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Exporting Cattle, Bison, Sheep and Goats to the United States Roles and Responsibilities

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is reminding cattle producers, agent, exporters, accredited veterinarians and livestock transporters of their obligations when exporting cattle and other live animals to the United States. These groups must ensure that animals presented for export fully meet U.S. Minimal Risk Rule import requirements. By doing so, those persons involved in the exportation of Canadian livestock may prevent potential trade disruptions that could arise due to the export of non-compliant animals.

Export Certification

A Government of Canada Veterinary Health Certificate must accompany all shipments of live animals. This certificate, which confirms that U.S.'s import requirements have been met, must be completed and signed by a veterinarian accredited by the CFIA. Agents or exporters and/or producers must provide the accredited veterinarian with all the information necessary for him or her to carry out this function. Producers, exporters and accredited veterinarians are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the information presented on the certificate.

The export certificate must certify that:

• cattle and bison are less than 30 months of age, and sheep and goats are less than 12 months of age. Where possible, this should be determined using birth records. Where records are not available, the accredited veterinarian must determine age based on a dental examination;
• animals are not pregnant;
• animals have been born in the U.S. or Canada, or kept in the U.S. or Canada for at least 60 days prior to importation into the U.S.;
• animals are free from any evidence of communicable diseases and have not been exposed to any such diseases during the 60 days preceding the inspection,;
• animals are subject to Canada=s ruminant feed ban;
• sheep and goats have not tested positive for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, such as scrapie, or be considered to pose a risk of such diseases; and
• animals are identified with official Canadian ear tags, which can only be removed by U.S. officials at the port of entry or destination slaughter establishment. Cattle, bison, sheep and goats that are exported for feeding in the U.S. must also be permanently identified by branding.

Completed export certificates must be endorsed by an authorized CFIA veterinary officer.

Transporting Animals

Once the export certificate has been endorsed by the CFIA and the animals have been loaded onto a vehicle, the vehicle must be sealed by the accredited veterinarian or the technician using official federal seals. The numbers from these seals must be recorded by the accredited veterinarian on the corresponding export certificate. Shipments of animals from Canada will be refused entry into the U.S. if these seals are missing, broken or do not match the numbers on the corresponding export certificate. Sealed vehicles must move directly from the exporting premises to a U.S. port of entry and from the port of entry to a designated slaughter establishment or feedlot.

NOTE: The Health of Animals Regulations require that animals be handled and transported in a manner that prevents injury and unnecessary suffering.

Additional Requirements

In addition to an export certificate, a Declaration of Importation form must also accompany all shipments. This U.S. government form is generally prepared by a customs broker.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires exporters of live animals intended for food use (i.e. slaughter) to provide prior notice before animals enter the U.S. Prior notice must be received and confirmed electronically by the FDA no more than five days before the arrival of the animals and no fewer than two hours for animals arriving by road. In addition, Canadian commercial feedlots exporting live animals to the U.S. must be registered with the FDA.

For additional information:
www.inspection.gc.ca

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