On March 15, 2024, at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) implemented two-tissue testing requirements (the obex and both retropharyngeal lymph nodes) for all cervid herds enrolled in Herd Certification Programs (HCP) in Canada. Despite this being a new export condition, APHIS has instituted a requirement for 60 months of test results for HCP herds to be export eligible.
As of May 1, 2024, all certified herds under a Canadian HCP must comply with two-tissue testing and have 60 months of valid test results before they are eligible to export to the United States. As two-tissue testing in cervids was only implemented in Canada in mid-March 2024, routine exports cannot resume until April 2029.
This effectively prohibits exports of cervids to the U.S that are intended for breeding purposes for 5 years. Also prohibited from export for 5 years are animals going to a terminal hunt farm unless a derogation (exemption) is requested by an individual U.S. State and the derogation is approved by APHIS. Derogations involve a case-by-case analysis by APHIS; all derogation authorizations will come from APHIS to CFIA. CFIA must verify such derogations prior to endorsing any export certificate, as the APHIS approvals are subject to change.
USDA APHIS notified US industry members of the suspension on trade of cervids from Canada under HA1891 on May 29, 2024.
CFIA continues to discuss with USDA APHIS alternative solutions in an effort to decrease the suspension period. Additional data on surveillance, animal movements, and slaughter testing, among other details is being requested by USDA APHIS on CWD HCP herds. The CFIA will work with the industry to see if this data can be collected and the data shared with USDA APHIS for their analysis.
USDA APHIS will consider derogations from the suspension. Exports coming from a specific farm and going to the named destination premises within the derogation require only the issuance of HA1891. Individual State Animal Health Authorities must make requests for derogations to USDA APHIS directly.