In 2023, Canada exported nearly 450 thousand metric tons of meat to the United States, including poultry, beef, veal, pork, goat, lamb, and mutton. While each of these is considered to be USDA eligible for import from Canada, the same is not necessarily true of these products from all countries. Additionally, while the list of eligible meats from Canada is longer than that of any other country on the USDA list, the list is further broken down into eligible establishments certified to export meat and poultry products from Canada to the US.
Given all this, how does an establishment – or even a country – get approval to ship meat products to the U.S.?
As detailed by CFIA, the U.S. requires pre-export approvals by the competent authority of the importing country, with only establishments certified to the USDA FSIS by the CFIA allowed to produce meat products intended for export to the U.S. As with any food entering the States, the product needs to meet the same controls and requirements as are expected of food produced within the U.S. – a key component of which is HACCP.
Thus, a Canadian meat producing establishment wishing to export to the U.S. must have certain production controls and meet specific inspection and labelling requirements, including:
- A HACCP system focused on pathogen reduction through a pre-shipment review, sanitation and slaughter process controls, and performance standards.
- Special procedures for establishments operating under the Modernized Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP) to ensure that each evisceration line has an on-line carcass inspection station staffed by CFIA inspectors.
- Continuous supervision by which the establishment receives at least one random, documented visit by a CFIA inspector during each 12-hour shift every day the plant is in production. These visits must be recorded on the CVS Verification Worksheet.
- No non-ambulatory disabled cattle slaughtered in Canadian registered establishments, as these are not eligible for export to the US. Such cattle cannot enter the slaughter floor and must be humanely handled until they are euthanized.
- CFIA certification to the FSIS, attained by submitting a written request that documents the establishment’s design, implementation, and maintenance of effective and auditable control measures to ensure compliance with applicable requirements.
- Approved microbiological screening and cultural methods for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and Escherichia coli O157:H7, with the USDA/FSIS maintaining a zero-tolerance level for Lm in all categories of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products.
- Adherence to FSIS marking and labelling standards, such as product name, validated cooking/heating instructions, safe handling instructions, etc., with some types of labels and labelling (for example, claims) required to be submitted to the FSIS for approval.
In addition to having the particular establishment certified for export and equivalent controls, there are a number of meat products that are ineligible. Among these are: imported meat products in their original imported state; livestock lungs and horsemeat intended for human food; products returned as a result of FSIS import inspection violation; and specified risk material (SRM) from cattle. There also are USDA restrictions on meat derived from ruminants, poultry meat and casings.
It is not a short list of requirements, and it can be complex, but TAG Canada has extensive experience in cross-border production, importing and exporting, and can help. Give us a call!
