November 07, 2008
CFIA's New Rules on Cheese Require Cheese Import License
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is revising its federal regulations on the compositional standards for cheese and will implement them on December 14, 2008. The change has caused both Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) and Dairy Products Regulations (DPR, Sections 26.2 to 26.6) to be amended. The amendments establish a new importer licensing system that identifies cheese importers and enables the regulations to be enforced more easily.
All cheese importers will be required to obtain a “Cheese Import License.” The application form for this license (CFIA form No. 5562) is available at the following URL: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/for/pdf/c5562e.pdf .
The procedures for obtaining a cheese import license and the requirements that must be met will be added to “Chapter 16 - Importing Activities” of the CFIA Dairy Products Inspection Manual. This section of the manual is available on the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (CSCB) Web site, in both English and French, at: http://www.cscb.ca/listinfo/CheeseImportLicencing_200810.pdf
There are exemptions from the import licensing requirement for the following cheese imports:
- Not intended for sale in Canada
- Weighing 20 kg or less
- Carried on a means of transportation for food for a crew or passengers
- Part of an immigrant’s personal effects
- Consigned to a national or international exhibition, weighing 100 kg or less
- Imported from the USA onto the Akwesasne Reserve for use by an Akwesasne resident.
Importers who need a license are strongly advised to submit their application as soon as possible to their local dairy inspector so they will receive their license prior to December 14, 2008, when the amendments to the FDR and DPR will be enforced.
For more information, please contact your local FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage office. For a complete list of office locations go to http://www.ftn.fedex.com/locations/index.html.
