BSE Incident in Canada
Summary of Actions Taken by Trade Partners
May 29, 2003
* The following summary represents the Government of Canada’s best effort to
inform stakeholders on the current situation
Africa
South Africa: South Africa advised the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that they have placed an embargo on the importation of live ruminants and ruminant products from Canada (with immediate effect). South Africa also advised Canada that they will cancel import permits and consignments en route will not be accepted. (Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
Asia
• China: Chinese officials have indicated a temporary ban on cattle, embryos, semen, beef and beef products (including tallow) and feed of ruminant animal origin. Hides and skins are not included under the ban. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Beijing)
• Hong Kong: A ban has been placed on all beef and beef products. (Source: Consulate General of Canada, Hong Kong)
• Indonesia: Revised ban products have been submitted by Indonesia. Products not allowed to enter Indonesia are: Ruminantia (cow, goat, sheep) and their products and by-products: meat, offal, SRM, embryo for breeding, semen, fetal bovine serum, gut/bladder/stomach for sausage casing, liver, meat extract and juice, MBM, blood meal, protein meal, tankage, fats, gelatin, collagen, tallow, petfood. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Jakarta)
• Japan: A temporary ban on imports of all ruminant animals and material derived from ruminants has been imposed (including embryos, ova, and products such as meat, viscera, casings, and meat products including sausages made from the meat and viscera of ruminants as raw materials).
There is no general recall of Canadian beef being considered but, as per OIE guidelines, specified risk material (SRM) (spinal cord, head except for tongue and cheek, specific parts of colon) will be ordered removed from the market until Canada can demonstrate BSE free status. Semen is not included under the ban. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Tokyo)
• Korea: The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has announced that the import of Canadian ruminant animals and their products (meat, offals, processed products, semen, embryo, tallow, gelatine, collagen) are banned. MAF confirmed that Korea will allow Canadian cattle hides, wet pelts, skins and dairy products without restriction. As of May 26, MAF and the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) have reported that Canadian beef that is already in Korean distribution channels will be kept, as long as it does not contain specified risk material (SRM). MAF and NVRQS have defined the following six items as SRM products: spinal cord, skull, eye, bone, intestine, and/or vertebral column. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Seoul).
• Malaysia: The Malaysian Department of Veterinary Services has announced effective immediately and until further notice, a ban on imports of the following products: live cattle, beef and beef products (including animal
feed), offals, semen, embryos, and other biological products (not specified). This ban does not include milk and dairy products. (Source: Canadian High Commission, Kuala Lumpur)
• Philippines: The Bureau of Animal Husbandry (Department of Agriculture) will temporarily ban imports of live cattle, sheep and goats, beef, and beef products, as well as embryos, meat and bone meal, and other feed ingredients derived from beef. (Canadian Embassy, Manila)
• Singapore: The Agri-Food Veterinary Authority (AVA) has imposed a suspension on beef imports and called for the removal of existing stocks from warehouses. (Canadian High Commission, Singapore)
• Taiwan: The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine has implemented a temporary ban on the import of beef and offals, animal feed, including meat and bone meal, poultry meal, powdered blood, serum, fat/tallow, embryos and others. Semen does not seem to be covered by the ban. Products already on the water may be allowed. Canadian pet food plants that are not using beef can apply through the CFIA for approval by the Taiwanese authorities for export to Taiwan. Taiwan authorities have indicated that in-transit shipments will be permitted to enter Taiwan. (Source: Canadian Trade Office, Taipei)
•Vietnam: Vietnam has temporarily banned all forms of ruminant animal, including (to be confirmed by Vietnam's Department of Animal Health): cattle, semen, embryo, foetus from ruminant, meat and bone meal, blood powder, intestinal organs and other products from ruminants used for animals feeds. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Hanoi)
Europe
• European Commission (EC): The EC's current BSE-related import measures have been in place since October 2001 and they have not changed as a result of the Canadian outbreak. All 15 Member States of the European Union (EU) apply these rules. No additional measures are expected at this time. The existing BSE import requirements prohibit the export of live cattle from Canada and specify certain conditions for the export of beef and bison, such as the removal of specified risk materials like the spinal cord.
Exports of beef to the EU are currently limited because of the EU's prohibition on the use of hormonal growth promotants and a limited number of Canadian facilities that are EU approved. (Source: Canadian Mission to the EU/Brussels, CFIA).
• EU Member State Governments, namely France , Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Austria and Portugal and the UK have reported that they do not expect any additional measures to be implemented as a result of the outbreak, given that the EU already has a well-defined set of EU rules for trade in BSE-susceptible products. All of these Member States agree that any changes would come from Brussels.
• Switzerland: Switzerland is planning no changes to current regulations.
However, officials raised questions concerning food and pet foods and reminded Canada of the upcoming changes in the Swiss regulations concerning pet foods scheduled for January 1, 2004 (Source: Canadian Embassy, Bern).
• Turkey: On May 26 Turkey issued a ban on the importation of Canadian livestock for breeding purposes. During the last five years, Turkey has banned the importation of livestock for slaughtering, and any kind of meat
(prepared or carcasses) from any country. Currently Turkey does not import beef or live cattle from Canada. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Ankara)
Former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe
• Czech Republic: No trade actions have been taken by the Czech government with respect to Canada as a result of BSE. Canada has no export of meat to the Czech Republic. Although the Czech government has not introduced any new measures against pet food from Canada, the Czech State Veterinary Authority’s Animal Health Department advised Canadian exporters to get their products into the Czech Republic quickly and immediately. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Prague)
• Hungary: Hungarian Veterinary Service indicated that they do not anticipate any change to previous import requirements established for products from Canada. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Budapest)
• Russia: The Russian veterinary authority has temporarily issued restrictions on the import of Canadian live cattle, embryos, beef, beef products derived from bovine as well as feed and feed additives which contain processed animal protein. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Moscow)
• Serbia: The Government of Serbia does not intend to introduce any special measures against Canada as a result on the occurrence of BSE in Canada. Serbia is a small market for the Canadian livestock industry. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Belgrade)
• Slovakia: No trade actions have been taken by the Slovak government with respect to Canada as a result of BSE. Canada has no export of meat to Slovakia. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Prague)
• Ukraine: The Ukraine veterinary authority has indicated that the importation of semen from Canada would not be affected. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Kiev)
Middle East
• Israel: No measures have been taken by Israel to this day with respect to imports of Canadian beef and related products. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Tel Aviv)
Oceania
• Australia: Australia issued a holding order against import of beef and beef products from Canada, and by downgrading Canada's BSE status from "A" to "D". The ban does not cover semen, embryos and dairy products. (Source: Canadian High Commission, Canberra and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Australia (AFFA)).
• New Zealand: New Zealand placed a temporary ban on bovine products coming directly from Canada or via third countries. This includes live and processed beef, bovine and calf serum. The ban does not/not affect milk products, embryos and semen. (Source: Canadian High Commission, Wellington)
South and Central America, and the Caribbean
• Argentina: Argentina has temporarily suspended all imports of Canadian products of ruminant origin until it receives further information to assess the situation. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Buenos Aires)
• Brazil: On May 28, Brazil formally announced a ban (which applies to goods in-transit or that have entered into the commerce of the country) on the entry into Brazil of ruminants, embryos and by-products from these species originating from Canada. Also included in this ban are the following ingredients: meat and offals, blood by products, blood meal, meat meal, meat and bone meal, bone meal from autoclaves; meal prepared from butcheries residues, poultry viscera meal; poultry feather and viscera meal; meat prepared with residues from poultry slaughterhouses, as well as any other ingredient or raw material which contain viscera from animals fed with ruminant protein or fat. Excluded from this prohibition are: semen, milk and dairy products, collagen obtained from hides and calcinated bone meal. Brazil is also conducting a trace-back on the 3,400 breeding animals imported from Canada over the past eight years. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Brasilia, and Normative Instruction Number 31)
• Bahamas: No action taken by authorities. (Source: Canadian Embassy to Jamaica/Farrell)
• Barbados: Barbados has placed a temporary ban on beef and beef products from Canada. The ban is effective from Tuesday, May 20. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Bridgetown)
• Chile: On May 22, 2003 Chile banned new shipments of imports of Canadian
beef products. The Ministry of Health has also recalled all beef liver and
offal (tripe) of Canadian origin still available in the market. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Santiago)
• Colombia: Colombia has issued a Resolution that bans the importation of live bovine cattle and its risk by products, embryos, animal feed, meat and bone meal, and other products destined to animal feed that contain mammal proteins inbound from Canada until the Colombian Agriculture and Livestock Institute has assessed the BSE situation in Canada. All imports in transit of the above-mentioned products are cancelled and the product shall not enter Colombia. Officials have previously indicated that bovine semen will not be affected by this measure as these products do not pose any harm.
Despite previous suggestions otherwise, it has been confirmed that the ban applies only to beef and not to pork. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Bogota)
• Cuba: Cuba has banned the importation of the following products from Canada: fresh, refrigerated, and frozen beef; canned and semi?preserved beef; pasta and precooked food that contain beef; meal of ruminants; offal; fetal serum and any other product considered to be of risk (including biological and pharmaceutical products). Shipments of these products that are in transit will not be admitted into Cuba, and products that arrived in Cuba during the period of January to May 2003 and that are still in the importer's warehouse will be declared “withheld” until the sanitary authorities make a decision with respect to them. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Havana)
• El Salvador: El Salvador has banned the importation of live animals, beef and beef products from Canada. (Source: Canadian Embassy, San Salvador)
• Guatemala: No immediate action will be taken although it is reported that “WTO established procedures” would be followed. Imported products in transit will be dealt with on a case by case basis. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Guatemala)
• Jamaica: No action taken by authorities. (Source: Canadian Embassy/Farrell)
• Panama: Panamanian officials have informed the Canadian Embassy and the public (via the local media) that they will not impose any measure against imports from Canada as it does not import beef from Canada. It will continue to import milk and milk products from Canada as there is no BSE risk associated with consumption of these products. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Panama)
• Peru: Peru has temporarily suspended all the import permits for beef,
goat, sheep (live animals, products and subproducts and concentrated food,
including meat flour and bones). Health protocols for semen and embryos recently negotiated are on stand-by. Shipments of merchandise in transit
will be treated on a case-by-case basis. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Lima)
• Uruguay: Uruguay has banned the importation of cattle, beef and beef products, and pet food containing beef. Milk, dairy products, bovine semen and embryos may be imported into Uruguay, but only if certified BSE-free by CFIA. For bovine semen and embryos, the following must also be certified: the donor, its descendants and parents are BSE-free; the donor has not been
on a property that has presented any case of BSE during the last five years; and the donor has never been fed with proteins of animal origin. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Montevideo)
North America
• Mexico: Mexico has temporarily suspended importations of cattle, beef, beef products, and cattle fodder coming from Canada. The Director-General of the Mexican Sanitary, Phytosanitary and Food Safety Service (SENASICA) expressed both privately and publicly that he expected the ban would be for a very short period. He further stated that Mexico and Canada will continue their cooperation on animal health issues. Product shipped prior to the import ban will be analyzed for risk on a case-by-case basis upon receipt of a letter of request from the importer. Media reaction has been modest and, interestingly, has focused on the U.S. reaction. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Mexico City, and SAGARPA - Press Release No. 121/03)
• United States: The U.S. will not accept any ruminants or ruminant products pending further investigation. Following is additional specificity on U.S. suspension of imports provided by USDA to its field staff:
1. Live ruminants (imports and transits);
2. Processed animal protein (such as meat and bone meal, meat meal, bone meal, blood meal, protein meal, etc.), regardless of species of origin (not intended to exclude human food in prepackaged, final form);
3. Animal feed (unless demonstrated to be of exclusively milk or non-animal origin);
4. Pet food (unless animal protein is non-mammalian origin, under permit conditions);
5. Milk replacers containing animal fat or non-milk animal protein;
6. Ruminant blood and blood products;
7. Animal vaccines containing ruminant derived products;
8. Ruminant offal (internal organs, intestines and tissues not otherwise specified);
9. Ruminant casings;
10. Ruminant glands (including but not limited to adrenal, pancreas, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, etc.);
11. Ruminant gland extracts/derivatives;
12. Unprocessed ruminant fat;
13. Processed fats and oils;
14. Nutritional supplements containing specified risk materials (SRMs) both in bulk and in final finished package for human or animal consumption;
15. Ruminant bones;
16. Tankage;
17. Tallow, except for tallow derivatives;
18. Ruminant bone-derived gelatin for animal use (permit and additional conditions will allow imports for non animal/industrial use);
19. Ruminant-derived cartilage and/or chondroitin sulfate;
20. Non-hide derived collagen (exemptions similar to those for gelatin for non-animal use); and
21. Ruminant urine/urine derivatives.
22. Ruminant meat and meat products
The following animal and animal products are still eligible for entry: milk, milk products, ruminant hide derived products, ruminant semen and embryos. Semen and embryo import protocols that include the BSE certification statements will be completed shortly. (Source: May 20, 2003 USDA field staff directive )
Canada has been added to FDA’s BSE import restriction list. This list may include additional products to USDA’s list (above) such as certain pharmaceuticals derived from ruminants, tissues, and animal feeds. Sample product listings of similar notices can be found at the following URLs:
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1704.html
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia9925.html
(Source: WSHDC contact with FDA)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working closely with a U.S. pet food firm to assure "proper disposal" of dry dog food that may include rendered material from the case cow, even though there is no known risk to dogs posed by this product. (Source: statement from U.S. FDA May 26, 2003)
The U.S. published a change in the disease status of Canada because of BSE. This notice seeks legal sanction for the import bans that the U.S.
originally took on an emergency basis on May 20, 2003. The comment period for this notice ends July 28, 2003. The document can be found at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov
/2003/pdf/03-13440.pdf
Summary of Actions Taken by Trade Partners
May 29, 2003
* The following summary represents the Government of Canada’s best effort to
inform stakeholders on the current situation
Africa
South Africa: South Africa advised the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that they have placed an embargo on the importation of live ruminants and ruminant products from Canada (with immediate effect). South Africa also advised Canada that they will cancel import permits and consignments en route will not be accepted. (Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
Asia
• China: Chinese officials have indicated a temporary ban on cattle, embryos, semen, beef and beef products (including tallow) and feed of ruminant animal origin. Hides and skins are not included under the ban. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Beijing)
• Hong Kong: A ban has been placed on all beef and beef products. (Source: Consulate General of Canada, Hong Kong)
• Indonesia: Revised ban products have been submitted by Indonesia. Products not allowed to enter Indonesia are: Ruminantia (cow, goat, sheep) and their products and by-products: meat, offal, SRM, embryo for breeding, semen, fetal bovine serum, gut/bladder/stomach for sausage casing, liver, meat extract and juice, MBM, blood meal, protein meal, tankage, fats, gelatin, collagen, tallow, petfood. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Jakarta)
• Japan: A temporary ban on imports of all ruminant animals and material derived from ruminants has been imposed (including embryos, ova, and products such as meat, viscera, casings, and meat products including sausages made from the meat and viscera of ruminants as raw materials).
There is no general recall of Canadian beef being considered but, as per OIE guidelines, specified risk material (SRM) (spinal cord, head except for tongue and cheek, specific parts of colon) will be ordered removed from the market until Canada can demonstrate BSE free status. Semen is not included under the ban. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Tokyo)
• Korea: The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has announced that the import of Canadian ruminant animals and their products (meat, offals, processed products, semen, embryo, tallow, gelatine, collagen) are banned. MAF confirmed that Korea will allow Canadian cattle hides, wet pelts, skins and dairy products without restriction. As of May 26, MAF and the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) have reported that Canadian beef that is already in Korean distribution channels will be kept, as long as it does not contain specified risk material (SRM). MAF and NVRQS have defined the following six items as SRM products: spinal cord, skull, eye, bone, intestine, and/or vertebral column. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Seoul).
• Malaysia: The Malaysian Department of Veterinary Services has announced effective immediately and until further notice, a ban on imports of the following products: live cattle, beef and beef products (including animal
feed), offals, semen, embryos, and other biological products (not specified). This ban does not include milk and dairy products. (Source: Canadian High Commission, Kuala Lumpur)
• Philippines: The Bureau of Animal Husbandry (Department of Agriculture) will temporarily ban imports of live cattle, sheep and goats, beef, and beef products, as well as embryos, meat and bone meal, and other feed ingredients derived from beef. (Canadian Embassy, Manila)
• Singapore: The Agri-Food Veterinary Authority (AVA) has imposed a suspension on beef imports and called for the removal of existing stocks from warehouses. (Canadian High Commission, Singapore)
• Taiwan: The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine has implemented a temporary ban on the import of beef and offals, animal feed, including meat and bone meal, poultry meal, powdered blood, serum, fat/tallow, embryos and others. Semen does not seem to be covered by the ban. Products already on the water may be allowed. Canadian pet food plants that are not using beef can apply through the CFIA for approval by the Taiwanese authorities for export to Taiwan. Taiwan authorities have indicated that in-transit shipments will be permitted to enter Taiwan. (Source: Canadian Trade Office, Taipei)
•Vietnam: Vietnam has temporarily banned all forms of ruminant animal, including (to be confirmed by Vietnam's Department of Animal Health): cattle, semen, embryo, foetus from ruminant, meat and bone meal, blood powder, intestinal organs and other products from ruminants used for animals feeds. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Hanoi)
Europe
• European Commission (EC): The EC's current BSE-related import measures have been in place since October 2001 and they have not changed as a result of the Canadian outbreak. All 15 Member States of the European Union (EU) apply these rules. No additional measures are expected at this time. The existing BSE import requirements prohibit the export of live cattle from Canada and specify certain conditions for the export of beef and bison, such as the removal of specified risk materials like the spinal cord.
Exports of beef to the EU are currently limited because of the EU's prohibition on the use of hormonal growth promotants and a limited number of Canadian facilities that are EU approved. (Source: Canadian Mission to the EU/Brussels, CFIA).
• EU Member State Governments, namely France , Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Austria and Portugal and the UK have reported that they do not expect any additional measures to be implemented as a result of the outbreak, given that the EU already has a well-defined set of EU rules for trade in BSE-susceptible products. All of these Member States agree that any changes would come from Brussels.
• Switzerland: Switzerland is planning no changes to current regulations.
However, officials raised questions concerning food and pet foods and reminded Canada of the upcoming changes in the Swiss regulations concerning pet foods scheduled for January 1, 2004 (Source: Canadian Embassy, Bern).
• Turkey: On May 26 Turkey issued a ban on the importation of Canadian livestock for breeding purposes. During the last five years, Turkey has banned the importation of livestock for slaughtering, and any kind of meat
(prepared or carcasses) from any country. Currently Turkey does not import beef or live cattle from Canada. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Ankara)
Former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe
• Czech Republic: No trade actions have been taken by the Czech government with respect to Canada as a result of BSE. Canada has no export of meat to the Czech Republic. Although the Czech government has not introduced any new measures against pet food from Canada, the Czech State Veterinary Authority’s Animal Health Department advised Canadian exporters to get their products into the Czech Republic quickly and immediately. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Prague)
• Hungary: Hungarian Veterinary Service indicated that they do not anticipate any change to previous import requirements established for products from Canada. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Budapest)
• Russia: The Russian veterinary authority has temporarily issued restrictions on the import of Canadian live cattle, embryos, beef, beef products derived from bovine as well as feed and feed additives which contain processed animal protein. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Moscow)
• Serbia: The Government of Serbia does not intend to introduce any special measures against Canada as a result on the occurrence of BSE in Canada. Serbia is a small market for the Canadian livestock industry. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Belgrade)
• Slovakia: No trade actions have been taken by the Slovak government with respect to Canada as a result of BSE. Canada has no export of meat to Slovakia. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Prague)
• Ukraine: The Ukraine veterinary authority has indicated that the importation of semen from Canada would not be affected. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Kiev)
Middle East
• Israel: No measures have been taken by Israel to this day with respect to imports of Canadian beef and related products. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Tel Aviv)
Oceania
• Australia: Australia issued a holding order against import of beef and beef products from Canada, and by downgrading Canada's BSE status from "A" to "D". The ban does not cover semen, embryos and dairy products. (Source: Canadian High Commission, Canberra and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Australia (AFFA)).
• New Zealand: New Zealand placed a temporary ban on bovine products coming directly from Canada or via third countries. This includes live and processed beef, bovine and calf serum. The ban does not/not affect milk products, embryos and semen. (Source: Canadian High Commission, Wellington)
South and Central America, and the Caribbean
• Argentina: Argentina has temporarily suspended all imports of Canadian products of ruminant origin until it receives further information to assess the situation. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Buenos Aires)
• Brazil: On May 28, Brazil formally announced a ban (which applies to goods in-transit or that have entered into the commerce of the country) on the entry into Brazil of ruminants, embryos and by-products from these species originating from Canada. Also included in this ban are the following ingredients: meat and offals, blood by products, blood meal, meat meal, meat and bone meal, bone meal from autoclaves; meal prepared from butcheries residues, poultry viscera meal; poultry feather and viscera meal; meat prepared with residues from poultry slaughterhouses, as well as any other ingredient or raw material which contain viscera from animals fed with ruminant protein or fat. Excluded from this prohibition are: semen, milk and dairy products, collagen obtained from hides and calcinated bone meal. Brazil is also conducting a trace-back on the 3,400 breeding animals imported from Canada over the past eight years. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Brasilia, and Normative Instruction Number 31)
• Bahamas: No action taken by authorities. (Source: Canadian Embassy to Jamaica/Farrell)
• Barbados: Barbados has placed a temporary ban on beef and beef products from Canada. The ban is effective from Tuesday, May 20. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Bridgetown)
• Chile: On May 22, 2003 Chile banned new shipments of imports of Canadian
beef products. The Ministry of Health has also recalled all beef liver and
offal (tripe) of Canadian origin still available in the market. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Santiago)
• Colombia: Colombia has issued a Resolution that bans the importation of live bovine cattle and its risk by products, embryos, animal feed, meat and bone meal, and other products destined to animal feed that contain mammal proteins inbound from Canada until the Colombian Agriculture and Livestock Institute has assessed the BSE situation in Canada. All imports in transit of the above-mentioned products are cancelled and the product shall not enter Colombia. Officials have previously indicated that bovine semen will not be affected by this measure as these products do not pose any harm.
Despite previous suggestions otherwise, it has been confirmed that the ban applies only to beef and not to pork. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Bogota)
• Cuba: Cuba has banned the importation of the following products from Canada: fresh, refrigerated, and frozen beef; canned and semi?preserved beef; pasta and precooked food that contain beef; meal of ruminants; offal; fetal serum and any other product considered to be of risk (including biological and pharmaceutical products). Shipments of these products that are in transit will not be admitted into Cuba, and products that arrived in Cuba during the period of January to May 2003 and that are still in the importer's warehouse will be declared “withheld” until the sanitary authorities make a decision with respect to them. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Havana)
• El Salvador: El Salvador has banned the importation of live animals, beef and beef products from Canada. (Source: Canadian Embassy, San Salvador)
• Guatemala: No immediate action will be taken although it is reported that “WTO established procedures” would be followed. Imported products in transit will be dealt with on a case by case basis. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Guatemala)
• Jamaica: No action taken by authorities. (Source: Canadian Embassy/Farrell)
• Panama: Panamanian officials have informed the Canadian Embassy and the public (via the local media) that they will not impose any measure against imports from Canada as it does not import beef from Canada. It will continue to import milk and milk products from Canada as there is no BSE risk associated with consumption of these products. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Panama)
• Peru: Peru has temporarily suspended all the import permits for beef,
goat, sheep (live animals, products and subproducts and concentrated food,
including meat flour and bones). Health protocols for semen and embryos recently negotiated are on stand-by. Shipments of merchandise in transit
will be treated on a case-by-case basis. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Lima)
• Uruguay: Uruguay has banned the importation of cattle, beef and beef products, and pet food containing beef. Milk, dairy products, bovine semen and embryos may be imported into Uruguay, but only if certified BSE-free by CFIA. For bovine semen and embryos, the following must also be certified: the donor, its descendants and parents are BSE-free; the donor has not been
on a property that has presented any case of BSE during the last five years; and the donor has never been fed with proteins of animal origin. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Montevideo)
North America
• Mexico: Mexico has temporarily suspended importations of cattle, beef, beef products, and cattle fodder coming from Canada. The Director-General of the Mexican Sanitary, Phytosanitary and Food Safety Service (SENASICA) expressed both privately and publicly that he expected the ban would be for a very short period. He further stated that Mexico and Canada will continue their cooperation on animal health issues. Product shipped prior to the import ban will be analyzed for risk on a case-by-case basis upon receipt of a letter of request from the importer. Media reaction has been modest and, interestingly, has focused on the U.S. reaction. (Source: Canadian Embassy, Mexico City, and SAGARPA - Press Release No. 121/03)
• United States: The U.S. will not accept any ruminants or ruminant products pending further investigation. Following is additional specificity on U.S. suspension of imports provided by USDA to its field staff:
1. Live ruminants (imports and transits);
2. Processed animal protein (such as meat and bone meal, meat meal, bone meal, blood meal, protein meal, etc.), regardless of species of origin (not intended to exclude human food in prepackaged, final form);
3. Animal feed (unless demonstrated to be of exclusively milk or non-animal origin);
4. Pet food (unless animal protein is non-mammalian origin, under permit conditions);
5. Milk replacers containing animal fat or non-milk animal protein;
6. Ruminant blood and blood products;
7. Animal vaccines containing ruminant derived products;
8. Ruminant offal (internal organs, intestines and tissues not otherwise specified);
9. Ruminant casings;
10. Ruminant glands (including but not limited to adrenal, pancreas, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, etc.);
11. Ruminant gland extracts/derivatives;
12. Unprocessed ruminant fat;
13. Processed fats and oils;
14. Nutritional supplements containing specified risk materials (SRMs) both in bulk and in final finished package for human or animal consumption;
15. Ruminant bones;
16. Tankage;
17. Tallow, except for tallow derivatives;
18. Ruminant bone-derived gelatin for animal use (permit and additional conditions will allow imports for non animal/industrial use);
19. Ruminant-derived cartilage and/or chondroitin sulfate;
20. Non-hide derived collagen (exemptions similar to those for gelatin for non-animal use); and
21. Ruminant urine/urine derivatives.
22. Ruminant meat and meat products
The following animal and animal products are still eligible for entry: milk, milk products, ruminant hide derived products, ruminant semen and embryos. Semen and embryo import protocols that include the BSE certification statements will be completed shortly. (Source: May 20, 2003 USDA field staff directive )
Canada has been added to FDA’s BSE import restriction list. This list may include additional products to USDA’s list (above) such as certain pharmaceuticals derived from ruminants, tissues, and animal feeds. Sample product listings of similar notices can be found at the following URLs:
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1704.html
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia9925.html
(Source: WSHDC contact with FDA)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working closely with a U.S. pet food firm to assure "proper disposal" of dry dog food that may include rendered material from the case cow, even though there is no known risk to dogs posed by this product. (Source: statement from U.S. FDA May 26, 2003)
The U.S. published a change in the disease status of Canada because of BSE. This notice seeks legal sanction for the import bans that the U.S.
originally took on an emergency basis on May 20, 2003. The comment period for this notice ends July 28, 2003. The document can be found at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov
/2003/pdf/03-13440.pdf