyroute.org/ ● Follow California Highways on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cahighways

Plutonic Panda

The one on I-40 is extremely easy to avoid. But it requires exiting the interstate of course.

davewiecking

Quote from: J N Winkler on February 17, 2022, 06:35:52 PM
The California agricultural inspection stations are evadable.
I-80 info is also outdated, although avoiding the new location does still involve an exit numbered 194. The exits depicted on the PDF are now 184 and 185; the new inspection station is between current exits 190 and 194.
The new one could be avoided by using Boca Rd and Prosser Dam Rd, but it might be easier to follow the train tracks...

theroadwayone

On a different note, what exotic fruits have y'all here managed to smuggle past the inspectors?

cahwyguy

Quote from: theroadwayone on February 19, 2022, 04:14:12 AM
On a different note, what exotic fruits have y'all here managed to smuggle past the inspectors?

The issue is less the exotic fruits, and more the tiny bugs that travel on them, or on the houseplants, or in the wheelwells of trucks. There was a real good explanation of the Ag Inspection Stations and what they do in the Quarantee episode of Gastropod. You can find the episode (and a transcript, I believe) here (https://gastropod.com/chocpocalypse-now-quarantine-and-the-future-of-food/)

Daniel
Daniel - California Highway Guy ● Highway Site: http://www.cahighways.org/ ●  Blog: http://blog.cahighways.org/ ● Podcast (CA Route by Route): http://caroutebyroute.org/ ● Follow California Highways on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cahighways

Max Rockatansky

I still maintain it is incredibly inefficient to slow or stop non commercial traffic at the Ag Stations.  Almost every other state that does Ag inspection does it only for commercial vehicles via a grade separation.  The years I spent in Florida really illustrated how illogically Ag inspections are done in California. 

J N Winkler

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2022, 11:33:38 AMI still maintain it is incredibly inefficient to slow or stop non commercial traffic at the Ag Stations.  Almost every other state that does Ag inspection does it only for commercial vehicles via a grade separation.  The years I spent in Florida really illustrated how illogically Ag inspections are done in California.

The standard justification for having an agricultural inspection regime that stops all traffic, including noncommercial traffic, relies on two points:

*  California is isolated from the rest of the US by oceans, mountains, and deserts, so its ecosystems have not had an opportunity to adapt to pests that can hitch rides on vehicles of all kinds.

*  Even small cars can transport enough of a load of pests to start a major and costly infestation (one example commonly cited is wood borers in cut firewood).

This is not to say that agricultural inspection can't be overdone.  I have long suspected it is uniquely aggressive in California partly because the state has a powerful agriculture lobby and the same geographical isolation that makes some form of inspection necessary for ecological reasons feeds an exceptionalist mindset that is also evident in the highway signing.  However, it is formidably complex to assess whether and to what extent the inspections constitute overkill.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: J N Winkler on February 19, 2022, 01:00:35 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2022, 11:33:38 AMI still maintain it is incredibly inefficient to slow or stop non commercial traffic at the Ag Stations.  Almost every other state that does Ag inspection does it only for commercial vehicles via a grade separation.  The years I spent in Florida really illustrated how illogically Ag inspections are done in California.

The standard justification for having an agricultural inspection regime that stops all traffic, including noncommercial traffic, relies on two points:

*  California is isolated from the rest of the US by oceans, mountains, and deserts, so its ecosystems have not had an opportunity to adapt to pests that can hitch rides on vehicles of all kinds.

*  Even small cars can transport enough of a load of pests to start a major and costly infestation (one example commonly cited is wood borers in cut firewood).

This is not to say that agricultural inspection can't be overdone.  I have long suspected it is uniquely aggressive in California partly because the state has a powerful agriculture lobby and the same geographical isolation that makes some form of inspection necessary for ecological reasons feeds an exceptionalist mindset that is also evident in the highway signing.  However, it is formidably complex to assess whether and to what extent the inspections constitute overkill.

I get all that but it still doesn't make it incredibly unlikely to have an origin point from a non-commercial vehicle.  Doubly so when you consider the only major agricultural area near a state line is in Imperial Valley.  In all these years living in and around Fresno with all this Ag stuff I've never even heard of a passenger car borne pest outbreak. 

Plutonic Panda

Plus they don't even stop to check. I have made the trip to Vegas hundreds of times with heavily tinted windows not to mention having a trunk or covered truck bed(depending what vehicle I'm in) and I can only recall one time I was ever asked if I had any fruits or nuts or plants. The other 99.99 percent of the time they were waving me and everyone else through. I just don't understand it.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 19, 2022, 03:59:06 PM
Plus they don't even stop to check. I have made the trip to Vegas hundreds of times with heavily tinted windows not to mention having a trunk or covered truck bed(depending what vehicle I'm in) and I can only recall one time I was ever asked if I had any fruits or nuts or plants. The other 99.99 percent of the time they were waving me and everyone else through. I just don't understand it.

Right, they can't stop every non-commercial vehicle because it's impractical.  Even the slow down of regular traffic can cause huge backups, hence a large part of the issue with the location of the new Ag station on I-15.  Even the old station in Yermo created huge backups.  At least that segment was solidly four lanes for a long while and there was an escape via Old US 91-466 on Yermo Road.

Plutonic Panda

#40
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2022, 04:03:02 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 19, 2022, 03:59:06 PM
Plus they don't even stop to check. I have made the trip to Vegas hundreds of times with heavily tinted windows not to mention having a trunk or covered truck bed(depending what vehicle I'm in) and I can only recall one time I was ever asked if I had any fruits or nuts or plants. The other 99.99 percent of the time they were waving me and everyone else through. I just don't understand it.
Right, they can't stop every non-commercial vehicle because it's impractical.  Even the slow down of regular traffic can cause huge backups, hence a large part of the issue with the location of the new Ag station on I-15.  Even the old station in Yermo created huge backups.  At least that segment was solidly four lanes for a long while and there was an escape via Old US 91-466 on Yermo Road.
The new station moves traffic, until it doesn't. They can add as many lanes as they want to I-15 but I'm convinced the serious backups won't be solved until the AG checkpoint for regular traffic is removed, if that ever happens.

EDIT: Moved reply out of quotes. –Roadfro

vdeane

What's also really odd is that California also tends to have regular lanes blocked off to the left of the station.  Why build regular lanes bypassing the station if you're never going to use them?  Why not just build the station on the road like a customs station at the border?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

kkt

Because building bypass lanes at the time the station is constructed is cheap, and "never" is a long long time.

theroadwayone

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 19, 2022, 04:14:06 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2022, 04:03:02 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 19, 2022, 03:59:06 PM
Plus they don't even stop to check. I have made the trip to Vegas hundreds of times with heavily tinted windows not to mention having a trunk or covered truck bed(depending what vehicle I'm in) and I can only recall one time I was ever asked if I had any fruits or nuts or plants. The other 99.99 percent of the time they were waving me and everyone else through. I just don't understand it.
Right, they can't stop every non-commercial vehicle because it's impractical.  Even the slow down of regular traffic can cause huge backups, hence a large part of the issue with the location of the new Ag station on I-15.  Even the old station in Yermo created huge backups.  At least that segment was solidly four lanes for a long while and there was an escape via Old US 91-466 on Yermo Road.

The new station moves traffic, until it doesn't. They can add as many lanes as they want to I-15 but I'm convinced the serious backups won't be solved until the AG checkpoint for regular traffic is removed, if that ever happens.

EDIT: Moved reply out of quotes. –Roadfro
I went through the old Yermo station while coming home from Zion in 2016. It was the middle of a weekday, so traffic wasn't too bad. I also saw a bit of the new station near the state line.

cahwyguy

Quote from: vdeane on February 19, 2022, 05:33:35 PM
What's also really odd is that California also tends to have regular lanes blocked off to the left of the station.  Why build regular lanes bypassing the station if you're never going to use them?  Why not just build the station on the road like a customs station at the border?

Because those "regular lanes" are the original freeway lanes that were bypassed to build the new station, which required more land (and because if you were going to build it over the original lanes, you would have to close the freeway). Build the new station, open the bypass, close the original lanes. They are left there in case of emergency.
Daniel - California Highway Guy ● Highway Site: http://www.cahighways.org/ ●  Blog: http://blog.cahighways.org/ ● Podcast (CA Route by Route): http://caroutebyroute.org/ ● Follow California Highways on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cahighways

mrsman

I mentioned this on another thread, but it is interesting that the bypassed lanes on the I-15 Ag station still has a mileage sign for Baker, Barstow, and L.A.  The sign is in perfect postion for the now closed lanes, but is a little hard to see if you came through the Ag station and probably impossible to see from the truck lanes.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.5142452,-115.4321122,3a,15y,184.74h,88.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sER7RIRygbXRERa4MQp5xOQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Another mileage sign comes up along the main highway in about 2 miles after all the traffic merges back into 3 lanes after passing the Ag station.]

kdk

I have never seen these closed, but my last few trips from AZ to CA via both I-8 and I-10 they were unmanned.

you still had to go through one of the open lanes, but there wasn't a person there even looking at passenger cars or asking you any questions.  There may have been someone at the truck lanes, i can't recall.

Previous to that, at those stations they used to have a person who just waved you through.

The only time anyone has talked to me in the past 5+ years was the 395 south out of Nevada.  I had a rental car with New Jersey license plates and he asked me some questions like where I was coming from and going, etc.

gonealookin

Driving down I-5 from Oregon into California yesterday, the southbound station near Exit 790 was unmanned for the first time I can recall in all my trips that way.  It was apparently because the smoke from the wildfire west of Yreka was so horrible that they couldn't have employees standing out there for any amount of time; visibility was probably in the 1/2 mile vicinity if that.

cl94

Quote from: cahwyguy on February 21, 2022, 01:27:51 PM
Quote from: vdeane on February 19, 2022, 05:33:35 PM
What's also really odd is that California also tends to have regular lanes blocked off to the left of the station.  Why build regular lanes bypassing the station if you're never going to use them?  Why not just build the station on the road like a customs station at the border?

Because those "regular lanes" are the original freeway lanes that were bypassed to build the new station, which required more land (and because if you were going to build it over the original lanes, you would have to close the freeway). Build the new station, open the bypass, close the original lanes. They are left there in case of emergency.

I think a couple of them are signed as runaway truck ramps or similar, but don't quote me on that.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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gonealookin

Quote from: cl94 on August 04, 2022, 04:28:02 PM
Quote from: cahwyguy on February 21, 2022, 01:27:51 PM
Quote from: vdeane on February 19, 2022, 05:33:35 PM
What's also really odd is that California also tends to have regular lanes blocked off to the left of the station.  Why build regular lanes bypassing the station if you're never going to use them?  Why not just build the station on the road like a customs station at the border?

Because those "regular lanes" are the original freeway lanes that were bypassed to build the new station, which required more land (and because if you were going to build it over the original lanes, you would have to close the freeway). Build the new station, open the bypass, close the original lanes. They are left there in case of emergency.

I think a couple of them are signed as runaway truck ramps or similar, but don't quote me on that.

That Hornbrook station on I-5 is a good example of that.  It's at the bottom of a hill coming down from the Siskiyou Summit area.  Brakeless trucks are advised to avoid the stopped traffic at the inspection station by blasting through the plastic bollards and proceeding onto the original freeway lanes, like so:

https://goo.gl/maps/waybkUvnMFbTmQi19



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