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Script: Import Permit Policies II |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service podcast. Each episode
will bring you cutting edge news and information about how FSIS is working to ensure public
health protection through food safety. While we’re on the job, you can rest assured that
your meat, poultry, and processed egg products are safe, wholesome, properly labeled,
and packaged correctly. So turn up your volume and listen in.
Host:
Hello and welcome! I’m Alexandra Tarrant with FSIS and your host for this podcast
on imported food products. Before we begin today’s podcast, I want to let our listeners
know that in the coming weeks FSIS will be switching to a new digital format to ensure
the highest quality of audio and video podcasts. Please stay tuned to our podcasts, or
visit our website at www.fsis.usda.gov, for more
information. This is the second of our four-part series on the enhanced efforts of imported
products. With me again is Dr. Jerry Elliott from the FSIS Office of International Affairs.
He has been with FSIS for over 20 years.
Hi Jerry, welcome.
Guest:
Thank you Alexandra, It’s good to be here again.
Host:
Today we’re continuing our discussion about the enhanced efforts to ensure that
the meat or poultry ingredient of an imported food product that contains only a small
amount of meat and poultry is from an approved source. To pick up where we left off the
last time Jerry, please tell our listeners about the enhanced efforts of FSIS and the
Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service that started June 22nd.
Guest:
I’d be glad to. On June 22nd, FSIS started serving a more direct role in verifying
that the source of the meat or poultry ingredient is coming from an approved source. So
the importers of food that contain a meat or poultry ingredient won’t be granted an import
permit by APHIS unless FSIS first determines that the meat or poultry ingredient was prepared
under specific conditions that ensure that they were not adulterated.
Host:
I’d be glad to. On June 22nd, FSIS started serving a more direct role in verifying
that the source of the meat or poultry ingredient is coming from an approved source. So
the importers of food that contain a meat or poultry ingredient won’t be granted an import
permit by APHIS unless FSIS first determines that the meat or poultry ingredient was prepared
under specific conditions that ensure that they were not adulterated.
Guest:
There’s actually two steps that will apply to products containing a small amount
of meat or poultry.
First, as we’ve stated before, the meat or poultry ingredient must be from an approved
source, meaning that the meat or poultry ingredient must be prepared under FSIS inspection
or prepared in a certified establishment in an equivalent foreign inspection system.
Second, APHIS restricts products from entering the United States because of animal disease
conditions in the country in which the product originated. Therefore, it will continue
to be necessary to contact APHIS’ National Center for Import and Export’s Veterinary Services
office for information on restrictions related to animal diseases and to obtain a permit
from APHIS. There are some countries that have no animal disease concerns and therefore,
do not require an APHIS permit. Nevertheless, any products that contain meat or poultry
in very small amounts must still originate from an equivalent country and establishments
qualified to export to the United States.
Host:
Now, we’re obviously past the June 22nd date. Can a permit still be sought?
Guest:
Yes. However, as I said, the importer will need to provide assurance through
supporting documentation for food products that contain small amounts of meat or poultry
that the meat or poultry ingredient is from an approved source.
Host:
OK, so what if the country, say I am importing from has already been confirmed
as an approved source?
Guest:
In that case, if documentation can be provided that the meat or poultry ingredient
included in a food product comes from an approved source, then it can be imported into
the United States. However, some food products containing a small amount of meat, poultry
and or processed egg product ingredients may not propose a threat to animal health, and
would be approved for an APHIS issued veterinary permit. However, they may still not be
approved for entry into the United States because these ingredients were not prepared
under inspection systems intended to ensure that these ingredients are not adulterated.
In other words they may meet APHIS requirements but not FSIS requirements.
Host:
Any other helpful information you can give our listeners today?
Guest:
Yes! While a permit may have been issued on an attestation by the importer of
an approved source of the meat or poultry ingredient, it’s still the responsibility of
the importer to possess documentation for every shipment of product. This has been, and
will continue to be, our enforcement strategy.
Host:
Okay, that concludes today’s session but before we go, where can our listeners
get more information?
Guest:
Well, for any questions regarding permits, send an email to
permits@fsis.usda.gov or you can call our offices at (888) 287-7194. To obtain an
APHIS import permit and the application, which is VS Form 16-3, you’ll need to go to
www.aphis.usda.gov or call their
offices at (301) 734-3277. Again the number to call if you have any questions for FSIS
is (888) 287-7194. For APHIS it’s (301) 734-3277.
Host:
Thank you very much, Jerry. This has been extremely helpful. Join us next time when we’ll
explain the various application procedures for obtaining import permits. Thanks for tuning
in.
Outro:
Well, that’s all for this episode. We’d like your feedback on our podcast. Or if you
have ideas for future podcasts, send us an e-mail at
podcast@fsis.usda.gov. To learn more about food safety, try our web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov. Thanks for tuning
in.
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Last Modified: August 11, 2009 |
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