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General Requirements
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1. |
The following U.S. import requirements are prescribed in Part
93 of the U.S.
Code of Federal Regulations and are available here. a) the animal
was born in Canada or the U.S. and has not been in any other country; or
b) the animal has been legally imported into Canada from some other country and
unconditionally released into Canada so as to be eligible to move freely within Canada
without restriction of any kind and has been in Canada after such release for 60 days or
longer. An exception to these provisions is if a permit was obtained from the USDA to
import into the U.S. animals that have been in Canada less than 60 days. If this situation
arises, the district veterinarian should be contacted for more information. |
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2. |
The USDA requires export health certificates to be completed in
English. |
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3. |
An export certificate is considered fully complete and valid
only after it has been endorsed and stamped with the official export stamp by the CFIA
veterinary inspector. This is usually the district veterinarian or veterinary inspector
responsible for the geographic district in which the herd of origin is located, or another
veterinary inspector if prior arrangements have been made. |
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4. |
The period of time that an export certificate remains valid is
not only based on the date that the completed certificate is endorsed by a CFIA
veterinarian, but may also be based on the actual date that the inspection or treatment
commenced. |
Interpretations
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5. |
Animals: Cattle, sheep, goats, other ruminants, swine, horses,
asses, mules, zebras, dogs, cats, and poultry. |
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6. |
Cattle: Members of the species Bos taurus
(domestic cattle), Bos indicus (Zebu-type cattle), and Bison bison (American buffalo). |
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7. |
Test date: The date on which the samples were drawn, not the
date on which the test was performed in the laboratory or on which the results were
reported. The exceptions to this definition are the test dates for the performance of
intradermal tests for tuberculosis. In this case, the test date is the date on which the
test is read and not the date of injection. |
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8. |
Exhibition: Any publicly recognized exposition, race, horse
show, rodeo, circus or stage exhibition in Canada or the U.S. |
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9. |
Communicable Disease: Any contagious, infectious or
communicable disease of domestic livestock, poultry, or other animals. |
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10. |
Birds: All members of the class Aves, including hatching eggs,
other than "poultry." |
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11. |
Zoological Park: For export purposes, a professionally operated
zoo, park, garden or other place maintained under the constant surveillance of a Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine, for the exhibition of live animals, pigeons or birds, for the purpose
of public recreation or education. |
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12. |
Herd: Any group of animals maintained on common ground for any
purpose, or two or more groups of animals of the same species under common ownership or
supervision, which are geographically separated but among which there is an interchange or
movement of animals without regard to health status. |
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13. |
Accredited Veterinarian: Non-federal veterinarian who is
licensed to practice veterinary medicine and is formally authorized by means of an
Accredited Veterinarian Agreement with the CFIA to perform inspections, tests, and
activities for specified purposes. |
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14. |
Poultry: For the purposes of export to the U.S., chickens,
ducks, geese, swans, turkeys, doves, pheasants, grouse, pigeons, partridges, quails,
guinea fowl, and peafowl of all ages, including "poultry" hatching eggs. |
Import Permits
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15. |
No import permits are required from the USDA if the animals are
presented for import at one of the U.S. land border ports listed at the end of this
section and if they meet one of the following conditions: a) They were born
in Canada or the U.S. and have been in no other country; or
b) They were legally imported into Canada from a bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE)-free country and have been unconditionally released and eligible to
move freely within Canada for at least 60 days before their export to the U.S. |
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16. |
An import permit is required from the USDA for: a)
any animals (including semen or embryos), poultry, birds, or semen that are destined to
enter the U.S. by air, sea or an inland port of entry other than those listed below;
b) all fresh/frozen embryos that enter the U.S. without having been
transferred to an eligible recipient;
c) all animals, poultry, or semen from animal donors if the animals,
poultry or animal donors have been imported into Canada from a country other than the U.S.
and have been resident in Canada less than 60 days excluding any Canadian quarantine
period. |
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17. |
Applications for import permits can be obtained from the
following address: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Veterinary
Service, National Center for Import and Export
4700 River Road, Unit 39
Riverdale, Maryland 20737
Tel.: (301) 734-3277
Fax: (301) 734-4704
Requests may also be made by contacting USDA authorities at the port of entry. |
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18. |
For certain species, it may be necessary to obtain one or more
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permits. Applications for CITES
import/export permits can be obtained from the following addresses: U.S. import
permit:
Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Room 432
4401 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, Virginia 22203
Tel.: (703) 358-2104
Canadian export permit:
CITES Administrator
Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada
Ottawa ON K1A 0H3
Tel.: (819) 997-1095 |
Federal Requirement vs. State Requirements and
Requirements of Other Organizations
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19. |
While it is recognized that each state has the prerogative to
establish import movement controls that may be more stringent than the national (USDA)
health requirements, the state authorities cannot prevent the entry into the U.S. from
Canada of animals that meet established federal conditions. However, once animals have
gained entry to the state, individual state authorities have the legal mandate to deal
with such animal as they see fit. |
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20. |
Exporters should be advised that individual state requirements
may exceed or differ from the USDA requirements. It is the exporter's responsibility to
ensure that any additional requirements are met through arrangements made with the
importer either on the arrival of the animals or in advance of their departure. |
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21. |
Tests that are performed to meet specific state requirements
but are not required for entry into the U.S. must be submitted to a provincial or private
laboratory. The results do not constitute part of the official certification and are not
to appear on the export health certificate; however, the test results may be attached to
the export document. |
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22. |
It is the exporter's responsibility to check whether any
conditions are imposed by other organizations (e.g. requirements concerning endangered
species) and to meet any such conditions. |
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23. |
The following list
of state veterinary offices is provided to enable exporters to determine whether the
state to which they are exporting imposes any restrictions that may affect their ability
to access such markets.
State |
Telephone |
State |
Telephone |
Alabama |
(334) 240-7255 |
Montana |
(406) 444-2043 |
Alaska |
(907) 745-3236 |
Nebraska |
(402) 471-2351 |
Arizona |
(602) 542-4293 |
Nevada |
(775) 688-1180 |
Arkansas |
(501) 907-2400 |
New Hampshire |
(603) 271-2404 |
California |
(916) 654-0881 |
New Jersey |
(609) 292-3965 |
Colorado |
(303) 239-4161 |
Mew Mexico |
(505) 841-6161 |
Connecticut |
(860) 713-2505 |
New York |
(518) 457-3502 |
Delaware |
(302) 739-4811 |
North Carolina |
(919) 733-7601 |
Florida |
(580) 410-0910 |
North Dakota |
(701) 328-2655 |
Georgia |
(404) 656-3671 |
Ohio |
(614) 728-6220 |
Hawaii |
(808) 483-7111 |
Oklahoma |
(508) 522-6131 |
Idaho |
(208) 332-8540 |
Oregon |
(503) 986-4680 |
Illinois |
(217) 782-4944 |
Pennsylvania |
(717) 772-2852 |
Indiana |
(317) 227-0300 |
Rhode Island |
(401) 222-2781 |
Iowa |
(515) 281-5305 |
South Carolina |
(803) 788-2260 |
Kansas |
(785) 296-2326 |
South Dakota |
(605) 773-3321 |
Kentucky |
(502) 564-3956 |
Tennessee |
(615) 837-5120 |
Louisiana |
(225) 925-3980 |
Texas |
(512) 719-0700 |
Maine |
(207) 287-3701 |
Utah |
(801) 538-7160 |
Maryland |
(410) 841-5810 |
Vermont |
(802) 828-2421 |
Massachusetts |
(617) 626-1790 |
Virginia |
(804) 786-2481 |
Michigan |
(517) 373-1077 |
Washington |
(360) 902-1878 |
Minnesota |
(651) 296-2942 |
West Virginia |
(304) 558-2214 |
Mississippi |
(601) 359-1170 |
Wisconsin |
(608) 224-4872 |
Missouri |
(573) 751-3377 |
Wyoming |
(307) 777-6443 |
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Use and Control of CFIA Seals
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24. |
The shipment to the U.S. of certain species of animals must be
in vehicles that are sealed at the location from which the animals are being shipped.
Seals must be applied by the accredited veterinarian who signs the certificate or by a
technician designated by the accredited veterinarian. |
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25. |
To perform this function, accredited veterinarians or their
auxiliaries must be designated under the Health of Animals Act. Contact the CFIA
district veterinarian to obtain this designation. |
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26. |
Accredited veterinarians will provide the CFIA district
veterinarian with the names of any technicians able to perform the duties of sealing
vehicles for the shipment of animals to the U.S. This list must be updated as soon as
changes in staff are made. |
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27. |
The CFIA's Animal Health district office will provide seals for
the vehicles. Seals may be allocated to an accredited veterinarian or to a veterinary
clinic when more than one accredited veterinarian is employed by the same clinic. |
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28. |
The district office will keep records containing the seal
numbers and the names of the accredited veterinarians or veterinary clinics to which the
seals were distributed. |
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29. |
Once seals are applied to all possible exits of a vehicle
transporting livestock, accredited veterinarians or their designated auxiliaries must
record the numbers on the official export certificate in the appropriate section and
initial the appropriate section. |
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30. |
Accredited veterinarians must keep records of the seals that
are used. Seal numbers must be matched with export certificate numbers. These records must
be kept for a minimum of three years. |
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31. |
Accredited veterinarians must submit, upon request, a list of
the seals used and the corresponding export certificate numbers to the CFIA's Animal
Health district office. The following template may be copied and used to submit this
information. The document can be sent by facsimile, electronic mail or regular mail.
Accredited Veterinarian or Technician |
Seal Number |
Export Certificate Number |
Date of Application of Seals |
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Land Ports of Entry
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32. |
The following land ports of entry are designated as having the
necessary inspection facilities for the entry of animals from Canada:
State |
Port Name |
Telephone |
Work Days |
Hours |
Idaho |
Eastport |
208-267-2396 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
Maine |
Houlton |
207-532-6099 |
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday |
9:00-14:00 |
Maine |
Jackman |
207-622-8248 |
By Appointment |
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Michigan |
Detroit |
313-226-4428 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
Michigan |
Port Huron |
810-985-5433 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
Michigan |
Sault Ste-Marie |
906-647-6512 |
By Appointment |
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Minnesota |
Baudette |
218-285-7044 |
By Appointment |
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Montana |
Opeim |
406-487-5955 |
By Appointment |
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Montana |
Raymond |
406-487-5955 |
By Appointment |
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Montana |
Sweetgrass |
406-355-2142 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
New York |
Alexandria Bay |
315-482-2601 |
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday |
8:00-16:30 |
New York |
Champlain |
518-298-2191 |
Tuesday |
9:00-15:30 |
New York |
Niagara Falls |
716-297-6203 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
North Dakota |
Dunseith |
701-263-3364 |
Monday, Thursday and Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
North Dakota |
Pembina |
701-825-6262 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:00 |
North Dakota |
Portal |
701-926-4281 |
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
By Appointment |
9:00-15:30 |
Vermont |
Derby Line |
802-873-9338 |
Wednesday |
10:00-14:00 |
Vermont |
Highgate Springs |
802-868-2556 |
Monday, Tuesday and Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
Washington |
Oroville |
509-476-2635 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
Washington |
Sumas |
360-988-5715 |
Monday to Friday |
8:00-16:30 |
Because of limited inspection services at some ports of entry, exporters should be
advised to schedule the arrival of their animals with the USDA/APHIS veterinarian. |
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Health Certification
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1. |
The export certificate HA 2184 Export of Cattle or Bison
for Feeding from Canada to the U.S. of America and the Agent or Owner and/or
Exporter's Declaration must be used. |
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2. |
The cattle must:
have been born in Canada or the U.S. and not have been in any other
region; or
have been legally imported into Canada from a bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE)free region and have been unconditionally released and eligible
to move freely within in Canada for at least 60 days before export to the U.S.
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3. |
The cattle for export must have been kept in Canada or the U.S.
during the 60 days immediately preceding the date of shipment to the U.S., and during
those 60 days, Canada must have been free from foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, and
contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. |
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4. |
The animals for export must not be in quarantine in Canada. |
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5. |
All the females in the shipment must be certified as not
pregnant on the basis of the protocol described below. |
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6. |
The cattle for export must have been inspected and found to be
free from any evidence of communicable disease and, as far as it can be determined, must
not have been exposed to any such disease during the 60 days immediately preceding the
date of shipment. |
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7. |
The cattle must be from a brucellosis-free province. |
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8. |
The cattle must have continuously resided in a TB-accredited
free or modified-accredited advanced (MAA) province or in a U.S. state. |
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9. |
The cattle must be less than 30 months of age
when imported into the U.S. |
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10. |
The cattle and bison must have been subject to a ruminant feed
ban equivalent to the requirements established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). |
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11. |
No tests are required for cattle for feeding. |
Certification Procedure
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12. |
Within the 30 days before the planned export date, an
accredited veterinarian or CFIA veterinarian must examine each animal presented for
export. |
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13. |
The cattle must be permanently and humanely identified before
arrival at the port of entry to the U.S. Each animal must bear a "C^N" mark
applied with a freeze brand, hot iron, or other permanent method; this mark must be easily
visible and legible on the live animal. The mark must also be visible on the carcass
before skinning. The mark must be not less than two inches or more than three inches high
and must be applied to the animal's right hip, high on the tail-head (over the junction of
the sacral and coccygeal vertebrae). |
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Age Determination |
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14. |
All the animals in this shipment must be under 30
months of age. |
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15. |
Exporters must present to accredited veterinarians only
appropriately aged animals. Accredited veterinarians will then visually inspect all cattle
to screen out animals that appear to be over age on the basis of physical characteristics
such as size. Any such animals must be removed from the group and clearly identified.
These animals must not be reconsidered for export unless registered birth date information
is provided. |
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16. |
The age of all animals which pass this preliminary screening
must then be confirmed by an examination of the animal's dentition by the accredited
veterinarian.
The accredited veterinarian will be required to reject the entire
load presented for export if the rejection rate of cattle over thirty months is greater
than 10%. The animals rejected during the preliminary screening or those rejected as a
precaution measure are not included in the 10% calculation.
To continue with the export process, the exporter will be
required to re-assemble the load and take actions to ensure that only eligible animals are
presented to the accredited veterinarian for certification.
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17. |
If the accredited veterinarian is certifying cattle that have
been assembled from multiple premises or if the shipment is determined to
involve other higher-risk situations as outlined below, a record of the dental evaluation
should accompany the veterinary health certificate when it is presented to the district
veterinarian for endorsement:
- Exporters who ship infrequently (90 days or more between shipments);
- Exporters who ship assembled loads when animals have an unknown or uncertain origin,
especially if the animals are near the 30-month age limit;
- Shipments involving inexperienced exporters or newly accredited veterinarians; and,
- Shipments where accredited veterinarians have observed 10% or higher non-compliance with
age requirements during preliminary inspections.
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18. |
The physical record is to be based on the document Export
Certification - Verification of Dental Examination (available in district offices).
Depending on the size of the shipment, it may be appropriate to complete this document for
each animal presented for export certification; however, in other circumstances, the
document may be used as a "key" and only the number of the diagram most closely
approximating the dental evaluation would be referred to on the master sheet. Regardless
of which method is used, it is imperative that there is an association between the
veterinary health certificate number, the individual ear tag number, and the dental
evaluation. |
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19. |
The following records may be used instead of dentition if the
birth dates are available:
- Agri-Traçabilité Québec (ATQ);
- Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA);
- Purebred registration certificate; or
- Breeding or birth records from the herd of origin may be used if the accredited
veterinarian considers the data reliable.
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20. |
If the dental examination is used to determine age, it is
preferable for the inspection to be conducted during the 14 days preceding export. |
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References for Age Determination on
the Basis of Dentition Figure II
Permanent Teeth Lingual Aspect
Incisor and Canine Teeth of Ox 2½ years of age
Extract: Sission and Grossman's
The Anatomy of the Domestic Animals
Volume 1
![The Anatomy of the Domestic Animals - Cattle less than 30 months of age](/web/20061210204650im_/http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/man/avmmva/5_2-2e.jpg) |
![The Anatomy of the Domestic Animals - Cattle at 30 months of age](/web/20061210204650im_/http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/man/avmmva/5_2-3e.jpg) |
Cattle less than 30 months of age |
Cattle at 30 months of age |
Note: For the purposes of certification of cattle and bison
for export to the U.S., an animal is considered to be 30 months or older if either tooth
of the second set of incisors has erupted through the gums. |
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Pregnancy Determination |
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21. |
Exclusive of very young pre-pubescent animals, only animals
confirmed not to be pregnant are eligible for export under the U.S. Minimal Risk Rule.
Palpation, ultrasound, blood test, and a pregnancy termination agent are the four accepted
methods for completing pregnancy diagnosis. The requirements for each of these methods are
as follows: a) Pregnancy diagnosis by palpation:
- Beginning January 12, 2006, new shipments must be segregated and physically separated by
gender for at least 60 days before the palpation test is completed to
prevent the misdiagnosis of early-term pregnancies which can be difficult to detect;
- Each animal in the shipment must be inspected; and
- If both uterine horns cannot be palpated for any reason to confirm that the animal is
not pregnant, the animal must be considered pregnant and deemed ineligible for export.
b) Ultrasound Technology:
- Beginning January 12, 2006, new shipments must be segregated and physically separated by
gender at least 45 days before the ultrasound diagnostic technique is
used to prevent the misdiagnosis of early-term pregnancies which can be difficult to
detect;
- Each animal in the shipment must be inspected;
- All suspect cases must be considered pregnant and deemed ineligible for export; and,
- The accredited veterinarian must have the necessary experience and training in the use
of such technology.
c) Blood Test:
- The accredited veterinarian must use an approved test for this purpose. The CFIA
district veterinarian can provide a list of approved tests/laboratories. The animals must
be segregated and physically separated by gender at least 60 days before
being presented for this test;
- Each animal must be tested individually; and
- This test must not be performed on animals that have received a pregnancy terminating
agent as false positive results could occur.
d) Pregnancy Terminating Agent:
- All heifers confirmed or suspected to be pregnant must be clearly identified and grouped
separately from the heifers qualified for export. Exporters may choose to treat such
animals with a recognized pregnancy-terminating agent. Each animal treated with this agent
must be re-examined using palpation or ultrasound no less than two weeks
after the treatment and before export. An exporter may choose to treat every animal in the
shipment; however, all treated animals must be examined to confirm they are not pregnant;
and
- If the owner subsequently decides to send these treated animals to be slaughtered in
Canada, they must not be slaughtered for use in food for at least two days after their
last treatment with these products.
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Spayed Heifers |
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22. |
Spayed heifers are exempt from pregnancy requirements. A
declaration from the veterinarian who performed the surgical procedure must be provided in
order for the animal to be certified for export. Any information that assists in
confirming the identification of the animal must accompany the declaration, including the
official tag number from either the CCIA or ATQ. |
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Notes:
- Segregation of gender should be accomplished so that animals in one group cannot
physically reach the animals of another group. For example, a group of males and a group
of heifers should not be placed in adjacent fields with only a fence separating the two
groups.
- Pregnancy determination by any of the above methods can be performed before the
30-day maximum period between inspection and export, providing the testing is followed by
strict segregation by gender.
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How to Complete the Canadian Health
Certificate (HA 2184)
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23. |
The accredited veterinarian must use the most recent version of
the HA 2184 export certificate. |
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24. |
For cattle and bison, the official ear tag is the CCIA or ATQ
tag. All numbers that appear on the ear tag must be recorded on the export certificate. Note:
While it is not a USDA requirement that the ear tag numbers be listed in ascending
numerical order on the certificate, accredited veterinarians are encouraged to complete
certificates in this manner. This practice will facilitate inspection at the U.S. port of
entry and minimize delays. |
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25. |
In the column "AGE (MONTHS)(Estimated)" record the
actual age of each animal, if a birth record is available, or an estimated age in months,
if aging by dentition is used. An entry such as "less than 30 months" is not
acceptable. |
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26. |
The routing of the shipment must be based on information
provided by the exporter and must include the names of the main highways to be followed in
Canada and the U.S. and the name of the location where the animals were loaded in Canada. |
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27. |
The accredited veterinarian must complete the export health
certificate by entering all the necessary information with the exception of the number of
animals in the shipment and the seal numbers. The "Reference number" is assigned
by the CFIA district office. The completed and signed health certificate and
owner/exporter's declaration will be submitted to a CFIA veterinary inspector to review
and, if all requirements are met, endorse it. Any incomplete export certificates will be
returned to the accredited veterinarian for completion. A fee is charged for CFIA
endorsement. Once endorsed, certificates are returned to the accredited veterinarian, and
the owner/exporter's declaration is kept at the district office with a copy of the
certificate. The health certificate is valid for 30 days from the date of
examination. |
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28. |
The accredited veterinarian or their technician must, on the
day of export, return to the farm and apply CFIA seals to the transporting vehicles, after
verifying that only the animals listed on the export certificate are included in the
shipment. A CFIA seal must be applied to every door on the trailer. |
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29. |
The accredited veterinarian or their technician must record the
number of animals in the shipment and the CFIA seal numbers in the appropriate sections on
the endorsed original health certificate, and initial the appropriate section. It is not
necessary to repeat this information on the copies of the certificate, but veterinarians
must record it on the copy kept in their offices. |
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30. |
The original and one copy of the official Canadian health
certificate must be issued for each vehicle in a shipment. |
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31. |
During loading, if animals must be removed from the shipment
after the health certificate has been endorsed by the CFIA veterinary inspector,
accredited veterinarians should not cross out any of these animals that are listed
on the health certificate. In such cases the accredited veterinarian or their
technician must provide two copies of an Addendum: one copy to accompany
the shipment, and one to be included in the accredited veterinarian's file. Sample copies
of an addendum are available in the district offices. This is not a CFIA document and does
not bear the CFIA logo. It may be used as is or printed on the veterinary clinic's
letterhead. The addendum must include a description of the animals that were not loaded
and their CCIA or ATQ identification numbers. |
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32. |
If the seals are broken or missing, or if they do not match the
seal numbers recorded on the health certificate, the shipment will be refused entry into
the U.S. |
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33. |
Before arrival at the U.S. border, the seals cannot be broken
by anyone other than a CFIA inspector or a person under the inspector's supervision. If
the exporter asks to transfer animals from one truck to another after leaving the farm of
origin, the transfer must be performed under the direct supervision of a CFIA inspector.
The CFIA inspector will issue an official letter to confirm the change in the seal
numbers. The CFIA will charge a fee for this service. |
Inspections at U.S. Ports or Entry
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34. |
The cattle and bison for feeding will be unloaded at the U.S.
port of entry for individual inspection. |
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35. |
The animals must be presented at the U.S. port of entry by
appointment. The shipment must be accompanied by U.S. Veterinary Services Form 17-29
(Declaration of Importation) and the official Canadian health certificate (HA 2184). |
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36. |
Refer to 5.1 Export to the U.S. - General
for the list of land ports of entry designated as having the necessary inspection
facilities for the entry of animals from Canada. Although this list was provided by the
USDA, it is the exporters' responsibility to present their animals to a U.S. port of entry
that has the facilities required for the unloading and inspection of such animals. |
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References Link to
export certificate HA 2184
and the Agent or Owner and/or Exporter's Declaration from the CFIA Web site.
The Export Certification - Verification of Dental Examination
APHD-DSAE-IE-2006-1-2AD2 is available from your district veterinarian, as is a sample of
the Addendum for Animals Not Included in the Shipment which can be printed on
your official letterhead. |