Customs brokerage, tariff analysis, and compliance guides for U.S. importers and exporters.
There are approximately 14,454 licensed customs brokers in the United States. Most can file a customs entry. Far fewer can handle FDA-regulated food imports.
A mid-market food importer sourcing from 8 countries with 60 SKUs needs up to 480 individual FSVPs. Most companies this size have 1 to 3 people managing compliance.
FDA's Food Traceability Rule requires lot-level traceability records produced in electronic format within 24 hours. The deadline moved to July 2028, but retailers want it now.
Every food product imported into the United States must meet the same labeling requirements as domestically produced food. There are no exceptions for imported products.
An FDA import alert is the most damaging enforcement action a food importer can face short of criminal prosecution. Getting removed takes 3 to 12 months.
On January 15, 2027, any food product containing FD&C Red No. 3 that enters the United States will be considered adulterated under federal law.
The Foreign Supplier Verification Program is mandatory for every U.S. food importer. FDA has conducted over 2,100 FSVP inspections since 2019, and nearly 64% have failed.
An FDA hold on a perishable food shipment is a race against the clock. Every hour your container sits at the port, your product loses shelf life and storage charges increase.
No quarter in U.S. trade history has more overlapping compliance deadlines than April through July 2026. Missing any one can cost thousands to millions of dollars.
FDA regulates approximately 40% of all food consumed in the United States. If your imported product falls under FDA jurisdiction without proper filings, it can be detained or destroyed.
The Importer Security Filing must be submitted to CBP at least 24 hours before cargo is loaded onto a vessel. Late or missing filings trigger $5,000 in penalties per violation.
AD/CVD duties stack on top of every other tariff. Combined rates on some products from China exceed 300%. There are over 600 active AD/CVD orders in effect.
On March 11 and 12, 2026, USTR launched the most expansive use of Section 301 trade authority in U.S. history: 76 simultaneous investigations targeting 76 economies.
Customs valuation is the declared value that determines how much duty you pay. In a tariff environment where effective rates exceed 30%, even small errors compound into serious money.
The 10% Section 122 import surcharge expires on July 24, 2026, by statute. The administration intends to replace it with new tariffs under Section 301 and Section 232.
A Foreign Trade Zone and a bonded warehouse both allow U.S. importers to defer customs duties. But they work differently and suit different operations.
Duty drawback refunds up to 99% of duties, taxes, and fees paid on imported goods that are later exported or destroyed. Claims can be filed up to five years after import.
CBP has reviewed more than 18,000 shipments under the UFLPA, covering $3.81 billion in goods. The release rate for detained shipments has dropped below 7%.
CBP collected $264 billion in customs duties in 2025, up from $79 billion in 2024. Audits are accelerating and AI-powered targeting is identifying anomalies faster than ever.
Starting July 8, 2026, every importer of regulated consumer products must electronically file certificate of compliance data with CBP at the time of entry.
Tariffs on Chinese goods now stack to 40%, 50%, and beyond 100% on some categories. But switching suppliers is not automatically cheaper.
Misclassification accounts for 42% of all CBP penalties. With tariffs stacking to 40% or higher, a wrong digit in your HTS code can cost more than ever.
The first formal review of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement begins July 1, 2026. The agreement governs nearly $2 trillion in annual trade.
The $800 duty-free threshold for low-value imports has been suspended for all countries. Every shipment is now subject to duties and formal customs entry.
Multiple tariff programs now overlap on the same shipment. If you are not auditing every layer, you are almost certainly overpaying.
The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs on February 20, 2026. Billions in refunds are owed. But the money won't show up on its own.