New Policy Changes – Implementation Delayed on Import Requirements of Milk and Milk products to April 2021

Further to our article recently published on the  Modernization of Animal Health Upcoming Import Requirements for Milk and Milk products , CFIA advises the changes to the import policy is delayed till April 2021.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a notice on January 22, 2021 advising the import industry on the delay to implement the changes to the import documentation requirements for milk and milk products.

The animal health import policy Milk and Regulated Milk Products (AIED-DIEA-IE-2001-4-7) has been replaced by Chapter 10.4 and Annex 15.3 of the Terrestrial Animal Products and Byproducts: Import Policy Framework.

Import conditions for foods and beverages with milk ingredients will be updated to reflect the new policy. Once these changes have been implemented, foods and beverages containing milk or milk products may be imported from any country provided that they are consumer prepackaged and may be stored at ambient temperature before opening. Foods and beverages containing milk that are imported in bulk or require refrigeration or freezing before opening may only be imported from countries approved by the CFIA and zoosanitary certification will be required.

Changes to the import conditions for specific foods and beverages containing milk affected by the policy updates, originally planned for February 2021, have been delayed and will be published in the Automated Import Reference System in April 2021.

Additional import documentation requirements could be one or more of the following requirements that may apply:

  • Proof of origin (such as a Canada Customs Invoice)
  • Labelling requirements
  • Treatment requirements such as pasteurization, Ultra-High Temperature (UHT), or low final pH (please see Annex 3 for further details)

Foods for human consumption containing milk ingredients may require one or more of the following, depending on the animal disease risk:

  • Import declaration
  • Zoosanitary export certificate
  • Originating from a country or zone designated free by Canada from foot and mouth disease

Please contact cfia.apabpimport-importation.pespa.acia@canada.ca for further information.