USDA: More Details on F&M Actions

March 15, 2001

USDA Wednesday clarified its earlier announcement that certain animals and animal products from Europe would be banned temporarily. USDA specifically is prohibiting temporarily importation of swine and ruminants and any fresh swine or ruminant meat (chilled or frozen) and other products of swine and ruminants from the European Union. This does not include cooked pork products.

The basis for USDA restrictions on products from countries affected with foot-and-mouth disease (F&MD) is contained in Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 94-98. These sections list certain specific products which are prohibited but also exempt certain products which do not present a risk of transmission of FMD.

In addition, these sections allow USDA the latitude to write permits for products which have been adequately processed such that they do not present a risk of transmission of F&MD. This approach allows flexibility in dealing with a wide range of products which otherwise would not be allowed, according to USDA.

Prohibited products (with the CFR citation listed) are live ruminants (9 CFR Part 94.1); live swine (9 CFR Part 94.1); fresh (chilled or frozen) meat of ruminant or swine (9 CFR Part 94.1); fresh (chilled or frozen) products derived from ruminants or swine (other than meat and milk/milk products) (9 CFR 94.2); fresh (chilled or frozen) organs, glands, extracts or secretions derived from ruminants or swine (9 CFR 94.3) (exceptions are allowed under permit, with additional processing for pharmaceutical or biological purposes); ruminant or swine semen (9 CFR Part 98.34) and ruminant or swine embryos (9 CFR Part 98.12).

Meat and meat product restrictions include cured or cooked meat and meat products that may be allowed entry under certain conditions as specified in 9 CFR Part 94.4. Dried or cured meat is allowed entry if it meets the following conditions: all bones have been removed, the meat was held in an unfrozen, fresh condition for at least three days, and then was thoroughly cured and dried to a minimum moisture to protein ratio of 2.25:1.

Canned meat is allowed entry if it is deboned meat that has been commercially heat processed in a hermetically sealed container such that it is shelf stable without refrigeration. Cooked meat also is allowed entry, but the cooking process and establishment must be approved in advance by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Milk products are addressed in 9 CFR Part 94.16. The following products are specifically exempt from this part and are therefore allowed unrestricted entry from F&MD-affected countries: cheese (except cheese with liquid or containing other restricted items such as meat), butter, and butteroil. Also, such products as yogurt, cream liqueurs and chocolate products are not restricted. Milk products which are in concentrated liquid form and have been heat processed in a hermetically sealed container such that they are shelf stable without refrigeration are allowed entry.

Dry milk and dry milk products may be allowed entry with consignment to approved establishments for further processing or storage. Other milk products, such as condensed milk, sterilized milk, casein and caseinates, lactose, etc. may be allowed entry under permit if the processing conditions are such that they would inactivate the F&MD virus or if they are intended for industrial use. Milk and milk products which do not fall into these categories are prohibited.

The following products are not allowed unrestricted entry from countries affected with F&MD, but they are not completely prohibited either. This means that they can be imported without a permit under certain restrictions, with the primary restriction being consignment upon arrival to an approved establishment for further processing.

–Untanned hides and skins (9 CFR Part 95.5); raw, unwashed wool, hair and bristles (9 CFR Part 95.7); glue stock, defined as fleshings, hide cuttings and parings, tendons, or other collagenous parts of animal carcasses (9 CFR Part 95.9); untreated bones, horns and hoofs (9 CFR Part 95.11); blood meal, blood albumin, bone meal, intestines and other animal byproducts for industrial use (9 CFR Part 95.15) and glands, organs, ox gall or bile, bone marrow, and like materials (9 CFR Part 95.17).

Restricted entry products - import permit required – include many other processed products that are derived from ruminant or swine by-products. There is no consolidated list of these products, as new products are being developed continuously. An importer will submit a permit application form, detailing the processing conditions of the product. If it is determined that the process will inactivate the F&MD virus, then a permit will be issued and the product will be allowed entry under those conditions.

The specific CFR citations can be accessed through the Internet at the Government Printing Office website. The URL for this site is www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/index.html.