Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
International Regulations (IRegs) for Animal Product Exports
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) has created the International Animal Product Export Regulations (IREGS) to provide exporters with our best understanding of importing countries requirements for certain animal-origin products.
Countries may change their import requirements without notice. In all cases, the exporter has the responsibility of having their importer confirm with the Ministry of Animal Health in the importing country the certification requirements prior to shipping. The exporter should obtain any required certificates prior to shipping. Most countries will not accept certificates issued after consignments have shipped. The availability of APHIS endorsement of certificates should not be assumed until after consultation with the pertinent Veterinary Services service center.
Exporters are responsible for confirming prior to shipment that they have all certification required for the consignment.
The primary role of APHIS, VS in the certification of animal products for export is to provide certification about the animal health status of the region of origin of the product. If other certifications are required, APHIS, VS may not be the Agency authorized to provide the required export certificate.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the procedures and requirements for exporting animals, animal products, or to obtain a zoosanitary certificate for an animal product, you should contact the Veterinary Services service center covering the area from which the animal or product will be exported, the area in which your office is located, or the area in which the product is manufactured. If you have a shipment on hold in a foreign country, please contact the Veterinary Services service center that issued your certificate. If you have a shipment of animal products or by-products that has been exported from the United States and you intend to return the shipment to the United States, please click here.
Exporters are advised that the forms linked below are to be submitted to the endorsing office electronically by email after preparation consistent with the Special instructions for exporters regarding the preparation of the new VS forms. Exporters should contact the endorsing office officials regarding the correct email address to use and the proper formatting of emails so that the process flows well. If submission by email is not possible, exporters should contact endorsing office officials to discuss alternatives. Prior to endorsement, APHIS prints the forms on special VS Security Paper.
VS Form 16-4 (pdf 29kb)
VS Form 16-4A (pdf 25kb)
Combined VS form 16-4 and VS form 16-4A - (pdf 31kb)
Special instructions for exporters regarding the preparation of the new VS forms - September 2011
Prior to utilizing these forms, users should ensure Adobe Reader Version 9.0 (or above) is installed on their computer. Version 9.0 (or above) is necessary to ensure that the forms open and function optimally. Any Adobe software (Reader, Standard, or Professional) may be utilized as long as it is version 9.0 or above.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) has created the International Animal Product Export Regulations (IREGS) to provide exporters with our best understanding of importing countries requirements for certain animal-origin products.
Countries may change their import requirements without notice. In all cases, the exporter has the responsibility of having their importer confirm with the Ministry of Animal Health in the importing country the certification requirements prior to shipping. The exporter should obtain any required certificates prior to shipping. Most countries will not accept certificates issued after consignments have shipped. The availability of APHIS endorsement of certificates should not be assumed until after consultation with the pertinent Veterinary Services service center.
Exporters are responsible for confirming prior to shipment that they have all certification required for the consignment.
If you have a shipment on hold in a foreign country, please contact the Veterinary Services service center that issued your certificate. If you have a shipment of animal products or by-products that has been exported from the United States and you intend to return the shipment to the United States, please click here.
The primary role of APHIS, VS in the certification of animal products for export is to provide certification about the animal health status of the region of origin of the product. If other certifications are required, APHIS, VS may not be the Agency authorized to provide the required export certificate.
A. Dairy Products
The USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the agencies primarily responsible for the certification of dairy products exported for human consumption. (APHIS, VS may provide certification in certain circumstances.)
AMS can be contacted at:
Dairy Standardization
Agricultural Marketing Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 96456
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202-720-3171
Fax: 202-720-2643
DairyExportsQuestions@usda.gov
B. Meat and meat products; processed egg products bearing the FSIS mark of inspection
The USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for export certification of meat and some meat products, as well as many processed egg products (such as pasteurized eggs), for human consumption.
Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD)
FSIS, USDA
Phone: 202-720-0082
importexport@fsis.usda.gov
C. Aquaculture and fish products
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, certifies fishmeal, fish oil, and certain other seafood products intended for human consumption.
Contact information for NOAA is:
General questions from exporters not addressed on below websites:
nmfs.seafood.services@noaa.gov
NOAA Seafood Certification Program:
U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA Fisheries
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone 301-427-8300 or Toll Free 800-422-2750
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/seafood-commerce-certification/domestic-international-services
NOAA Inspection Offices:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact-directory/contact-your-local-seafood-inspection-office
NOAA Fish Meal Program:
Fish Meal Program Manager
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
P.O. Drawer 1207
Pascagoaula, MS 39567
Phone: 228-762-7402 ext. 312
Fax: 228-762-9200
D. Table eggs and other egg products not bearing the FSIS mark of inspection
The USDA, AMS is the Agency that endorses export certificates for table eggs and certain other egg products (for human consumption).
USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service
Poultry Division-Grading Branch
P.O. Box 96456
South Agricultural Building
Washington, DC 20090-6456
Phone: 202-720-4411
Fax: 202-690-3165
https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/imports-exports/eggs-egg-products
E. Honey and other Products of Apiculture for Human Consumption
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) are responsible for the certification of honey and other products of apiculture for human consumption. For more information, please contact:
Charlotte Liang, Ph.D.
Plant Products Branch
Division of Plant Products and Beverages
Office of Food Safety
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
Phone:240-402-2785
Fax:301-436-2632
and
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
Albert.Hoover@ams.usda.gov
Phone: 202-720-4693 or 202-720-5870
F. Plant and Plant Products
The APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) is the Agency responsible for certification of certain plant products. For more information, please go to the "Plant Export" section of their website at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/sa_export/ct_export_services_program
For contact information for a PPQ Plant Export Specialist near you, please go to the following section of their website at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/sa_export/ct_export_services_program
G. CITES Documentation
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is the Agency responsible for providing CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) certification. If CITES documentation is required, exporters should contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
H. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for bulk gelatin and collagen shipments
In many cases, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the appropriate authority for the certification of shipments of gelatin and collagen. The pertinent FDA office for certification of gelatin and collagen intended for human consumption may be reached at:
BulkCGExport-LM-OFS@fda.hhs.gov
I. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for other commodities
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also provides certification of certain other products not listed above. Questions regarding certification by the FDA of commodities (intended for human consumption) not listed above may be directed to:
CFSANExportCertification@fda.hhs.gov
J. Veterinary Biologicals
The APHIS Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) is the agency responsible for export certification for veterinary biological products. For more information, please go to the following section of their website:
CVB may also be contacted regarding these exports via:
Email: cvb@usda.gov
Phone: (515) 337-6100
Specific countries may accept pork products sourced from swine from farms following the PQAPlus program without requiring testing or treatment of the products as an alternative mitigation of Trichinella risk. The National Pork Board (NPB) is the entity that verifies if farms are participating with the PQAPlus program. NPB issues a certificate to farms that are found to be participating. FSIS establishments must source slaughter swine or pork from farms or plants in good standing in the PQAPlus program to export pork meat and pork products with FSIS certification that they were produced under the PQAPlus program. Either the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) or APHIS Veterinary Services may verify participation of an FSIS Establishment in a PQAPlus program. The certification of pork and pork products for export for human consumption is done by USDA FSIS inspectors. The APHIS program for recognition of an FSIS Establishment as participating in the PQAPlus program is the PQAPlus Sourcing Verification Program (PSVP). Based on the sourcing information the PSVP provides to USDA FSIS, the FSIS inspector is able to reliably certify that pork and pork products for export are derived from farms participating in PQAPlus.
For information on recognition as participating in the PSVP, the FSIS Establishment management should contact the Veterinary Services service center over the State in which they are located.
For countries not listed, the requirements are not known. However, exporters wanting to ship animal products should have the interested party (importer/buyer) in the destination country contact the appropriate ministry for the specific requirements.
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