Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Export Certification for Meat, Poultry and Egg Products

EXPORTING FSIS REGULATED PRODUCT------

FOCUS ON MEXICO

Breakout Session2017 Prime Label Consultants

Food Label Conference

Washington, DC

PFood Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

• Assures exported U.S. meat, poultry, and processed egg products have been inspected and passed by FSIS

• FSIS is the competent authority for these food product certificates

• FSIS must maintain integrity, security, and accuracy in the export certification process

PURPOSE

RFood Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

• Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations

• Part 322— Meat Exports

• 381.104 – 381.107 – Poultry Exports

• Part 590—Egg Products Exports

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

ELIGIBLE ESTABLISHMENTS

• There are approximately 6,200 USDA inspected meat or poultry slaughter/processing establishments, and approximately 80 egg products establishments

• All meat, poultry, and egg products produced at any U.S. federally inspected establishment are eligible for export

• Foreign country requirements may limit some establishments from participating in export activity

OFood Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

OFFICIAL MARK OF INSPECTION

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILITIES:FACILITY ACCEPTANCE

• Establishments exporting product are required to meet the regulatory requirements related to facilities and sanitation for export certification

• MPI Directory lists federally inspected establishments.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/inspection/mpi-directory

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILITIES: APPLICATION PROCESS

• The applicant provides a completed FSIS Form 9060-6 to Inspection Program Employee (see Export Checklist: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/exporting-products/export-checklist)

• Inspection Program Employee reviews the application to verify that the requirements of the receiving country have been met (see FSIS Export Library --http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/exporting-products)

• When an application is received the Inspection Program Employee follows agency guidance in Directive 9000.1 to complete the export certification process

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

Application for Export

FSIS Form 9060-6

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILITIES: RE-INSPECTION OF PRODUCT

• Product is subject to re-inspection as part of the export certification process by inspection program employees if the product has left the producing establishment prior to certification

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILITIES:PRODUCT INSPECTION VERIFICATION

• An inspector performs a sensory evaluation of the shipping cartons to observe for signs of poor product handling or storageo The inspector observes for evidence that product is or may

become adulterated or unwholesome.

• An inspector verifies that the product is properly identified and labeled to meet FSIS regulatory requirements and the requirements of the importing country

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILTIES:LABELING

Inspector verifies:• Products are properly identified and labeled to meet

FSIS and importing country regulatory requirements

• Foreign language sticker (if required) shows no wording other than that shown on the approved label

• Letter of guarantee from the exporter certifying that the sticker is an accurate translation

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILITIESFINALIZING APPLICATION

After the Inspector determines everything is acceptable, he/she:• Signs the application • Retains the application and copies of any accompanying

documents for filing• Provides the export certificate for completion by the exporter

and checks it for accuracy• Issues the export stamp and permits the establishment to

stamp product• Secures the stamp after the establishment finishes stamping

the product

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT LIBRARIES

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT RESPONSIBILTIES:EXPORT LIBRARY

The Export Library contains country requirement information which includes: • eligible and ineligible products• edible and inedible products• facility requirements• labeling requirements• certificate requirements• inspection program employee signature requirements• animal health requirements• plant requirements to become eligible to export• list of plants eligible to export• export notices and exporter requirementshttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/exporting-products/export-library-requirements-by-country

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT CERTIFICATE

The certifying official receives the appropriate completed information:

• export certificate (FSIS Form 9060-5)• other certificates as required by the

importing country• letterhead certificates• copy of the signed application from the

exporter• Signed and dated by both the applicant

and the FSIS inspector

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

EXPORT CERTIFICATE (CONT’D)

The certifying official verifies that the information on the certificate is:

• consistent with the information on the application• by reviewing any attached documentation • by checking in the Export Library • by ensuring no additional statements or documents

not provided for in the Export Library are added

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

Export Certificate:Inspection Personnel Signature

• The certifying official signs the certificate only when assured that the country requirements are met

• The original certificate is signed in the signature block, in other than black ink, exactly as typed or printed, and on all supplemental certifications

• If the importing country requires a Veterinarian signature, the certifying official is to include his or her professional degree

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

Export Certificate – FSIS Form 9060-5

• Known as the “Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness”

• Form issued by FSIS inspection personnel when the “Application for Export Certificate” is approved

• Form only obtained through FSIS personnel.

• Provides MP serial number for export stamp

20

• Issued for certain products for

certain countries

• Can be downloaded from the

export requirements page on

FSIS’ Web site

• Must be prepared in

quadruplicate (4 copies)

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

Example Letterhead Certificate

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Example Country Requirements

Mexico -- Export Library Highlights• Eligible Product:

• Poultry (except if from Canada or from HPAI States) ; Pork (except if feet attached); Beef (less than 30 months of age but slaughtered after May 28, 2013; Sheep/goat but offals must be from animals less than 12 months of age)

• Labeling• Bilingual shipping container for all boxed products• Shipping containers require information about source meat

ingredients.• Certificate can be signed by Veterinarian or Inspector• Importer must have a license• Letterhead certificates required for most product• Establishments must be specifically approved by Mexico

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Current Issues

Instructional and Disclaimer Statements

• Examples: For Cooking Only, For Full Lethality Treatement, Not tested for E. coli

• Only permitted on products transported to another FSIS inspected establishment.

• Canada requires the statement “for further processing” in some instances, and for now approval for these labels is going through LPDS.

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Current Issues

Label Deviation Approvals

• Application can be made through the LSAS System: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulatory-compliance/labeling/label-submission-and-approval-system

• For deviation due to foreign country requirements, deviation letters are required from the importer or exporter.

• Deviation letters must including the relevant passages from the importing country’s regulations, with the supporting passages highlighted

Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Overview of Export Certification

QUESTIONS?Contact:Dorothy Feustel, DirectorImport/Export Policy Development Staff, Office of Policy and Program DevelopmentFSIS, USDA(202) 720-0082importexport@fsis.usda.gov