Archived - Notice to Industry: Fall 2022 import requirements for romaine lettuce from the United States
This page has been archived
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or record-keeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.
June 3, 2022
This message is to provide advance notice to importers of fresh fruits and vegetables that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will be implementing temporary import conditions for U.S. romaine lettuce again this fall 2022. This temporary measure is intended to mitigate the higher risk of E. coli O157 contamination of romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas Valley, California during the fall months. Similar measures were implemented in fall 2020 and fall 2021.
From September 28 to December 22, 2022, importers of romaine lettuce and products containing romaine lettuce will be required to comply with temporary Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence conditions. During this period, the CFIA will require importers to submit attestation forms and Certificates of Analysis to confirm that the romaine lettuce does not contain detectable levels of E. coli O157:H7 if the lettuce was grown in the Salinas Valley. A Proof of Origin will be required for U.S. romaine lettuce products that are from areas outside of the Salinas Valley.
The complete information will be published on the CFIA website and communicated to fresh fruit and vegetable importers through MyCFIA messaging in the coming weeks, well in advance of the implementation date.
- Date modified: