Nov 1
Although many Canadian producers are aware that US sheep and goats can now be imported into Canada, some confusion still remains surrounding the process. Scrapie Canada frequently receives calls from producers asking questions like how do I import? And which producers in the US can I import from?
In order to import male sheep and goats from the US (including semen), producers need to obtain an import permit from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). They do not need to be enrolled on the Scrapie Flock Certification Program (SFCP). Producers can obtain an import permit by contacting the local CFIA District Office that represents their region and requesting a permit. In the case of males, the American exporting producer does not have to be enrolled on a scrapie program either.
When it comes to importing female sheep and goats (including embryos), things are a little different. Firstly, producers need to be enrolled on the SFCP prior to obtaining an import permit. To enroll on the program, producers can contact Scrapie Canada for an application package as well as for more information. Once officially enrolled on the program, producers can contact the CFIA to obtain an import permit.
Same goes for producers on the American side. All US producers exporting female sheep and goats to Canada must be enrolled on the US Scrapie Flock Certification Program. This is where a lot of the confusion begins because not all American producers on US scrapie program can export females into Canada.
Canadian producers can import females from any American flock or herd participating at the “Export Monitored” level.
US flocks or herds participating in the “Complete Monitored” level of the program are eligible to export females to Canada only if they have been submitting all mortalities over 18 months of age for scrapie brain testing. Perspective US exporters with “Complete Monitored” flocks or herds need to confirm eligibility with their Area Veterinarian in Charge and obtain a statement that says through record verification, all mortalities over 18 months of age have been submitted for scrapie brain testing. The statement also needs to declare the period of time over which the brain testing has been completed. Perspective Canadian importers will be required to submit a copy of this statement when applying for an import permit if the animals are coming from a flock or herd enrolled on the “Complete Monitored” level.
A complete list of participants on the US Scrapie Flock Certification Program can be found online at: https://vsapps.aphis.usda.gov/scrreports/sfcpHome. To determine which level the American producer is enrolled under, see the “status” column in the table. For more information on the status of a US flock or herd, producers can also e-mail the following address: scrapie_program@aphis.usda.gov
