USDA REQUESTS EXTENSION OF SOME ANIMAL-ORIGIN HEALTH CERTIFICATES

USDA REQUESTS EXTENSION OF SOME ANIMAL-ORIGIN HEALTH CERTIFICATES    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed to extend the validation time for its origin health certificates beyond 30 days in some cases, based on destination country requirements.
   An exported animal must be accompanied by an origin health certificate. The document certifies that the animal has been inspected within the 30 days prior to import. It also includes all test results and other certificates and statements required by the importing country.
   USDA says the purpose of the extension is to cover those cases where the importing country either allows or requires testing more than 30 days prior to export.
   In some cases, the importing country wants to test the animals again upon arrival. Since a certain interval of time must elapse between tests, the country requires pre-export testing to be conducted more than 30 days before the date of export.
   “We believe this can be allowed without increasing the risk of infected or exposed animals being exported,” said Alfonso Torres, deputy administrator for veterinary services at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.