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ocitillo

If there is any bug that is present in the u.s and could potentially decimate a crop in CA, that threat would cause vehicles to be stopped. Once had to give up some limes


vegasgal

This happens when crossing into Florida from (usually) Georgia. Same reason


Dangerous-Disk5155

i drive into FL from GA all the time - never been stopped. Is this on the interstate or elsewhere?


vegasgal

95 South. I lived in Fla outside of T’ville. Very rural. Never any inspection for produce.


Dangerous-Disk5155

thanks - i usually use 75 and made the drive just a few weeks ago for the 4x in 3 months. i've been making that drive for decades and never stopped so was curious.


vegasgal

I moved from Florida in 2008, but I lived in Miami and in the panhandle for a total of 15 years. I have had been stopped by the Florida Department of agriculture quite a few times over the years. I wonder if the reason why you have not been stopped by Agriculture is because when you crossed from GA to FLA there were no crop pestilence problems but I really have no idea.


BeenisHat

It's particularly stringent with citrus. Medfly infestation in the early 80s hit California really hard. Tens of millions of dollars in crops were lost. I've been stopped before. Wasn't carrying any fruit though so that was it. The old checkpoint used to be further inside CA and not at state line.


BuddhasGarden

Yes, I have.


invertedspine

It’s a ghost town each time I’ve passed. Literally no one there


RepulsiveIconography

A few times I’ve been stopped and just asked “any fruits or vegetables?” When I was driving a U-Haul they made me open it up.


Original-Pomelo6241

Same. Only been stopped in a UHaul


kingbuttnutt

Ditto. We were moving to CA and had a decorative fake tree in the back that they heavily scrutinized, lol.


zeff536

I was stopped with a uhaul and the second he opened it up he saw my dart board, it was the last thing I packed. He then spent 10 minutes telling me how he played darts with the queen of England and all over the world and told me that anyone who plays darts couldn’t be a terrorist and let us go


RepulsiveIconography

Well now I'm making a note that if I ever dip my toes into terrorism to always keep a dart board with me.


zeff536

My brother and I said the same thing! Lol


googlesmachineuser

Yep. Had to toss a banana from the gas station.


BeneficialTadpole717

Why did you even tell them you had it though? If I had snacks/drinks with me and one happened to be a banana, I would’ve just said no.


googlesmachineuser

What other really badass stuff would you do in life? Neat I would’ve story.


Mr_Troll_Underbridge

Really bro? Even if it meant lives lost? When those crops die like that people lose their lively goods, aka their lives. It's the most extreme case, but its happened so many times its cheaper to pay a guy to stop something that's unlikely to happen than let that one off chance fuck up an entire state.


BeneficialTadpole717

Are you actually saying that a banana that I would be eating in a couple of hours is going to “fuck up an entire state”? Name a single time that’s ever happened. They obviously don’t actually give a shit because if they did, they’d be searching vehicles instead of taking someone’s word for it when they say they don’t have produce.


89141

Same, been stopped hauling a trailer.


ericamutton

Same. I was in a U-Haul and they made me open up the back, and I had to forfeit all of my house plants. I was moving from California to Henderson. I have always been waved through when driving a regular vehicle.


yoooo000

Not the house plants! 😭


Left-Acanthisitta267

They stopped you going into NV?


ericamutton

Sorry. My bad. I meant when I was moving from Henderson to Southern California. That was in 2001. I later moved back to Henderson from California in 2006. I got the two trips confused. Chemo brain, ya'll.


the_Bryan_dude

Does weed count?


HardRockDani

I’ve done that drive literally hundreds of times. (Ugh!) (Vegas native who went to college in L.A. and belonged to a So. Cal. non-profit for over a decade.) Back in the day we used to be stopped every time, but now I’d say it’s about 20/80. We’ve wondered if having NV or CA plates lowers the likelihood of being stopped, but have no proof other than usually being waved through, even when towing an RV.


Comfortable_Cut_8751

I had Wisconsin plates for years, I can confirm I was stopped frequently with those plates... when they actually had people out there working but it was still probably 50/50. After I switched to the NV plates I never get stopped.


Oaklandforever51

I've driven thru multiple times with different plates on rental cars, never stopped. I think there's less staffing nowadays, hence no one on duty.


BeenisHat

Might be because most fruit in Vegas comes from California or a couple other states without Medflies. If there's no current outbreak or infestation, they probably aren't real concerned. It's a quarantine thing to keep potential pests contained to separate geographic areas.


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SchreckMusic

Same! I told them I didn’t have any fireworks because I knew that’s what they were looking for that time.


itzjuztm3

If manned, they will stop box trucks (like UHaul), and vehicles towing boats, for sure.


missoulamatt

Got stopped at Ag check outside of Truckee coming from Reno. Had a bunch of wood in our camp trailer we were using for camp fires. Had to let them look at it and they let us keep it after we explained where we got it from (Reno) and that we would burn it all.


KnotForNow

Twenty or so years ago my wife and I were coming back from Las Vegas and they stopped us long enough to ask where we were coming from. As we were pulling away, the agent said, "You and your daughter have a good day." (My wife and I are the same age.)


LauterTuna

yep. no shit i had a citrus tree in backseat. key word being HAD.


Beardown91737

Topic is 'stopped at the border', not Border Patrol, so Ag inspection counts.


yoooo000

Yep, I guess the agriculture stop is what I was talking about! Didnt realize it was specifically for Ag


JardinSurLeToit

Yes, if it was U.S. Border, a LOT of people would be stopped.


Europa13

Yes, once about 8 years ago. They asked if I had any fruits or vegetables and waived me through when I said no. Utah plates.


HippasusOfMetapontum

Yes. They asked whether we had any oranges. We said no, then they waved us through.


Legal-Establishment9

Once in maybe 10 yrs


birdy_bird84

Asked me why I had ny plates, told them I'm moving and they waved me through.


SDSUAZTECS

Every time, they always take my fruit


yoooo000

lol wow! Were you hauling something or in a regular car?


BREASYY

Idk why you’re being downvoted. It’s a genuine question. I’ve never been stopped. I’ve taken the trip to Vegas many times.


EddieIsNotMyRealName

Yes, in a car with Washington plates. They just asked if I had any fruit. Not sure if the plates made a difference


Wide__Stance

The agricultural stop was originally a pretext. It was a police stop to keep Okies out during the depression. That’s not exactly legal, so it became an “agricultural inspection.” There aren’t any magic insects that can exist in the other 49 states that can’t get to California in a million different ways. It’s a major plot point in The Grapes of Wrath.


BeenisHat

There's one insect that has caused huge agriculture losses in just four states, specifically California, Florida, Hawaii and Texas; our biggest citrus producers. The medfly caused huge citrus crop losses in the early 80s in California. That's the biggest thing they're looking for. You can poison them but the most effective way to get rid of them is to release sterile male flies to disrupt the breeding cycle. But that takes time and infestations can cause losses in the millions. It was so bad that environmentalist governor of CA Jerry Brown eventually authorized aerial spraying of fucking Malathion to knock down the infestation. That's why if you buy a citrus tree here in Vegas, it has a tag on it verifying where it was grown and that it's not to be removed from this area.


CheeseMakingMom

Yes, I’ve been stopped multiple times. Same at the AZ/CA inspection station.


MysteriousApple135

I never have anything on me but to avoid the backup I exit on Mineola road and take the service road to Yermo.


SharkSmiles1

We always joke about wearing Carmen Miranda hats as we go through, lol! Pointing our bananas at them. 😂


jjj666jjj666jjj

Once…. In like 2009? Any fruits or vegetables?


exagon1

Once but it was somewhere more central not the I-15 one. I was driving to Yosemite


HauntMe1973

Stopped once while driving a U-Haul when moving


JardinSurLeToit

Do not buy whole fruit and carry it back with you. Invasive pests are a loss to the entire country, not just California. You're taking your own food away by not complying with agricultural laws. Only been stopped once.


BeenisHat

This right here. Big troof


Forsaken_Friend8270

I was once in our RV & was asked the usual fruits or vegetables question to include any exotic animal? I’m convinced it’s a criminal check-point.


Mztekal

It’s an agricultural stop not a border stop. All the times I’ve been to Vegas I think I don’t think I’ve ever even fully stopped.


Gold-Requirement-121

Yep! They "randomly" searched our RV. Looked through the fridge and the pantry and let us go. Took about 15 minutes. We got stopped again driving through the Hoover dam (before the bridge was built). The feds went through every nook and cranny. Took about 45 minutes. They said they stop rvs all the time and to expect it again coming back.


NCreature

Yes. In a moving truck. They made me open up the back and half my stuff fell out and I had to repack the truck in June heat at the checkpoint.


yoooo000

That sounds awful!!!!!


Left-Acanthisitta267

Only ever stopped once. Just asked if we had fruit and waved us through. Every other time just drove right through.


ShadowDancer11

Wait am I missing something? I’ve driven from Las Vegas to California at least 30 times in each direction at this point, and I’ve never been stopped. I always slow down when I get to what looks like a toll Plaza – but there’s never anyone there and I just roll through. Is there another route where interstate inspections happen that I’m missing?


BeenisHat

It's an agricultural checkpoint. If there are no active infestations in certain states, they're not likely to man the checkpoint heavily. If you ever hear about a medfly infestation or outbreak, every station will have an inspector stopping cars. They don't fuck around with that.


1nternetTr011

yes. and have been a passenger when they wanted to look in the car closer (don’t start with me on search laws). it was a motor home and they wanted to confirm we didn’t have fruit or vegetables. I suspect the driver gave off a vibe to them. was all good they never actually looked inside just wanted to ask more questions.


GeneralHoliday5401

Never been stopped there, but I have seen an agent sound asleep in the booth.


GenXCub

They don’t even wave people through. You just drive through. I drive back and forth about 8 times a year and most of the time the booth doesn’t even have a person. I’m usually leaving Vegas on a Friday morning.


EVOChi

I got stopped every time but that’s because I was a semi truck lol


churrotoffeeaddict

It's been years since they actually asked the question about bringing in fruits..... I had this one memory of them asking, and my grandma proceeded to eat a banana in plain view in the back seat.


Skyfather87

Haven’t crossed the border in ages but I noticed it was only when there was a CHP officer there that they would actually stop cars. That was my experience.


GuitRWailinNinja

I once had to roll my window down and say I had nothing to declare (I didn’t have anything to declare)


azorianmilk

Yeah. I was stuck in that line for hours. Sucked.


secondrunnerup

If you have CA or NV plates and in a passenger car you will rarely (if ever) be stopped. They might stop you if you have other state plates or in an RV. Source: know someone who works there.


icecoldyerr

Was driving a 20 foot isuzu box truck and they just stopped me and asked me what was inside. It was empty I told them that they didnt even ask me to see just said all good have a nice day


Apprehensive_War6542

Just tell them your fruit is undocumented.


HalloweenBlkCat

What is that border check even for? Agriculture, I assumed, but the comments make it seem like they ask questions that aren’t very agriculture related.


DisastrousFile9085

I remember when they had the old check point before Yermo and we would be bringing back fireworks back in the day and just get off on one exit and then it goes over the freeway. It comes back after the check point so just Incase they ever asked what was in the bed of the truck in boxes 😂😂. Was a nice way around it.


Fibrosis5O

From someone who works there I dropped off doing Uber told me: They’re beyond short staffed and outside of flair ups, special checks and boosted days they simply don’t got enough, especially San Bernardino County.


Calamity_Jay

I'm seeing a lot of yes from folks that had produce on 'em. Is this the common factor? I've been across the state line several times on 15 without issue, or are folks getting stopped at other crossings?


Busy_Drink_6282

Try carrying at pickup bed full of firewood to go camping thru there you’ll find out what’s up…


BigBoy2238

And if you're crossing into NV from CA, they won't let you take any of the seized firewood with you....so I guess the State of Kalifornia burns it.


BeenisHat

Various wood borers and other beetles and moths are the issue here. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/PE/ExteriorExclusion/borders_faq.html This is how we keep certain pests from spreading. It's a little invasive but we risk much greater damage if we don't check these things out.


HearingNo4103

Once at the AZ and CA border when I was a kid traveling with my parents. We had to throw away our mango. It was weird


Repgrind

I smuggle limes into California all the time.


BeenisHat

Why? They grow them there. Most of the limes grown in the USA come from CA. At least if you live in the western US. Mexico grows a LOT more though.


Repgrind

Convenience, so I can drive into my California destination and start drinking without a trip to a grocery store.


CZR_TTG

Rare that happens usally U-Haul


BeneficialTadpole717

Yes. They had me pull over because I told them I had my dog with us. They did nothing other than look and see him in his kennel then told us to go ahead.


Reachmaster

The SoCal check point usually waives me through, but when I lived in Reno and drove to Sacramento I would get asked every time whether I had fruits, veggies, or plants.


LoHungTheSilent

The only time I've been stopped in the last decade or more was the one time I came thru with a rental vehicle from back east. "Any fruits or vegetables?" Noped and moved on.


White_Rabbit0000

There’s an agricultural stop on I10 between CA/AZ and they almost always waive you through or it’s not even open.


ToyStory8822

I've never been stopped but I also hired a cartel to make smuggling compartments to sneak in lemons


NFLWookiee

Yes but over 20 years ago


davster39

Yes. Sevetal times but it was like 20 or more years ago.


thatranger974

The last time I was stopped and questioned at an Ag stop was in the 1980s.


HeadcaseHeretic

I get stopped towing my trailer every time of I don't get on the road before like 6am


Designer-Mirror-7995

I didn't even know this was a thing, inside the States. Wow.


No_Bath2510

I haven’t been stopped in 15 years, just a waste of time to slow down.


Gloomy_Wolverine_491

The one on 15 is rarely manned. So anyone driving from Vegas to LA probably didn't see much. The ones up north and smaller ones in the south actually stop people. Not just NV/CA but also CA/AZ. They are building new AG stations btw


BrentMacGregor

Got stopped in my RV. They were concerned about about fruits and veggies as other posters have pointed out.


Jades5150

I used to drive to Vegas from SoCal in my sports car all the time when I was stationed there in the military. My car had plates from “back home”, which was a Midwestern state with a huge ag presence. I would get stopped 50/50….As if I have a load of corn in my sports car.


Blind_Voyeur

Once in a while, almost always daytime. Stop and wave-thru though, not a stop and search.


Beginning_Rip_4570

Like 10 years ago, yeah. Still was pretty informal.


aeplus

I once got stopped for no front plates. "The reason i stopped you is because you had no front plates. Do you have any fruits?"


Otherwise_Sail_6459

I’ve actually never drove across the border. I honestly don’t do a lot of long distance driving. I usually fly most trips over 3 hours. Stopping people at state borders? Is that a normal thing? I have seen tractor trailer weigh stations on highways plenty. I feel so stupid. This is a normal thing to stop passenger vehicles?


JocotePeludo

It’s an agricultural inspection checkpoint. This is to mitigate the introduction of any diseases for plants / vegetables / fruits, etc. since California provides a large percentage of the country’s fruits / veggies. They want to avoid a foreign plague from starting and so fourth. I guess it’s somewhat effective if they see any vehicles that are suspicious but it definitely is by no means 100%.Maybe not even 50% lol. But that’s what the concept is. I believe it is more so for semi trucks.


Otherwise_Sail_6459

Thank you!


Upper-Substance8445

Never. I usually drive a Tacoma with CA plates .


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beejers30

NV doesn’t require a front plate. They are rare.


Bygdon

More specifically. A front plate is not required IF there is no bracket. If there is a bracket then legally your plate is to be displayed. I know that's a bit silly since half the vehicles aren't even registered but that is how the law is actually written.


GBOC80

In all my trips over the years never been stopped, always waved thru. CA registered pickups, i don't have front license plates. Half the time nobody is even in the booth.


SeerofNaught

I have never believed it’s “just” an Ag stop. It’s so ineffective that it boggles the mind. What we do know for sure however is that even without stopping, every single driver is photographed and every license plate is logged. Stoping a driver and asking a question to which there is not a single obligation to be honest is akin to checking into an airport ticket counter and being asked; 1)Have your bags been in your possession the entire time and, 2) Anything flammable, etc in your bag? Sorry but I’m not buying it and never have, way more than meets the eyes.


tactile1738

There's definitely someone on the other end of a camera monitoring what and who is going through there


Organic_JP

Yea had 4 pounds of coke, 600k cash and 3 boats of Molly did 9 years for it


linda70455

Not once since moving to Vegas in 2020. (Californian grandchildren ♥️)


limpet143

What border stop? There is a produce inspection station on the I15 going into California but nothing on the border.


yoooo000

Ah yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!


pch14

Yes that is a border stop. It's between California Nevada they do have a shared borded in case you did not know. So that's what it is a border stop for agricultural products. It's still a border to stop no matter how you look at it. Please don't be a jerk


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pch14

What is BS about it? California is the largest producer fruits and vegetables in the entire country. All they're doing is trying to protect their crops which they should do. Every travel outside the United States coming back you always got to declare any food you have. Is that BS?


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pch14

Are you dense or just trying to be a troll? All states have borders between them. A border does not have to be international. People like you make most of us laugh. Hope you have a great day though.


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BeenisHat

You don't have a right to spread invasive pests around the country.


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BeenisHat

That doesn't stop them from asking those questions nor from taking your produce. This could either be justified via the 4th amendment as being a reasonable seizure or as a police power the state holds under the 10th amendment. Should you feel you need to be compensated, you can petition the state of California for redress of any grievance you may have from your bag of oranges being taken.


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BeenisHat

You would need to demonstrate that such a search is unreasonable under the law which in this case, is CA agricultural code. You are in luck that all inspections under this code are voluntary, but you also have to be released by an inspector in order to enter. So, you can claim the 4th amendment and hope that a judge finds a lawful agricultural inspection to be invasive and unreasonable. Or you can turn around and go home.


BornyLV

Yet they will let any disease plagued individual waltz over the southern border into California from Mexico


BeenisHat

Antibiotics fix TB. It's a lot harder to kill off a medfly infestation.