Export requirements for meat

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Preamble

This page and the country specific meat and poultry export requirements in the Export requirements library are not a complete source of information for the exporter. They contain only information regarding veterinary, sanitary, packing, marking, labelling and certification requirements of most countries to which Canada exports meat and meat products.

With regard to the commercial aspect and related documentation, it is strongly recommended that the exporter communicate with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), a specialized broker, the embassy, or a consulate of the country to which export is contemplated.

Before completing any deal, an exporter should ensure that the product is acceptable to the authorities of the importing country. It is the responsibility of the exporter to verify that all the requirements of the importing country are being met. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) only supervises their implementation and certifies accordingly.

Consignments of meat products for countries countries not covered by known requirements stipulated under this Meat-Food-specific requirements, may be certified with the standard CFIA certificate for meat products (CFIA/ACIA 1454). These consignments are at commercial risk. Commercial risk means acceptance by the exporter that the CFIA certificate is given in good faith based on the exporter's written assurances that all due enquiries have been made and that there is no known impediment to entry of the product into the country concerned.

These products must meet all Canadian requirements, except for certain labelling provisions (e.g. bilingual labeling). Labels must not be false, misleading, or deceptive and must include at least one of Canada’s official languages to facilitate export verification by the CFIA. The letter of commercial risk provided by the exporter must accompany the export certificate for signature. 1 letter per lot and per export certificate is required.

Certifications in relation to radioactivity (annex A) and dioxin (annex A1) can be used along with form CFIA/ACIA 1454 for commercial risk shipments at the request of the exporter. Commercial risk does not mean that CFIA will provide certificates at the exporter's request, if the request is contrary to known requirements. When requirements for 1 type of meat product for export to a country are known and published, additional meat products will not automatically qualify for commercial risk export.

For this reason, any person aware of a requirement not indicated on this page or in the Export requirements library should inform the appropriate regional office. This would permit us to verify this information and add it, if applicable, to the other requirements of the country concerned.

Legal basis of export certification

Safe Food For Canadians Act (SFCA)

For all food: the following requirements must be met in order to export a food product:

  • the food must be exported in accordance with the regulations
  • the exporter must have a licence that authorizes them to export and the product for export must meet the requirements of the regulations

10 (1) It is prohibited for a person to send or convey from 1 province to another – or to import or export – a prescribed food commodity unless the person does so in accordance with the regulations.

(2) It is prohibited for a person to send or convey from 1 province to another – or to import or export – a prescribed food commodity unless the person is authorized to do so by a registration made under paragraph 20(1)(a), by a licence issued under that paragraph or by both such a registration and licence, as provided for in the regulations.

(3) It is prohibited for a person to send or convey from 1 province to another – or to import or export – a prescribed food commodity unless the food commodity meets the requirements of the regulations.

Licensing

The Minister may issue a licence to authorize a person to export.

20 (1) The Minister may, on application: The Minister may, on application:

  • (a) register a person, or issue a licence to a person, authorizing them to send or convey from 1 province to another, or to import or export, a prescribed food commodity, or both register a person and issue them a licence; and
  • (b) register a person, or issue a licence to a person, authorizing them to conduct a prescribed activity in respect of a prescribed food commodity that has been imported or that is to be exported or to be sent or conveyed from 1 province to another, or both register a person and issue them a licence

Certification

The minister may issue any certificate or other document necessary to facilitate the export. currently for meat there is no accepted other document other than the Official Meat Inspection Certificate (OMIC).

48 The Minister may issue any certificate or other document setting out any information that he or she considers necessary to facilitate the export of any food commodity.

Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) (January 15, 2019)

Interprovincial trade and export

A meat product has to be produced and labelled by a licence holder.

15 (1) Any food that is sent or conveyed from 1 province to another or that is exported must meet the following requirements:

  • (c) if the food is a meat product and if:
    • (i) any meat product that it contains was manufactured, processed, treated, preserved, packaged or labelled in Canada, that activity must have been conducted by a licence holder in accordance with the provisions of the act and these regulations
    • (ii) any meat product that it contains has been derived from a livestock carcass or a poultry carcass that has been graded in Canada, it must have been graded by a grader in accordance with these regulations
    • (iii) any meat product that it contains has been imported, that meat product must have been imported by a licence holder in accordance with the provisions of the act and these regulations, and
    • (iv) any meat that it contains is derived from food animals that were slaughtered in Canada, the food animals must have been slaughtered by a licence holder in accordance with the provisions of the act and these regulations

Exception: export of non-compliant food

Export of non-compliant food, a label has to be applied on boxes: "Export" or « Exportation »

16 (1) Any person may export a food that does not meet the requirements of these regulations, other than a requirement of paragraph 8(1)(c) or (d) or subsection 15(1), if a label applied or attached to the food bears the word "Export" or « exportation » and….

Inspection before export

The Minister may require that an inspection be conducted of any food commodity in respect of which a person has applied for a certificate or other document referred to in section 48 of the act, for the purpose of deciding whether to issue the certificate.

17 (1) An application for the issuance of a certificate or other document referred to in section 48 of the act must be made to the Minister in a form approved by the President.

17 (5) The Minister may require that an inspection be conducted of any food commodity in respect of which a person has applied for a certificate or other document referred to in section 48 of the act, for the purpose of deciding whether to issue the certificate or other document.

Incompatible activities

Section 60 and 61 allow a licence holder to conduct incompatible activities within their facility, however if the licence holder wishes to export meat and meat products, this could be permitted only on a case-by-case basis.

60 Physical or other effective means must be used to separate incompatible activities in order to prevent contamination of a food.

61 Physical or other effective means must be used to separate a food from:

  • (a) anything that presents a risk of contamination of the food
  • (b) any food that does not meet the requirements of the act or these regulations; and
  • (c) anything that is manufactured, prepared, stored, packaged or labelled in an establishment and not intended or sold for use as food

Certification

The licence holder has to provide CFIA inspector with any document related to the export as annex H, lab results, trichina treatment document…

For meat commodity, annexes are part of the export certificate negotiated with foreign countries, currently there is no accepted other document other than the OMIC.

168 (1) A licence holder may export an edible meat product only if:

  • (a) the licence holder provides an inspector with a document that substantiates that the requirements of the foreign state to which it is intended to be exported are met in respect of that meat product; and
  • (b) a certificate or other document is issued under section 48 of the act in respect of that meat product

Meat establishment licensing and registration requirements

The operator must review the current export requirements for meat outlined in this section as well as requirements for importing countries outlined in individual country section and develop an appropriate written control program to ensure compliance with the additional requirements. The control program must be verified by the CFIA.

To meet importing country requirements, Canadian establishments which intend to export the meat and meat products to other countries, must only receive, store, process, and/or ship meat and meat product compliant with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and has been under continuous federal oversight. There are some exceptions, for example pet food (refer to section 1.2; gives exception to store/process/ship) and meat products returned from Hospitals, Restaurants and Institutions (HRI). Note: Meat products returned from HRI are not eligible for export.

Cold storage facilities (see Policy for cold storages and export certification) which intend to export meat and meat products and/or store meat and meat products intended for export to other countries must be licensed under the SFCR. The frozen meat product meant for export must be kept at -18C or below at all times.

Only meat products prepared in accordance with SFCR may be exported and then only if they are prepared according to the requirements of the importing country, are certified accordingly and, when applicable, the registered establishment is on the list of establishments approved for export to the country in question. When applicable, requests for approval should be submitted using Annex I: Application for Establishment Approval. Furthermore, in those establishments which are processing meat products intended for export, the meat products must have originated from a source approved by the country of destination. In some cases (see Export requirements library) a transfer certificate may need to be used to demonstrate that the meat used for processing is eligible for a specific market. Annex J: Transfer certificate for meat products must be used for such purposes. Annex J must be used for every transfer of meat shipment. When there are multiple transfers to the same destination establishment, annex J could be used for the day.

No meat product shipment shall be exported unless it has received a final inspection and is found satisfactory.

Note: the Certificate of Inspection Covering Meat Products (CFIA/ACIA 1454) has been updated due to implementation of the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) on January 15, 2019.

Producing pet food in edible areas in Canadian Federally Licensed Establishment

Canadian federally licensed slaughter and processing establishments producing pet food in compliance with sections 60 and 61 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulation (SFCR) are eligible to export edible meat and meat products to the United States (U.S.) provided the requirements for identification and segregation of the pet food are met. Handling of pet food will affect establishment's eligibility to export edible meat and meat products to countries other than the US. Any edible meat products from such an establishment transferred to another federally licensed establishment must be identified and segregated as ineligible product for export to countries other than the US.

The operator is responsible to develop, implement and maintain an appropriate control program. The control program must be reviewed by the responsible CFIA inspector prior to its implementation. It must include monitoring, verification and record keeping activities, deviation procedures and be auditable and effective. If the control program is acceptable, then the responsible CFIA inspector will inform the Area Operational Specialist (AOS). The AOS will submit an electronic Request for Action Form (e-RAF) (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) to the FIED for adding the establishment to the Annex X "List of establishments handling pet food". The responsible CFIA inspector must review the control program at least annually. Inspector must be aware of establishments listed on Annex X for export verification purpose for countries other than the U.S.

Notes:

  • Federally licensed slaughter and processing establishments can store only pet food produced in their facility, however, federally licensed cold storages can store pet food regardless of the source of pet food.
  • SFCR non-compliant meat products cannot be received to make pet food.
  • Previously boxed and sealed pet food could be brought into an establishment for High Pressure Processing (HPP) treatment as long as SFCR sections 60 and 61 are respected and there is no potential for cross contamination with edible product. Such establishments do not need to be listed on Annex X.

Establishment eligibility to export

1) Export eligibility – General information

Many countries allow the import of meat products from all Canadian registered establishments. For these countries, there is no need to apply for export eligibility since all registered establishments are automatically eligible to export.

However, some importing countries have requirements in addition to the Canadian meat inspection requirements, including specific prior approval of foreign establishments. Because establishment approval may be limited to meat from certain species or even to certain products from these species, it is essential that exporters and operators consult the current requirements for the country of interest before applying for export. This is especially important since the operator is responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the importing countries are met.

Note: when importing countries have requirements in addition to the Canadian meat inspection requirements, the operator must review the current export requirements for the importing country and develop an appropriate written control program to ensure compliance with the additional requirements. This control program has to be reviewed and approved by the Veterinarian in Charge (VIC) or Inspector in Charge (IIC).

Establishments on eligibility lists may experience limitations in the following situations:

  • if Canada experiences a foreign animal disease outbreak or if a significant animal disease is detected in Canadian livestock, the exports of meat from the affected species may experience a partial or even a total ban. Previous trade agreements may need to be renegotiated and eligibility lists may need to be established where none previously existed
  • importing countries may impose specific animal health restrictions on meat from 1 or more animal species which originates from a country other than Canada. This will impact establishments which chose to accept such products into their facilities by limiting their export eligibility for the specie(s) of concern

2) Protocol to add an establishment to an export eligibility list

In order for an establishment to be added to an eligibility list, the following procedure is to be followed:

  • the operator must review the current export requirements for the importing country and, when applicable, develop appropriate control procedures to ensure compliance with the additional requirements. If the establishment, the documented control procedures and product meet all the relevant requirements, the operator completes part 1 of annex I of and delivers it, along with the applicable control procedures to the CFIA inspector. The procedures must be acceptable to the Inspector in Charge and must include monitoring, verification and record keeping activities, deviation procedures and be auditable and effective.
  • the CFIA inspector then verifies that the information is correct and satisfactory to ensure compliance with the importing country requirements by completing the applicable standard inspection process (SIP) export verification task (s). Once the application is found acceptable, the inspector completes part 2 of annex I and forwards it, along with a copy of the relevant SIP task to the Area Operations Specialist.
  • the Area Operations Specialist performs a final review of annex I before signing and forwarding the application to the National Operations Specialist who will contact the appropriate foreign officials to request that the establishment be added to the eligibility list as per agreed procedures.

Note: the approval process may be more specific for certain countries. In such cases, the additional procedures outlined in the section specific to the country requirements must be followed.

The National Operations Specialist will inform the interested parties through the Area Operations Specialist and the CFIA person responsible for amending the lists when the required approval procedures have been completed.

Additional notes
  • a separate application must be made for each country since the additional requirements are country specific
  • some countries require an on-site visit by the country's officials before an establishment can be approved for export (for example, pork and beef export to Russia)
  • the time required for an establishment to become eligible to export can vary widely from one country to another. Because export can only begin once it has been confirmed that the establishment is eligible, operators should apply for export eligibility well in advance of their anticipated start of export.

3) Keeping the Establishment Information Current

Operators and CFIA staff should note that changes at the establishment may impact the export eligibility:

  • operator change: when the operator of an establishment changes, the new operator must confirm in writing to the IIC their interest in maintaining the current export eligibility privileges granted to the establishment. The notification should include the list of countries along with applicable control procedures and a commitment to maintain and implement all required control procedures developed to ensure compliance with applicable requirements of the importing country. The CFIA must complete the SIP export tasks for the countries of interest to the current operator to verify that all the applicable requirements are met by the operator in order for the establishment to remain on the eligibility list. If the requirements cannot be met, the establishment must be removed from the list.
  • production change: if modifications occur such as a change in function code or the addition/deletion of a species processed, the eligibility of the establishment must be reviewed by the operator and the IIC to ensure that all applicable requirements are still being maintained

4) List of Establishments Approved by Importing Countries

Interested parties should consult the requirements by country to establish the eligibility status of an establishment, because export eligibility can be further restricted to a specific category of meat product.

The CFIA lists are updated on an ongoing basis. In case of doubt on the eligibility status of an establishment, the Area Operations Specialist may be consulted.

It is important to note that the official list of Canadian federally registered establishments provides registration details for the establishments but not details on their export eligibility.

5) Removal of an Establishment from an Eligibility List (Delistment)

  • (1) There are a number of ways an establishment may be removed from an eligibility list:
    • an operator may voluntarily request to be removed from an eligibility list. It is important that this request be delivered to the IIC in writing who should then forward the request to the Area Operations Specialist. The Area Operations Specialist will inform the National Operations Specialist who will contact the appropriate foreign Competent Authority, and the eligibility list will be updated and distributed once the request has been actioned. If an operator wants the establishment to become eligible at a later date, the Protocol to add an establishment to an export eligibility list must be followed.
    • an establishment may be delisted by the CFIA if it is determined that the plant is not meeting the requirements of the importing country
    • a foreign government may delist, or request that the CFIA delist a plant based on findings during an audit or as a result of a violation with the import procedure (that is failure to present for inspection) or with the imported product (that is microbiological or drug residues)
    • animal health restrictions may require an establishment be removed from an eligibility list or limit its export eligibility to products of certain animal species. Such conditions currently exist for export to Japan (raw beef from Uruguay) and the USA (raw poultry from Hungary or Brazil).
  • (2) The following procedure should be followed when non-compliance issues are identified that impact an establishment's export eligibility:
    • when a CFIA inspector (IIC, VIC, Regional or National Representative) determines that the establishment is not complying with an importing country import requirement(s), the operator is to be immediately advised of the non-compliance and a non-compliance record is issued. Such non-compliance(s) may be identified during an audit, while performing export verification or a SIP export task(s). Annex H, the export application, cannot be completed and export certificates cannot be issued because the importing country's requirements are not being met, it is strongly advised that the Area Operations Specialist be contacted whenever the decision is taken to suspend exports as a result of the issuance of a non-compliance record. Other enforcement actions may also be needed, such as recall, or seizure and detention of product.
    • if the CFIA inspector determines that the corrective measures are effectively implemented by the date specified on the non-compliance record, the non-compliance record is closed, and the inspector follows the SIP policy for document control. Plant management is to be informed, and exports may once again be issued unless animal health restrictions apply
    • if the operator does not effectively implement the corrective actions by the date specified on the non-compliance record, the following will take place:
      • the inspector will complete form CFIA/ACIA 5393, the Inspector's Non-Compliance Report (INCR)
      • the inspector will forward the INCR to the Inspection manager who will form a Management Review Team (MRT) which must include at least the Area Operations Specialist and the Regional Veterinary Officer/or Complex Processing Supervisor. This team will determine a course of action for the non-compliance issue.
      • should the MRT recommend de-listment, the Inspection Manager will provide the written justification and will recommend de-listment to the Program manager, (PM). Once the PM confirms the area recommendation to delist the establishment, the PM will recommend the decision to the Director.
      • the Director will notify the foreign competent authority
      • the CFIA export eligibility list will be updated and distributed
      • the PM will inform the Operator of the de-listment

Note: if meat which is ineligible because of animal health restrictions is present in the establishment, it will result in immediate de-listment of the establishment for the country with this restriction. Removal of the ineligible product from the establishment will not result in its automatic re-listing.

6) Resumption of Export Following the Removal from an Eligibility List

The operator of an establishment which has been removed from an eligibility list may apply to regain export privileges once all necessary corrective measures have been taken to comply with the applicable requirements. The plant approval procedures outlined in Protocol to add an establishment to an export eligibility list must be followed.

Note: if de-listment occurs as a result of an issue(s) identified during a foreign audit, the officials of that country may allow an establishment to be re-listed based on a recommendation by the CFIA, or the establishment may require an on-site visit by the foreign officials before it can be re-listed.

Follow-up to port of entry / point of entry (POE) violation reported by an importing country/market

When a meat consignment fails to meet import requirements of the importing country/market, this consignment will be refused clearance at the POE. In such a situation, the Foreign Competent Authority (FCA) notifies the CFIA of the POE violation through the appropriate Canadian post. Any official communication from the FCA regarding non-compliance issues with a shipment will be considered as a POE violation and will be responded as such (see exceptions below).

The official POE violation correspondence provides a timeframe within which CFIA is required to respond to the FCA. The following steps will be applicable whenever CFIA receive an official communication from the FCA:

  1. The Food Import/Export Division (FIED) communicates the information contained in the official notification to its National Operations POE contact and provides a copy of the notification, sample results, pictures and/or any other pertinent document available.
    • Sometimes FIED includes the immediate actions taken by the CFIA and/or the FCA. This may include de-listing of the establishment(s) from an export list or suspension of issuing export certificates from the affected Canadian establishment(s).
    • The National operations contact for POE violation assigns the case to the applicable CFIA area (via area specific Operations e-mail account) for necessary follow-up by the Area Operations Specialist (AOS).
    • The AOS provides the information to the appropriate local inspection staff, using the established communication pathway including the regional veterinary officer (RVO) or food processing supervisor for follow up.
    • Note: In cases where the FCA or the importer notifies the exporter directly of the POE, the exporter notifies the inspector or the Veterinarian in charge (VIC) who will notify the AOS.
    • In this situation, the POE violation follow-up procedure will be followed at the Area level only
    • Note: Operations in collaboration with FIED will establish an appropriate time frame for a response from the establishment and the local inspection staff, as it is required by the FCA.
  3. The VIC or IIC advises the operator of the establishment of POE violation. An investigation will be conducted by the operator to determine the cause(s) of this non-compliance and also the operator will take appropriate corrective and preventative action(s) to avoid further re-occurrence of such incidences. The response to this violation must be provided to the AOS within the predetermined time frame.
    • Upon notification of the POE violation, the VIC / IIC opens an Incident response case in the digital service delivery platform (DSDP), creates a non-compliance record (NC) based on objective evidence, issues an inspection report (IR) to the operator, and requests a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) as per FIED requested time frame.
    • The CAP must be submitted by the operator to the VIC/IIC and it must include the following elements:
      • Description of the POE violation
      • Description of immediate or short-term corrective measures
      • Identification of root cause(s)
      • Description of corrective and preventive measures
      • Description of activities conducted/planned to verify the effectiveness of corrective and preventive measures
        Note: VIC/IIC must follow the Standard inspection process to issue a non-compliance (NC) record as described in the Standard Inspection Process. In addition, the VIC/IIC review the CAP for approval.
    • Once the operator provides a CAP plan to the VIC/ IIC, the CFIA inspection staff will verify the effectiveness of that action plan by performing the applicable SIP task (s). If the CAP is found satisfactory, a letter addressed to AOS will be prepared by the VIC / IIC. In case the CAP is not found acceptable, further actions such as enforcement actions may be taken as described in the Food inspection guidance: regulatory response – Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
    • Note: Depending on the timeframe established by the FCA for a response, the operator may not have fully implemented their corrective and preventive measures by the date a response from CFIA is required. The VIC / IIC must document this as described in the next step.
    • If the exporter need more time to complete its actions, an extension can be request by the exporter. This extension should be granted by the FCA.
  6. The VIC / IIC gathers and reviews the following documentation package and sends them to the AOS for review:
    1. A letter on CFIA letter head addressed to the AOS and signed by the VIC / IIC elaborating on actions taken by CFIA to verify the effectiveness of the licence holder's corrective and preventive measures in response to the POE violation. This letter should meet the following requirements:
      • confirmation that the action plan is acceptable and approved
      • the verification activities (relevant SIP tasks) that were performed by the CFIA to assess the corrective and preventive measures implemented by the licence holder. In case the IR(s) is/are not closed at the time of writing this letter, provide reason(s) why the IR(s) remains open and how control will be maintained until the CAP is fully implemented and the follow-up inspection case is closed
      • if applicable, describe what additional actions were or will be taken by the CFIA in response to this POE violation enforcement activities, change in frequency of SIP task(s) to be conducted at the establishment
    2. A response letter from the operator detailing the actions taken in response to the POE violation. This letter should meet the following requirements:
      • the response letter must be on company letterhead and addressed to the responsible inspector (for example, inspector or VIC) at the establishment
      • when using acronyms, spell it out the first time it appears in the letter
      • use complete sentences (not point form). Bullets or point form may be used when listing or presenting related items
      • when referencing establishment personnel, indicate the employee position title and not employee names
      • when referencing documents (for example, standard operating procedures (SOPs), records, forms, etc.) use their full official title. If the title is not self-explanatory, provide a short description/purpose of the document
      • reference and attach supporting documents as necessary (such as testing results, SOPs, forms, etc.)
      • the response letter should mirror the flow and contain information as provided in the CAP submitted to and approved by inspection staff
      • action plan headings may be used to help present information in a clear, logical manner
      • the letter must be signed by the responsible company representative.
      • Refer to Annex Y – "Port of Entry / Point of Entry (POE) Violation – Operator letter" for the template that must be used by the operator.
    3. supporting documents if needed (for example lab results)
      • Note: If required by the FCA, the operators are responsible for translating their documents after approval from the FIED.
      • It is recommended that a regional program officer (RPO or RVO (for slaughter)) reviews the documentation package before it is submitted to the AOS.
    • The AOS reviews and accepts the documentation package (letters and supporting documents), and sends the accepted package to National Operations POE e-mail account for review.
    • The National Operations PE contact sends the package to the FIED.
    • FIED reviews the documentation package and provides an official response, sent from the Director of Food Import/Export Division, to the FCA. In case documentation package is not satisfactory, the documentation will be returned to AOS with instructions.
    • The final decision about operator's eligibility to export will be made by FCA.

Exceptions

In some situations, a full POE violation response described in section 2.3.3 may not be necessary. The FIED will evaluate and categorize such POE violation notifications. The information about categorization will be sent in an email to the area operations office:

  • Level 1 – Establishment's operator will be notified by local CFIA. Confirmation of notification will be sent by the local CFIA through area operations office to FIED by email. Submission of operator letter and / or VIC/IIC letter to the FIED is not required.
  • Level 2 – Establishment's operator must investigate and implement corrective and preventive measures for the POE violation, and report to the VIC/IIC in the form of a letter (see section 2.3.3 for details). Once reviewed, VIC/IIC will forward the letter to the FIED through area operations office. Submission of a VIC/IIC letter to the FIED is not required.

Note: To facilitate future audits, the local CFIA staff is advised to keep record of information exchanged with the operator for each POE violation regardless of the categorization.

Animal health requirements

Canadian animal health status

Information on the Canadian animal health status can be found at Terrestrial Animal Diseases. For more information on federally reportable diseases for terrestrial animals in Canada, please visit Reportable Diseases.

In addition, the situation of World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH; founded as Office International des Épizooties (OIE)) listed diseases in Canada is available on the World Animal Health Information Database (WAHIS) and in the WOAH HANDISTATUS II System.

Some importing countries, for example China, Saudi Arabia, European Union, Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Ukraine, Russia require that meat should not be derived from animals that were slaughtered in an official disease eradication program, and/or premises/zone/compartment of origin of animals should be free from infectious diseases.

To meet foreign country import requirements, the operators must include segregation procedures, acceptable to the veterinarian-in-charge, in their written control programs when meat is derived from animals that are accompanied by the CFIA/ACIA 4206 (Requirement to Quarantine and License to Transport Animals or Things) and/or CFIA/ACIA 1509 (License for Removal of Animals or Things).

As always, but in disease outbreak situations in particular, modifications to the information on import requirements could be made by importing countries without prior notice or restrictions unknown to the CFIA may apply. Under the circumstances, it is important to reiterate that exporters are responsible to ensure that the products destined for export meet the applicable requirements of the countries of destination.

Controls for the freezing of pork to ensure the Trichinella treatment

Freezers or floor to ceiling cages used for the destruction of Trichinella shall be kept locked by the Inspector-in-Charge to ensure that product is not tampered with.

The keeping of a freezing log book is the inspector's responsibility. Before product can be put in or be removed from the locked freezing area, the log book (refer to annex B), Trichinella control log, -shall be completed by the inspector. After having checked that the lot has met critical limits, the inspector will sign the log book and allow product to be removed from the freezing area.

After completion of the prescribed freezing, boxed product shall be stamped on the main panel of each box "Frozen for the control of Trichinella". These stamps shall be kept under the inspector's control at all times. The CFIA inspector will complete the attestation of freezing (refer to annex B-1) –and will send the completed form with the CFIA/ACIA 1454 to the veterinarian who will sign the export documents.

For Trichinella control, skeletal muscle to be submitted to cold treatment by using freezing methods approved by CFIA as recommended under control recommendations for the inactivation of Trichinella spiralis in pork products.

For chilled horse and/or pork meat, skeletal muscle is tested for Trichinella by using a validated digestion method approved by the CFIA. Skeletal muscle sampling will be performed by the operator under the CFIA supervision. All laboratory results shall be sent simultaneously and directly to the plant and the CFIA Inspector in charge.

Note: Agriculture and Food Laboratory (AFL) at the University of Guelph has been recognized by CFIA as approved laboratory for testing for Trichinella

Export requirements for meat, meat products and meat by-products not intended for human consumption

  • Samples of meat and poultry meat products intended for laboratory examination, research, evaluative testing or trade show exhibition: refer to the SREM for an individual country first. If there are no special requirements by a country, then CFIA/ACIA 1454 can be issued. In "Additional certification" section, add "This is a sample, not for human consumption" and the intended purpose.
  • Hides, by-products intended for pet food manufacturing, by-products intended for technical or pharmaceutical use and by-products intended for the production of gelatine.

Terrestrial Animal Health must be contacted for obtaining the applicable requirements, including the certification required. Certification requirements applicable to the various products and the various export markets are available from the district veterinarian. When not available, the respective CFIA area or regional office must be contacted for more information.

It should be noted that the export stamp and the export stickers must not be applied to the shipping containers and that food export certificates (example: CFIA/ACIA 1454) must not be issued for these types of products. Exceptions to that rule will be specified in the section specific to the export market, when applicable.

Animal health restrictions

Please consult the individual country pages on the Export requirements library for details on any restrictions imposed by the foreign competent authorities of importing countries.

Restrictions related to Avian Influenza

The Canadian control procedures to implement in the event of an outbreak of Avian Influenza (AI) are outlined in the Animal Health Common Procedures Manual (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) under the appendix – Avian Influenza: Export market access and marketing requirements on meat containers.

Several countries imposed restrictions on the importation of poultry meat products following the report of AI by a country from which poultry meat is imported.

Available information on AI related requirements established by authorities of importing countries is included in the section specific to the country or was distributed to CFIA area and regional offices.

As always, but in disease outbreak situations in particular, modifications to the information on import requirements could be made by importing countries without prior notice or restrictions unknown to the CFIA may apply. Under the circumstances, it is important to reiterate that exporters are responsible to ensure that the products destined for export meet the applicable requirements of the countries of destination.

Use and control of official certificates, stickers, stamps and seals for export of meat products

Countries importing Canadian meat products require cartons to have an export label affixed or to be stamped. In addition, each shipment must be accompanied by the required certificate. In order to avoid any abuse or attempt at fraud, strict control must be exercised by the inspectors concerning the use and safekeeping of these items. The purpose of the following is to provide guidance in exercising control and to ensure that Canada's credibility is maintained vis-à-vis foreign countries.

Regardless of the control measures adopted, the inspector-in-charge must bear in mind that certificates, stickers, seals, and stamps are official items for which the inspector is responsible.

Issuance of certificates for edible meat products

All meat export forms except poultry meat forms must be mailed to:

Centre of Administration
Floor 2W, Suite 308
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0Y9

Any meat export form that contains poultry, even if it is only 1 line item, shall be directed to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) by email to:

aafc.poultry-volaille.aac@agr.gc.ca

Attention: Supervisor Import Control and Data Information Center

Additional certification

Some countries require additional certification. This certification must be made on CFIA official letterhead paper. In all cases (except where otherwise specified) form CFIA/ACIA 1454 must be completed, and the serial number of that document must appear on the additional required certification. The additional certification should be prepared on a single sheet of paper (back to back in case of a 2 page certificate). If the certification requires more than 1 sheet, each sheet must bear an original stamp and the initials of the signing veterinarian.

Some countries require additional certification when a meat or meat product is exported to a foreign market for later re-export to a third county. At the request of the exporter/importer, and if all applicable requirements for the third country are met, the certificate in Annex D: Certification in Relation to Japanese Requirements in the case of Japan, or Annex S: Certification in relation to a third country's requirements in the case of another third country, may also be issued. It is important to note that annex D or annex S are not issued to comply with an import requirement of the market but simply to facilitate compliance with the third country requirements.

Signature

The original (part 1) of the certificate CFIA/ACIA 1454 must be signed and stamped. Part 2 and part 3 are to be stamped only. Only 1 set of the additional certification must bear the original signature and stamp. If more than 1 copy bears the original signature and stamp, then the word "Copy" must be stamped on each additional copy.

The official seal of the CFIA (see Annex N: Stamp to be applied on export certificates) must be applied above the signature. Ink of a colour other than black must be used for the stamp and the signature.

It should be noted that only official veterinarians of the CFIA are authorized to sign the above-mentioned documents.

Application of export stickers (CFIA/ACIA 4091)

Export stickers (see Annex M: Official export sticker) shall only be used on products destined for export to Switzerland and Russia under certain circumstances.

Generally, the affixing of export stickers to cartons of meat products destined for storage before export is not permissible. An exception may be made, however, for well identified lots with known destination and for which export certificates have been duly completed pending imminent final loading. The stickers shall be placed over the lid and bottom junction, or over an encircling strap of the carton. This procedure is intended to prevent any unauthorized tampering of the product. The stickers guarantee that the shipment has received a final inspection before export and identifies the shipment to the certification.

European Union (EU) Health Marks

The European Union (EU) requires that all shipping containers be sealed with the health mark. The application of the health mark will be allowed only on products that fully meet the applicable requirements, that is to say EU requirements or member state requirements if the product does not fall under the EU jurisdiction, in eligible establishments, including cold storage establishments.

The CFIA inspector will verify that the establishment's written control program maintains the product eligibility and identification controls throughout the slaughter, fabrication, processing, packaging process, to the point that the EU health mark is applied in a temper evident fashion. As an exemption, in case of pork products health marks may be applied at the eligible cold storage establishments. See European Union (EU) – Export requirements for meat and poultry products for details.

Application of export stamps

All shipping containers of meat products destined for export shall bear the export stamp or export label. The export stamp guarantees that the shipment has received a final inspection before export and identifies the shipment to the certification.

The rubber die of the stamp produces an oval, within which appears the word "Canada" and the number of the establishment. Next to the oval are the abbreviations "Cert. No. Cert." (certificate number), and a space for insertion of numbers (see Annex L: Official stamp for shipping containers).

When shipments are assembled in an approved storage, the inspector-in-charge may have to obtain an export stamp from the CFIA regional office. He or she will have to assure themselves that all the numbers and letters necessary for export stamping have been provided with the stamp.

The numbers to be inserted beneath the abbreviations must agree with those comprising the number of the certificate accompanying the shipment. Therefore, before boxes are stamped, one must verify that the selected number corresponds with the certificate number.

Ordinary ink, preferably black, of the type used to print on paper, cardboard or similar materials, should be used in all cases. Export stamp impressions must be complete, clear and legible, and be applied in a space reserved for that purpose.

In cases where a replacement certificate has to be issued and the number of the previous certificate has already been stamped on the boxes, the number of the previously issued certificate must appear on the replacement certificate. Moreover, the replacement certificate must bear the following mention that it replaces the number of the previous certificate:

"This certificate replaces and supersedes certificate No __________ (number of the previous certificate) issued on __________ (date)."

Application of seals

Seals shall be affixed by or under the authority of a CFIA inspector when required by importing countries as outlined in Food export requirements library. The CFIA implemented a new seal in May 2024 . It is a high security seal that has a red body with white markings which are laser printed with a clear, legible and tamper resistant font. "CFIA-ACIA" is printed on the body of the seal along with a 10-digit seal number.

Control and custody of inspection certificates

The inspector-in-charge of an exporting establishment must ensure that there is at least a 3 month supply of certificates in reserve. These certificates shall be safely stored in a locked cabinet.

Orders for new certificates shall be made in the regular manner on form CFIA/ACIA 0262 and should not exceed 1 year of requirements. The order forms must be sent to the authorized person at each regional office. This person will ensure that the delivery address corresponds either to the regional office or to the address of the inspector-in-charge at the registered establishment.

The serial numbers of the certificates and the date of receipt shall be recorded in a special log book by the inspector-in-charge. See Annex P: Inventory Form for log book to be kept for export certificates. In the case of certificate on which no serial numbers appear (for example: CFIA/ACIA 4566), the applicable controls are verification upon reception of the total number of certificates ordered and the total certificates used in correlation with the corresponding CFIA forms. The inspector-in-charge must send the packing slip (purchase order) to the regional office after verification that the certificates received match with the order.

The authorized person at the regional office shall also register the serial numbers of the official forms CFIA/ACIA 5733 for the United States, CFIA/ACIA 4159 for China, and CFIA/ACIA 1454 for all countries except United States, in the required log book. See Annex P: Inventory Form for examples of information to keep. These log books must indicate the packing slip (or purchase order) number, the date they were received, the serial numbers of the certificates and the name and number of the registered establishments for which the orders were placed.

These log books must be kept on file for a minimum of 2 years

When a certificate is used, including those which have been voided, part 2 of CFIA/ACIA 1454, or a photocopy of CFIA/ ACIA 5733, or a photocopy CFIA/ACIA 4159 of the certificate shall be sent to the CFIA National Headquarters.

All export certificates used, issued and voided, part 3 of CFIA/ACIA 1454, or part 3 of CFIA/ACIA 5733 and CFIA/ACIA 4159, must be kept on file by numerical order together with all additional certification (annex(s), laboratory reports) required by the importing country. The certificates must be kept on file for a minimum period of 10 years.

Export stickers

General information

Control of export stickers

Strict control shall be exercised over export stickers. A record should be kept of serial numbers of stickers in stock (see Annex P: Inventory Form). Every time stickers are used, the serial numbers shall be recorded with a reference to the serial number of the corresponding export certificate. As with certificates, stickers should be kept under lock and key. Export stickers shall be affixed under the control of an inspector (see Annex Q: Log Book).

Specifications for export stickers

Export stickers are an official form (CFIA/ACIA 4091). Forms Management is responsible to provide each regional office with the applicable specifications for the form. The inspection legend appearing on the export stickers must conform to the dimensions specified in Annex M: Official export sticker. Each export sticker must bear a serial number. Inspectors-in-charge will ensure that the serial numbers do not repeat. The serial number together with the establishment registration number, which is part of the inspection legend, makes export stickers unique. Self-adhesive export stickers must be tamper evident. It is the responsibility of the operator of the establishment ordering self-adhesive export stickers to provide specifications for the paper and for the glue to be used to produce the export stickers. The inspectors-in-charge of the registered establishment will be responsible for specifying which serial numbers are to be used on the export stickers ordered. The inspectors-in-charge will also be responsible for implementing the controls referred to above.

Ordering export stickers

Part I of the order form provided in Annex O: Export Stickers Order Form is to be completed by the operator and presented to the inspector-in-charge.

The inspector-in-charge will review the information and determine if it is complete. The inspector-in-charge will fill out the section reserved for his use by clearly indicating the serial numbers that must be used on stickers to be printed and will authorize the printing of the stickers by signing the order form. A copy of the form will be kept by the inspector in his files and the original will be sent to the regional office along with a purchase order.

An authorized person at the regional office will forward the request and the purchase order to an approved printer (part III of Annex O: Export Stickers Order Form). The printer will have to make commitments to the effect that he or she will print form CFIA/ACIA 4091 only when orders are received from the regional office. The printer will also be accountable for sending the stickers only as directed by the authorized person from the regional office.

The export stickers will be sent by the printer to the appropriate regional office or at the discretion of the regional director general directly to the inspector-in-charge.

The inspector-in-charge shall verify that the export stickers received match with the order, notify plant management that the stickers are now available and amend the inventory accordingly. The inspector-in-charge must then send the packing slip (purchase order) to the regional office.

The authorized person at the regional office shall register the serial numbers of the export stickers CFIA/ACIA 4091 in the required log book. See Annex P: Inventory Form for examples of information to keep. These log books must indicate the number of the purchase order, the date they were received, the serial numbers of the stickers and the name and number of the registered establishments for which the orders were placed. These log books must be kept on file for a minimum of 2 years.

Note: all export stickers are to be paid for by the operator according to the printer's instruction.

The stickers, if ordered through the area office, must be subjected to the same controls. The EU Health mark is subject to the same controls as the stickers.

Control of export stamps

Like any other official stamp, the export stamp shall remain under the control of the inspector-in-charge. At the discretion of an inspector, the stamps are to be applied either by themselves or by a plant employee, under the supervision of the inspector.

Control of seals

The recommendations made under control of stickers apply. See Annex P: Inventory Form and Annex Q: Log Book for log books to be kept for seals. The seal, if ordered through the area office, must be subjected to the same controls.

Orders of export stamps and certificates

Orders for certificates should be forwarded to the regional office. In order to simplify and accelerate the processing of orders, the procedure outlined below must be followed when ordering stamps bearing the meat inspection legend. The procedure listed is the minimum requirement and areas may have additional controls and/or forms to be used.

  • The operator must complete the form provided in Annex L-1: Meat Inspection Legend Stamp Order Form and present it to the inspector-in-charge for the authorization of the order
  • The inspector-in-charge must complete the section of the form reserved for government use, clearly indicating the delivery address of the stamps. The inspector must sign the form in order to authorize the order.
  • The operator must produce 2 copies of the form: 1 for the regional office, and the other for the inspector-in-charge
  • The operator must send the duly completed form signed by the inspector-in-charge directly to the manufacturer
  • The stamp(s) will be sent by the manufacturer to the appropriate area/regional office or, at the discretion of the Executive Director directly to the inspector-in-charge or Regional Supervisor
  • The inspector-in-charge must verify that the products received correspond to the order, notify the operator that the stamp is available, and update the inventory accordingly
  • All stamps or parts of stamps must be paid for by the operator in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions

Responsibility and conservation of stamps bearing the meat inspection legend

Stamps bearing the meat inspection legend must be stored in a sturdy cabinet. The cabinet hinges must be concealed, and the hasps must be mounted such that the screw heads are covered. The cabinet must also be locked with a padlock provided by the CFIA, and the key must remain in the possession of the inspection staff.

If an inspector is available at the start of operations but cannot be present once the operations are completed, the cabinet can be equipped with a secure opening so that stamps can be placed into the cabinet but not taken out.

The complete list of stamps, their use and the locations where they must be applied must be posted inside the cabinet in which the stamps are stored.

The operator must sign a sign-out/sign-in sheet each time a stamp is removed from or returned to the cabinet. It is recommended that the time of sign-out/sign-in be indicated. The operator is also responsible for thoroughly cleaning the stamp and returning it at the end of the shift.

The inspector-in-charge must provide the register for the signatures mentioned above.

Stamp inventory

The monitoring of marking devices (metal stamps, needlepoint legend stamps, matrices for engraving metal) must be maintained. Inspection staff must conduct a daily inventory of stamps and must carry out ongoing monitoring of the stamps as they are signed out and in, according to the register. In addition, to prove that the inspector is effectively monitoring the inventory of stamps, inspection staff should initial the register.

During quarterly visits, supervisors will perform an inventory check of the stamps. This involves counting the stamps in the cabinet and those signed out, as indicated in the register, and comparing the total number with the available inventory of stamps. They must then compare the results obtained with the number of stamps that should be in the establishment's inventory according to the regional centre. Supervisors should document the inventory check in their report.

Any discrepancies must be immediately investigated. The justification presented for each discrepancy should be documented in a separate report.

Damaged, worn or surplus stamps

Only stamps that give a clear, legible imprint are acceptable for use. Damaged, worn or surplus stamps must be sent, along an accompanying note, to the regional office, which will dispose of them. Stamps from closed establishments must be returned via the regional office.

Lost stamps

To minimize the accidental loss of brass stamps, the handles must be designed in such a way as to reduce the tendency of the stamps to roll off tables, desks

Each time a stamp is lost, an effort must be made to locate them and the operator and the inspector-in-charge must provide detailed explanations in writing.

Transloading of meat products destined for export

Occasionally, a shipment may be prepared, marked and transported to another licensed establishment for containerization. The applicant forwards a copy of the partially completed Export Application Verification Form – Annex H (CFIA/ACIA 5344) to the inspector at the site of the containerization. It will be the responsibility of the applicant to advise the inspector responsible for the registered facility where the containerizing occurs of the planned time of loading, products to be exported and of the container number. The inspector at the storage facility will verify the loading and contents of the container. Such verification will be relayed by completing the additional endorsement of annex H (CFIA/ACIA 5344) and returning it to the applicant. The applicant is responsible to forward the form to the signing official CFIA veterinarian.

Products consigned to an in-bond storage (ship stores) located in the country of destination

The following conditions apply:

  • traders involved in such activities must be registered with the foreign competent authorities of the importing country
  • food products are placed in bonded stores on arrival in the country of destination
  • the shipment must be accompanied by form CFIA/ACIA 1454
    • In the block "Country of Destination/Pays destination", "Ship stores" shall be entered
    • The statement "For ship stores only. Not for commerce within (country of destination)" must appear in the block "Additional certification/Attestation supplémentaire"

Meat products exported and returned

For guidance and procedures on the return of exported meat products to Canada please consult the Meat products section of Food-specific import requirements.

With respect to products returned from the United States, more information is available on United States of America – Export requirements for meat and poultry products web page.

Meat products derived from ruminants – Restrictions related to BSE

Several countries have imposed restrictions on the importation of Canadian meat products derived from ruminants following the report of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada.

Available information on restrictions imposed is summarized in Annex R: Summary of restrictions imposed by importing countries relative to BSE of this section. It is important to note that this information relative to BSE is in addition to the information already available in the section specific to each country which continues to apply. See the Export requirements library for more country specific details on BSE restrictions.

The information provided in this section represents the best effort to inform interested parties on the current situation. In order to do so Annex R: Summary of restrictions imposed by importing countries relative to BSE also includes foreign markets that have not imposed a ban on the import of Canadian products but that have either restrictions or certification requirements regarding BSE when available. Changes to the information provided could be made by importing countries without prior notice or restrictions unknown to the CFIA may apply. Under these circumstances, it is important to reiterate that exporters are responsible to ensure that the products destined for export meet the applicable requirements of the countries of destination.

Specific BSE requirements

Available information on BSE related requirements established by authorities of importing countries is included in the section specific to the country (see the Export requirements library) or is distributed to CFIA area and regional offices.

Beef tallow: tallow with a maximum level of insoluble impurities of 0.15% in weight and derivatives made from this tallow, as defined by WOAH, are exempted from BSE related restrictions.

Beef tongues

When import requirements refer to removal of tonsils, without specifying palatine tonsils, the tongues must be harvested making a cut caudal to (just behind) the vallate papillae (request Annex R-1: Bovine Tongue and Tonsils for details).

Marking requirements

To facilitate the work of all parties involved, an identification mark has been agreed upon to identify products derived from animals aged 30 months or older (OTM). The identification mark (see Annex R-2: Identification Mark: Carcass of Cattle Aged 30 Months or Older), should appear on the products in the case of unpackaged products or on the main panel of the shipping container in the case of packaged products. The size of the mark should be of at least 5 cm; sides in the case of the triangle and height in the case of the numeral. The above marking does not apply to meat products which are labelled as "Only for Domestic Sale in Canada" provided that this statement is next to product description and letter size is same as product description (see Annex R-2: Identification Mark: Carcass of Cattle Aged 30 Months or Older) Operators of establishments where bovine meat products are manufactured are responsible for developing marking procedures, using 1 of the agreed upon identification marks, or the optional labelling statement, to the satisfaction of the CFIA to ensure that all products derived from OTM animals are identified as required.

As a control measure at a receiving establishment, written confirmation from the operator of the supplying establishment attesting that the marking/labelling is conducted in a satisfactory manner should be retained on file and made available on request.

Meat products prepackaged for retail sale on the Canadian market and prepared meat products for retail sale in Canada do not need to bear the markings described above.

Canadian beta agonist-free beef certification program

The CFIA is responsible for certifying that beef exported from Canada originate from cattle that have never been fed and/or exposed to beta agonists. Annex V: Canadian Beta Agonist-Free Beef Certification Program describes the general requirements for the production and certification of beta agonist-free beef for export.

Canadian ractopamine-free pork certification program

The CFIA is responsible for certifying that pork products exported from Canada originate from pigs that have never been fed and/or exposed to ractopamine hydrochloride. Annex T: Canadian Ractopamine-Free Pork Certification Program describes the general requirements for the production and certification of ractopamine-free pork products for export.

Boar, stag and ridgling derived meat – Export market restrictions

Available information indicates that the United States, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and Bermuda permit import of boar meat without restrictions. Identification of the product will need to be maintained as no official information on the acceptance of these products is on record for other countries and that same restrictions may apply.

Therefore, exporters may be authorized to export boar meat when no restrictions prohibiting such exports are indicated in the section specific to the country, at commercial risk, as long as the above-mentioned conditions are met and the exporter is not aware of any prohibitions.

It is the responsibility of the operator to be informed of the importing country requirements if they want to export this type of product, if the importing country has not formally notified the CFIA, and if it is acceptable.

Canadian ractopamine-free poultry certification program

The CFIA is responsible for certifying that poultry products exported from Canada originate from birds that have never been fed and/or exposed to ractopamine hydrochloride. Annex U: Canadian Ractopamine-Free Poultry Certification Program describes the general requirements for the production and certification of ractopamine-free poultry products for export.

Export of meat products to Muslim countries

Some countries may have specific requirements for the slaughter of animals for their meat. Please verify under the importing country requirements. Further information on halal requirements is available through the Industry Labelling Tool.

There are several organizations that offer Halal certification. Canadian companies interested in obtaining Halal certification should contact 1 of the certification bodies and make sure it is acceptable to the importing country.

General annexes

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