USDA-APHIS News release on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

[Guest guest]

As I work in Veterinary medicine research, I thought I'd give y'all the latest

update from the USDA that we received today.

Jami

Countries included in the FMD quarantine include:

Argentina

All EU countries

including the Netherlands.

The Following is an Press Release from USDA that list specifically what items

are being prohibited and restricted. If an item you are trying to import is

prohibited or restricted, I ask that you contact the local USDA APHIS office to

seek advice as to proper forms and/or waivers needed to get your samples in.

USDA Restrictions on Products from Countries

with Foot-and-Mouth Disease

The basis for USDA-APHIS restrictions on products from countries affected with

foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is contained in Title 9, Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR), Parts 94-98. These sections list certain specific products

which are prohibited, but also exempt certain products which do not present a

risk of transmission of FMD.

In addition, these sections allow USDA the latitude to write permits for

products which have been adequately processed such that they do not present a

risk of transmission of FMD. This approach allows flexibility in dealing with a

wide range of products which otherwise would not be allowed.

The following is a summary of the restrictions on products from countries

affected with

FMD:

(1) Prohibited products (with the CFR citation listed):

- live ruminants (9 CFR Part 94.1)

- live swine (9 CFR Part 94.1)

- fresh (chilled or frozen) meat of ruminant or swine (9 CFR Part 94.1)

- fresh (chilled or frozen) products derived from ruminants or swine (other

than meat and milk/milk products) (9 CFR 94.2)

- fresh (chilled or frozen) organs, glands, extracts or secretions derived

from ruminants or swine (9 CFR 94.3) *NOTE: exceptions are allowed

under permit, with additional processing for pharmaceutical or biological

purposes - ruminant or swine semen (9 CFR Part 98.34)

- ruminant or swine embryos (9 CFR Part 98.12)

(2) Meat and meat products:

-Cured or cooked meat and meat products may be allowed entry under

certain conditions as specified in 9 CFR Part 94.4.

-Dried or cured meat is allowed entry if it meets the following conditions:

all bones have been removed, the meat was held in an unfrozen, fresh

condition for at least 3 days, and then was thoroughly cured and dried

to a minimum moisture to protein ratio of 2.25:1.

-Canned meat is allowed entry if it is deboned meat that has been

commercially heat processed in a hermetically sealed container such

that it is shelf stable without refrigeration.

-Cooked meat is also allowed entry, but the cooking process and

establishment must be approved in advance by APHIS.

(3) Milk products:

-Milk products are addressed in 9 CFR Part 94.16.

-The following products are specifically exempt from this part and are

therefore allowed unrestricted entry from FMD-affected countries:

cheese (except cheese with liquid or containing other restricted items

such as meat), butter, and butteroil. Also, such things as yogurt, cream

liqueurs and chocolate products are not restricted.

-Milk products which are in concentrated liquid form and have been

heat processed in a hermetically sealed container such that they are

shelf stable without refrigeration are allowed entry. -Dry milk and

dry milk products may be allowed entry with consignment

to approved establishments for further processing or storage.

-Other milk products, such as condensed milk, sterilized milk, casein and

caseinates, lactose, etc. may be allowed entry under permit if the

processing conditions are such that they would inactivate the FMD

virus or if they are intended for industrial use.

-Milk and milk products which do not fall into the above categories are

prohibited.

(4) Restricted entry products:

The following products are not allowed unrestricted entry from countries

affected with FMD, but they are not completely prohibited either. This means

that they can be imported without a permit under certain restrictions, with the

primary restriction being consignment upon arrival to an approved establishment

for further processing.

- untanned hides and skins (9 CFR Part 95.5)

- raw, unwashed wool, hair and bristles (9 CFR Part 95.7)

- glue stock, defined as ³fleshings, hide cuttings and parings, tendons, or

other collagenous parts of animal carcasses² (9 CFR Part 95.9)

- untreated bones, horns and hoofs (9 CFR Part 95.11)

- blood meal, blood albumin, bone meal, intestines and other animal

byproducts for industrial use (9 CFR Part 95.15)

- glands, organs, ox gall or bile, bone marrow, and like materials (9 CFR

Part 95.17)

(5) Restricted entry products - import permit required:

Many other processed products derived from ruminant or swine by-products may be

allowed entry under import permit conditions. There is no consolidated list of

these products, as new products are continuously being developed. An importer

will submit a permit application form, detailing the processing conditions of

the product. If it is determined that the process will inactivate the FMD virus,

then a permit will be issued and the product will be allowed entry under those

conditions.

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