Q2. Please clarify Section V. E. (page 3). Does the first sentence mean that FSIS does not charge the company on FSIS Form 5110.1 for the time spent issuing the export certificate (FSIS Form 9060-5) and the re-inspection of the product? Is only the time spent on extra forms and other country required certification, charged?
A. Yes, the issuance of an export certificate as required by 9 CFR 322.2 or 9 CFR 381.105 is non-reimbursable at an official establishment. However, the time for any additional certification or reinspection required in order to issue any certificate other than Form 9060-5, Export Certificate of Wholesomeness, is reimbursable in an official establishment.
Q3. Section VIII. B. and C. (page 7) refers to making 4 copies of the continuation sheets and the letterhead certificate including signing. Is it acceptable to sign the original and then make three copies of the form, or is each copy to be signed individually?
A. Either way is generally acceptable; however, individual country requirements should be consulted in case there are special signature requirements.
Q4. Section VIII. C. (page 8) refers to a certification statement to be included on the letterhead certificate. Is this certification statement supposed to be like the one on the bottom of the export certificate (9060-5) itself? The letterhead certificate that can be downloaded from the informational page for Mexico does not include this certification statement. Is it to be added?
A. The certification statements are the country specific animal and public health statements that were bilaterally agreed upon by the United States and the country, not what is already printed on the export certificate. The statements can be added by the plant to the "Remarks"section of FSIS Form 9060-5 or included on an FSIS letterhead certificate.
Q5. What date would an inspection program employee put on the application for export if the original export application, FSIS Form 9060-6, was signed and dated on 1/1/2006, the export certificate was signed and dated on 1/2/2006, and the establishment submitted an application to request a new certificate (in lieu of) on 2/6/2006, using that date (because the original certificate carried incorrect information)? Should the new application be signed and dated with the original date of the application of 1/1/2006, even if the inspection program employee was not the original inspection employee that signed the original application and never verified the information, re-inspected the product, etc.?
A. "The date at the top of the application (FSIS Form 9060-6) should be the date the application is made whether it is for the initial certificate or for a replacement certificate; that is, application dates for replacement certificates should indicate when it was requested. The date at the top of the replacement export certificate (FSIS Form 9060-5) should have the same date of issuance as the original export certificate. Replacement certificates may be issued without reinspection to verify the product's current condition based of FSIS Directive 9000.1, IX, A.
Q6. Section VII. G. (page 6) states that inspection personnel at an official establishment are to enter 06A01 code when procedures have been performed. Does this direction also apply to inspection personnel at non-official establishments that export? In the directive it does not say to enter the Inspection System Procedure code 06A01, only to charge for the services as set out in FSIS Directive 5110.1. Is the ISP code entered at these non-official establishments?
A. Yes, this section states to document the 06A01 procedure as performed once per day when performed during the shift. This direction covers official and non-official establishments, although the Directive does not refer to non-official establishments.
Q7. On the day inspection program personnel perform export procedures at official establishments, they are to record Inspection System Procedure code 06A01 as performed. Are inspection program personnel to record the procedure as performed once a day and not for each application received?
A. Yes, the procedure 06A01 would be marked performed once per day for each establishment when exports are certified.
Q8. Is a summary of the changes to FSIS Directive 9000.1, Revision 1 available?
A. No summary is available, but the changes are outlined in the "Purpose" section of the directive.
Q9. In Section VII. A., what does it mean to verify that the export application is complete and all pertinent information is included?
A. This means that before inspection personnel sign a certificate, they are to determine whether the required information on FSIS Form 9060-6 is complete and accurate; whether they have received any requests for additional certificates, seals, or certifications as set out in Block 14 of FSIS Form 9060-6 from the establishment; and whether these documents are appropriate.
Q10. Is certification of additional export documents (beyond the 9060-5) performed as a reimbursable service?
A. Yes, in accordance with Directive 9000.1, Rev. 1, FSIS inspection personnel may charge an official establishment for any additional certification beyond the preprinted certification statements on FSIS Form 9060-5. All export services to non-official facilities are reimbursable including driving time to and from the facility for that purpose.
Q11. If an establishment has two exports to Mexico, and each one has a letterhead certificate to be certified, would that be charged as 0.5 hr (2 x .25 hr minimum), or as .25 hr?
A. It is recommended that program employees refer to FSIS Directive 5110.1 and coordinate with the District Office on how to calculate time used to perform export certifications.
Q12. An inspection program employee may sign an application and issue (but not sign) an export certificate (FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness) and export stamp, only after he or she has: 1. verified that the information on the application is correct, and the applicant has signed the application attesting to the accuracy of the information; 2. verified that the country requirements as specified in the Export Library have been met; and 3. re-inspected the product as set out in Section VII of this directive and has no reason to conclude that the product has become adulterated or unwholesome, or that the product is mislabeled or ineligible for export to the country listed on the application. Does this mean that the product must be re-inspected before the establishment is given the stamp and certificate? Even for Canada? It does not say the export certificate from Canada, only the FSIS Form 9060-5?
A. Yes, that is correct in general. However, Section VII. F. allows for pre-stamping of boxes and providing the export certificate prior to completion of the re-inspection in establishments. FSIS' practice has been to consider an establishment's compliance history before allowing pre-stamping. This practice also applies to product exported to Canada, although the certificate is different than for other countries.
Q13. What is the difference between "Export Certification" and "Export Verification?"
A. Export certification is evidence that products conform with country requirements. Export verification is documentation provided by the applicant to FSIS that the product complies with country requirements.
Q14. If two inspectors perform export duties at the same establishment on the same shift is that recorded once or twice?
A. Enter once per shift, per establishment, per day, that export duties are performed regardless of the number of inspectors.
Q15. Is there a time limit on how long the applicant can take to prepare FSIS Form 9060-5 upon being issued a blank certificate before it is presented for signature?
A. FSIS Directive 9000.1 does not specify a time limit. Typically we expect the certificates to be signed within a few days (that being normal practice).
Q16. What are the procedures that inspection personnel should follow when issuing an export certificate for egg products?
A. Instructions to inspection personnel for egg products export are not included in FSIS Directive 9000.1, Revision 1. If an inspection program employee is asked to issue and sign FSIS Form PY-200, Egg Products Inspection and Grading Certificate, the employee is to do so only after he or she has: 1. verified that the information on the certificate is correct; 2. verified that the country requirements as specified in the Export Library (Export Requirements for Egg Products) have been met; 3. verified that each product listed on the certificate complies with the egg product regulations and 4. has no reason to conclude that the product has become adulterated or unwholesome, or that the product is mislabeled or ineligible for export to the country listed on the application.
