Published December 27, 2011 by

Useful Links: United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant and Plant Product Permits Veterinary Services, National Center for Import and Export Foreign Agricultural Service General Sales Manager Online System Global Agricultural Trade System Food Safety Inspection Service Foreign establishments certified to export meat, poultry and egg products to the United States FSIS Jurisdiction Over Flavor Products Containing Meat or Poultry Regulations and Policies Agricultural Marketing Service Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) 

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Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Agricultural Marketing Service Animal and Plant Inspection Service Food Safety Inspection Service Foreign Agricultural Service United States Department of Agriculture

Published April 2, 2010 by

Importation of meat for personal consumption

As an international traveler, I wonder if one can bring some beef purchased from the corner butcher shop in the old country? Correct answer – depends on the agriculture inspector at the port of entry. Politically correct answer – probably not. FSIS Recent directive “IMPORTATION OF PRODUCTS FOR OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL PURPOSES” states that FSIS regulations allow three classes of products covered by the FMIA, PPIA, or EPIA to be imported from any country without meeting all FSIS requirements. These product classes are (1) products for personal consumption; (2) products for laboratory examination, research, evaluative testing, or trade show exhibition; and (3) shipments destined for sale in foreign commissaries located in the United States. FSIS’s regulations, 9 CFR 327.16 would allow a person to bring a 50 lb case of meat from the old country: “Any product in a quantity of 50 pounds or less which was purchased by the importer outside the United States for his/her own consumption, is eligible to be imported into the United States from any country without compliance with the provisions in other sections of this part but subject to applicable requirements under other laws, including the regulations in part 94 of this title. However,…

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Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies

Animal and Plant Inspection Service Food Products Food Safety Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture

Published July 1, 2009 by

Food products with less than two percent of meat / poultry ingredients: bouillon cubes, extracts, and soup mixes, etc.

It appears that jurisdictional issues regarding dry “chicken” soup mixes and like products cause much confusion not only among importers, but also within government circles. The “clarification” that went out is the second attempt to figure out who is responsible for what. About two years ago, Veterinary Services (VS) published 2% rule “clarification” that talked about this very issue, which has now been removed. It seems that following is the most substantive statement of the clarification: “Beginning on June 22, 2009, importers of food products that contain small amounts of meat or poultry will not be granted an import permit by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) unless a determination is first made by FSIS that the meat, poultry, or egg product ingredient was prepared under specific conditions that will ensure that these ingredients are not adulterated. Once the determination has been made, food products that contain only a small amount of a meat, poultry, or egg product ingredient are no longer subject to the jurisdiction of FSIS and are then subject to the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration.” CBP echoes above clarification: “USDA import permit will now be required for FSIS-exempted food products containing…

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Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies

Animal and Plant Inspection Service Food and Drug Administration Food Products Food Safety Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture