Export Requirements for Costa Rica

CR-17 (Aug 12, 2008)

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Eligible/Ineligible Products

Eligible Products
1. Fresh/frozen boneless beef including further processed products, and beef tongues, kidneys, livers, and hearts.
2. Fresh/frozen boneless pork, pork chops, ribs, bone-in ham, livers, skin, and fat.
3. Fresh/frozen poultry and poultry meat products.
4. Fully cooked poultry meat products.
5. Fully cooked pork meat products.

Documentation Requirements

Certification Requirements
1. For fresh/frozen boneless beef and beef tongues, kidneys, livers and hearts, obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness. The following statements must be provided on a letterhead certificate:*
  1. The United States complies with the conditions stated in Article 2.3.13.4 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code as a country with controlled BSE risk.
  2. The beef meat and meat products (mentioned in the scope) were produced and handled in a manner which ensures that such products do not contain and are not contaminated with the following specified risk materials (SRM's) for BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy): the brain, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, vertebral column (excluding the vertebrae of the tail, the transverse processes of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and the wings of the sacrum) and dorsal root ganglia of cattle 30 months of age and older; and the tonsils and distal ileum of the small intestine of cattle regardless of age.
  3. The beef meat and meat products were subject to testing for chemical residues in accordance with the USA National Residue Program sampling plans.
  4. The product (beef, livers, tongues, hearts and kidneys) was inspected and passed and found fit for human consumption.
  5. The beef meat and beef products were produced under mandatory HACCP regulations that require testing for Salmonella and Escherichia coli and were found to be in full compliance.
2. Fresh/frozen boneless pork, pork chops, ribs, bone-in ham, livers, skin and fat - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, with the following certification statements additionally provided on a letterhead certificate:
  1. The United States is free of classical swine fever and vaccination against the disease is prohibited.
  2. The pork and pork products were derived from animals that were subject to testing for chemical residues in accordance with the USA National Residue Program sampling plans.
  3. The pork and pork products were inspected and passed and found to be wholesome and fit for human consumption.
  4. The pork and pork products were produced under mandatory HACCP regulations that require testing for Salmonella and Escherichia coli and were found to be in full compliance.
3. Fresh/frozen poultry – obtain FSIS Form 90605,with the following certification statements additionally provided on a letterhead certificate:
  1. The product was derived from birds originating from a zone free of exotic Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic notifiable avian influenza (HPNAI) for at least 21 days prior to slaughter, and from birds subjected to ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections for NAI with favorable results.
  2. The birds are the progeny of flocks participating in the National Poultry Improvement Plan which are routinely monitored and free from Salmonella pathogenic to poultry.
  3. The slaughter plant or establishment where the birds were processed was under official inspection and is authorized to export poultry meat.
  4. The product was inspected and passed and found fit for human consumption.
  5. The poultry meat was produced under mandatory HACCP regulations that require testing for Salmonella and Escherichia coli and was found to be in compliance.
  6. The poultry meat was produced in accordance with the U.S. National Residue Program.
  In addition, the following condition must be met:
  1. Any frozen product arriving in Costa Rica more than two months from its packing date will be refused entry.
  2. Spanish language product labels must include lot number, packaging date, and the official number of the producing establishment.
  3. Product must be packed and maintained at -18 degrees Celsius for the duration of the shipment to Costa Rica.
4. Fully cooked poultry meat products - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, and include the following certification statement in the "Remarks" section:
  
  "The fully cooked processed poultry product was produced in accordance with USDA regulatory requirements."
5. Fully cooked pork meat products - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, and include the following certification statement in the "Remarks" section:
  
  "The fully cooked processed pork product was produced in accordance with USDA regulatory requirements."

Other Requirements

The official BEEF certificate must declare the following: date, exporter (name and address), consignee (name and address), establishment (name and number) lot number or production code, number of packages, weight, kind of product (beef cuts, ribs, beef liver), official stamp and signed by an official veterinarian. The certificates must be numbered. If the certificate has more than one page, the pages must be numbered like this: Page 1 of 2, Page 2 of 2, signed and stamped with the official stamp. If there are annexes to the certificate, all of them should be numbered signed and stamped by the FSIS veterinarian. The official certificate should indicate if there are any annnexes and how many and all annexes signed, dated and stamped by the FSIS veterinarian.*
Frozen beef, liver and/or tongue shipments arriving in Costa Rica more than six months after their packing date will be refused of entry. Fresh beef shipments arriving in Costa Rica more than nine days after their packing date will be refused of entry.*
The ink color of the stamp and signature must be different from that ink used to print the certificate.*
The beef product should be labeled in Spanish and the labels must include lot number, packaging date and the official number of the producing establishment.
Frozen beef product must be packed and maintained at -18 degrees Centigrade during storage and inside shipping containers while in-transit to Costa Rica. Fresh beef products should be kept at 0 degrees Centigrade or below.
For beef and pork products destined for the retail market, product labeling must be in compliance with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Commerce and Economy regulations. Exporters are advised to work closely with Costa Rican importers to assure labeling meets these requirements.
Frozen pork and pork products arriving in Costa Rica more than six (6) months after their packing date will be refused entry. Fresh pork and pork products arriving in Costa Rica more than nine (9) days after their packing date will be refused entry.
The pork product should be labeled in Spanish and the labels must include lot number, packaging date, and the official number of the producing establishment.
Frozen pork product must be packed and maintained at -18°C during storage and inside shipping containers while in-transit to Costa Rica. Fresh pork products should be kept at 0°C or below.
All export certificates accompanying product must be signed by an FSIS veterinarian in blue ink.

Plants Eligible to Export

All Federally inspected establishments are eligible to export to Costa Rica.

CR-17 (Aug 12, 2008)


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