Exporting cattle, bison and their products under the USDA Final Rule on BSE Risk

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On September 14, 2007, the United States Department of Agriculture announced its intention to implement its Final Rule on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) risk. When it comes in effect, this initiative will open up new opportunities for Canadian exporters, primarily by allowing exports to the U.S. of a broader range of cattle and meat and products derived from them.

The final rule opens the border to the following:

• live cattle and other bovines (i.e., bison) for any use, including breeding, born on or after, March 1, 1999. (under the previous rule only cattle under 30 months and destined for immediate slaughter or restricted feedlots were eligible);
• meat and meat products from animals of any age;
• blood and blood products derived from bovines, collected under certain conditions; and
• casings and part of the small intestine derived from bovines.

In preparation for the changes, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has worked with the Canadian cattle industry and animal health practitioners and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address the associated technical requirements. The CFIA is re-accrediting private veterinarians across the country to certify that Canadian exports are in compliance with the new requirements.

The CFIA export certificates for live animals have been revised to meet the new requirements. As a result of the Final Rule, certification has been simplified with the elimination of some requirements, such as the need to confirm that animals are not pregnant. Certification for animals going to slaughter includes:

• an animal health inspection,
• age verification, and
• permanent identification requirements.

Additional marking (tattoo or brand) is required for animals being exported for other purposes (e.g. breeding or show) and a tuberculosis test may be needed for certain animals originating from Manitoba.

Restrictions on sheep and goats have not changed. These animals may be imported for immediate slaughter and feeding prior to slaughter in the U.S. provided they are less than 12 months of age. Sheep and goats for breeding purposes remain prohibited.

Export certificates

Canadian Veterinary Health Certificates must be obtained for all exports of live cattle and other bovines. Primary inspection and certification procedures will be conducted by private veterinary practitioners accredited by the CFIA.

Accredited veterinarians must use the export certificate supplied by the CFIA and follow the inspection process prescribed by the Accredited Veterinarian Manual. Once an export certificate has been completed by an accredited veterinarian, it must be endorsed by the CFIA. The endorsed certificate will then be returned to the accredited veterinarian or the exporter to accompany the shipment of animals. Unless the health status of the animals to be exported changes, the certificate is valid for 30 days from the inspection date.

The export certificate must confirm that the following U.S. animal health and identification requirements have been met:

Animal health

• All animals were born in the United States or Canada or were legally imported into Canada from a region recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a region not restricted due to BSE.
• All animals have been under no movement restrictions within Canada or the U.S. for at least 60 days prior to importation into the U.S.
• Veterinary inspections must verify all animals are free from any evidence of communicable diseases. All animals must not have been exposed to any such diseases during the 60 days previous to the inspection.
• The animals are not in quarantine in Canada.

Pregnant animals are no longer restricted so pregnancy tests and a segregation period between males and females are not required.

Animals not for immediate slaughter

There are additional requirements for animals that are not going directly for slaughter:

• Sexually intact (non-castrated) animals over 4 weeks old which have resided in Manitoba within 60 days preceding export must have tested negative for bovine tuberculosis.
• Animals must be branded or tattooed (see "Identification").

Age verification

All animals for export must have been born after March 1, 1999 - the date recognized by the USDA as the effective implementation of Canada's ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban. Under agreement with the USDA, the confirmation of an animal's age can be done in one of three ways:

• birth records agreeable to the accredited veterinarian;
• dental examination (for full eruption of the eighth permanent incisor); or
• visual inspection of animals up to three years of age.

Identification

All animals for export must be identified with official Canadian Cattle Identification Agency ear tags.

All animals for breeding, feeding or shows must be humanely branded "CN" on the right hip or carry a "CAN" tattoo in the left ear. Hot or freeze branding is permitted. Brands must be two to three inches in height.

Animals for immediate slaughter do not require a brand or tattoo.

Transporting animals

For animals going to slaughter, transport vehicles must move directly from the exporting premises to the port of entry where they will be sealed by a USDA officer before proceeding directly to the designated slaughter establishment.

Shipments must be accompanied by the official Canadian export certificate. The requirement that transport trucks be sealed with official federal seals prior to shipping in Canada has been eliminated.

Be prepared

Exporters should contact the CFIA District veterinarian or their accredited veterinarian in order to get a copy of the export certificates and the details with respect to the certification of the animals. The export certificates are also available at the following address on the CFIA website:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/export/bovine/bovine.shtml.

Additional Requirements

Unrelated to the requirements of the U.S. final rule, 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. As well, Canadian commercial feedlots exporting live animals to the U.S. are required to be registered with the FDA. Prior notice must be received and confirmed electronically by the FDA no more than five days before arrival and no fewer than two hour by land for animals arriving by road.

Meat and other bovine products

Meat and meat products from animals of any age are now eligible for export to the U.S. As under the previous rule, those tissues known to be capable of harbouring BSE (specified risk materials), must be removed from meat prior to export. As was the case previously, meat and meat products for export to the U.S. must be processed at federally registered slaughter plants. Shipments must be certified as inspected by the CFIA.

For more information, please contact a CFIA district office (listed in the blue pages of the telephone book).