Meat Shipment CFIA Inspection Status Feature (CBSA)

🔖 This article is part of the BorderConnect PARS Software Guide

Checking CFIA Inspection Status (Meat Shipments)

How to track Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection requirements directly within BorderConnect PARS and ACI.

Feature: Compliance Platform: PARS & ACI

Overview

Example Email Notification

All meat shipments entering Canada from the United States are subject to possible inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Traditionally, carriers had to check CFIA’s external ASSIST tool manually. BorderConnect PARS now integrates this data, displaying inspection decisions directly inside the platform and automatically notifying dispatchers and drivers.

The Workflow:

1. CBSA releases the shipment. 2. BorderConnect queries CFIA. 3. Inspection status appears in BorderConnect (approx. 5-30 mins later).

✅ Prerequisites

For the inspection status to appear, the following conditions must be met:

• Subscription: You must have BorderConnect PARS enabled.
• Release Status: The shipment must be Released by CBSA first.
• Data Availability: CFIA must have published the decision to the ASSIST tool.

Note: Inspection status is not available prior to customs release.

Where to View Inspection Status

Locations in BorderConnect

You don't need to visit the CFIA website. The status appears automatically in these locations:

• PARS Release View: Inside the detailed RNS release message.
• ACI eManifest Details: Next to the shipment on the manifest (great for checking full loads).
• ACI Shipment Details: Inside the specific shipment record.

Detailed Inspection View in PARS

What you will see:

• Inspection Required: Yes / No
• Facility: The designated inspection location (if required).

Automatic Notifications

Stay Informed Without Checking

BorderConnect can push alerts to you and your drivers.

👩‍💻 For Dispatchers

Enable RNS Auto Email options in your account settings to receive an email the moment the inspection status is retrieved.

🚚 For Drivers

Drivers linked to the shipment (via ACI eManifest or Driver Profile PARS sequences) can receive:

• Text Messages (SMS)
• Emails

See: Driver Profile Guide to set up alerts.

⚠️ Important Limitations

Limitation	Impact
Processing Delay	Status typically appears 5 to 30 minutes after the CBSA release.
System Downtime	If CFIA's ASSIST tool is down, BorderConnect cannot retrieve the status.
Visibility Window	Old shipments (older than 30 days) may no longer show status.

💡 Best Practices

• Check After Release: Wait for the "Released" message, then give it 15 minutes before checking for inspection instructions.
• Use Manifest View: If you have a truck with 20 meat shipments, look at the ACI eManifest Details page to see all inspection statuses in one list.
• Plan Routing: Ensure drivers know the location of the inspection facility before they leave the border.

📱

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References