Import Conditions for Agricultural Products

Trade Facilitation Unit - Pork

The Bahamas currently has conditions to allow the importation of pork and pork products from various countries. Having conducted an import risk analysis (IRA) that considers quarantine risks that may be associated with the importation to The Bahamas of pork and pork products from any country, the IRA recommends that the importation of pork and pork products to The Bahamas could be permitted subject to compliance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures to manage the quarantine risks of a range of significant diseases to a very low level, in line with WOAH guidelines. The IRA assessed all potential disease agents that may be introduced to The Bahamas via the importation of pork and pork products and SPS measures. These diseases include Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), T. solium cysticerci, and Transmissible gastroenteritis Virus (TGE).

Based on this risk assessment The Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA) has developed conditions of import for pork and pork product consignments. They are outlined below. All consignments of pork and pork products must:

  1. Meet the labelling requirements prescribed in Section 23 of the Bahamas Agricultural
    Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), Food Safety and Quality Act (2016) in
    Appendix 1
  2. Meet the import conditions for pork and pork products in Appendix 2

Appendix 1

Labelling and advertising

  1. No person shall offer for sale in The Bahamas any package of food unless the label
    thereon—
    1. is written in English;
    2. specifies the product name;
    3. specifies the date of manufacture and expiration;
    4. permits the traceability of the food as prescribed in regulations; and
    5. sets out such particulars as may be prescribed in regulations.
  2. Where food that is not packaged is displayed for sale, it shall bear an identification mark.
  3. The Director shall prescribe requirements for food advertising in accordance with applicable legislation.
  4. Any foods not in compliance with the requirements under this section shall be confiscated by the Director.
  5. Any person selling food in contravention of this section commits an offence and shall be liable to a fixed penalty as prescribed by regulations.

Appendix 2

Conditions for importation of Pork and Pork products

  1. If a country, zone, or compartment that is Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) free without practicing vaccination according to official World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) records wishes to export:
    1. pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the animals:
      1. showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of shipment;
      2. were kept since birth or for at least the past three months in a FMD free country or zone where vaccination is not practised or a FMD free compartment;
      3. if transiting an infected zone, were not exposed to any source of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) during transportation to the place of shipment.
    2. fresh semen from pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. the donor males:
        1. showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of collection of the semen;
        2. were kept for at least three months prior to collection in a FMD free country or zone where vaccination is not practised or FMD free compartments;
        3. were kept in an artificial insemination centre where none of the animals had a history of infection with FMDV;
      2. the semen was collected, processed and stored in accordance with Chapters 4.6. and 4.7. of the WOAH Animal Health Terrestrial Code.
    3. frozen semen from pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. the donor males:
        1. showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of collection of the semen;
        2. were kept for at least three months prior to collection in a FMD free country or zone where vaccination is not practised or FMD free compartments;
      2. the semen was collected, processed and stored in accordance with Chapters 4.6. and 4.7. of the WOAH Animal Health Terrestrial Code.
    4. fresh meat or meat products from pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. the entire consignment of meat comes from animals which: have been kept in a FMD free country or zone where vaccination is not practised or FMD free compartment, or which have been imported in accordance with Article 8.8.10., Article 8.8.11. or Article 8.8.12. of the WOAH Animal
        Health Terrestrial Code;
      2. have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir and have been subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections with favourable results.
  2. If a country, zone, or compartment that is FMD free, but practices vaccination according to official World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) records, wishes to export:
    1. pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the animals:
      1. showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of shipment;
      2. were kept since birth or for at least the past three months in a FMD free country or zone where vaccination is practised;
      3. were subjected to a test for FMD with negative results;
      4. if transiting an infected zone, were not exposed to any source of FMDV during transportation to the place of shipment.
    2. frozen semen of pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. the donor males:
        1. showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of collection of the semen and for the following 30 days;
        2. were kept for at least three months prior to collection in a FMD free country or zone where vaccination is practised;
        3. either
          1. have been vaccinated at least twice, with the last vaccination not less than one month and not more than six months prior to collection, unless protective immunity has been demonstrated for more than six months; or
          2. were subjected, not less than 21 days after collection of the semen, to tests for antibodies against FMDV, with negative results.
        4. the semen:
          1. was collected, processed and stored in accordance with Chapters 4.6. and 4.7. of the WOAH Animal Health Terrestrial Code;
          2. was stored in the country of origin for a period of at least one month following collection, and during this period no animal on the establishment where the donor animals were kept showed any signs of FMD.
    3. fresh meat and meat products from pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of meat comes from animals which:
      1. have been kept in the FMD free country or zone where vaccination is practised, or which have been imported in accordance with Article 8.8.10., Article 8.8.11. or Article 8.8.12. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir and have been subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections for FMD with favourable results;
      3. for ruminants the head, including the pharynx, tongue and associated lymph nodes, has been excluded from the shipment.
  3. If the country, zone, or compartment that is FMD infected has an official control programme wishes to export pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required attesting that:
    1. the animals showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of shipment;
    2. prior to isolation, the animals were kept in the establishment of origin:
      1. for 30 days, or since birth if younger than 30 days, if a stamping-out policy is applied to control FMD in the exporting country or zone, or
      2. for three months, or since birth if younger than three months if a stamping-out policy is not applied to control FMD in the exporting country or zone;
    3. FMD has not occurred within the establishment of origin for the relevant period as defined in points 2(a) and 2(b) above;
    4. the animals were isolated in an establishment for the 30 days prior to shipment, and all animals in isolation were subjected to diagnostic virological and serological tests for evidence of FMDV with negative results on samples collected at least 28 days after the start of isolation period, and that FMD did not occur within a 10-kilometre radius of the establishment during that period, or the establishment is a quarantine station;
  4. If the country, zone, or compartment that is FMD infected wishes to export frozen semen
    from pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required attesting that:
    1. the donor males:
      1. showed no clinical signs of FMD on the day of collection of the semen and for the following 30 days;
      2. were kept in an artificial insemination centre where no animal had been added in the 30 days before collection, and that FMD has not occurred within a 10-kilometre radius of the artificial insemination centre for the 30 days before and after collection;
      3. and either
        1. have been vaccinated at least twice, with the last vaccination not less than one month and not more than six months prior to collection, unless protective immunity has been demonstrated for more than six months; or
        2. were subjected, not less than 21 days after collection of the semen, to tests for antibodies against FMDV, with negative results.
    2. the semen:
      1. was collected, processed and stored in accordance with Chapters 4.6. and 4.7. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. was subjected, with negative results, to a test for evidence of FMDV if the donor male has been vaccinated within the 12 months prior to collection;
      3. was stored in the country of origin for a period of at least one month following collection, and that during this period no animal on the establishment where the donor males were kept showed any signs of FMD.
  5. If a country, zone, or compartment free from African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) according to WOAH wishes to export fresh meat of domestic and captive wild pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from animals which:
    1. have been kept in a country, zone or compartment free from ASFV since birth or have been imported or introduced in accordance with Article 15.1.8. or Article 15.1.9. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
    2. have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir, where they have been subjected with favourable results to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 1.1. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
  6. If a country, zone, or compartment not free from ASFV (according to WOAH), wishes to export fresh meat of domestic and captive wild pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from animals which:
    1. the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from animals which originated from herds in which surveillance in accordance with Articles 15.1.28. to 15.1.30. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code demonstrates that no case of ASFV has occurred in the past three years. This period can be reduced to 12 months when the surveillance demonstrates that there is no evidence of tick involvement in the epidemiology of the infection. In addition, samples from a statistically representative number of animals were tested for ASFV, with negative results;
    2. the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from animals which have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir, have been subjected with favourable results to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 1.1. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
    3. necessary precautions have been taken after slaughter to avoid contact of the fresh
      meat with any source of ASFV;
  7. If a country, zone, or compartment free from Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) according to WOAH wishes to export:
    1. fresh meat of domestic and captive wild pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from animals which:
      1. were kept in a country, zone or compartment free from CSFV, or which were imported in accordance with Article 15.2.9. or Article 15.2.10. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. were slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir, where they were subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 6.2. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code with favourable results.
    2. domestic and captive wild pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of animals:
      1. showed no clinical signs of CSFV on the day of shipment;
      2. were kept since birth or for at least the past three months in a country, zone or compartment free from CSFV;
      3. were not vaccinated against CSFV, nor are they the progeny of vaccinated sows, unless there are means, validated in accordance with Chapter 3.8.3. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, of distinguishing between vaccinated and infected pigs.
  8. If a country, zone, or compartment not free from CSFV (according to WOAH) wishes to export:
    1. fresh meat of domestic and captive wild pigs, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from animals which:
      1. the pigs from which the meat is derived complied with Article 15.2.10. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. the pigs were transported under the supervision of the Veterinary Authority, in a vehicle which was subjected to disinfection before the pigs were loaded;
      3. the pigs were transported directly to the approved slaughterhouse/abattoir without coming into contact either during transport or at the slaughterhouse/abattoir with other pigs that did not fulfil the conditions of Article 15.2.10. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      4. the pigs were slaughtered in a slaughterhouse/abattoir:
        1. which is approved for export by the Veterinary Authority
        2. in which no case of CSFV was detected during the period between the last disinfection carried out before slaughter and the consignment for export has been dispatched from the slaughterhouse/abattoir.
      5. the pigs were subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 6.2. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code with favourable results;
      6. appropriate precautions were taken after slaughter to avoid cross-contamination of the fresh meat with any source of CSFV.
    2. domestic and captive wild pigs an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of animals:
      1. showed no clinical signs of CSFV on the day of shipment;
      2. and either:
        1. were kept since birth or for the past three months in a CSFV free compartment; or
        2. were isolated for 28 days prior to shipment in a quarantine station, and were subjected to a virological test and a serological test performed on a sample collected at least 21 days after entry into the quarantine station, with negative results.
      3. were not vaccinated against CSFV, nor are they the progeny of vaccinated sows, unless there are means, validated in accordance with Chapter 3.8.3. of the Terrestrial Manual, of distinguishing between vaccinated and infected pigs.
  9. If a country, zone, or compartment free from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) according to WOAH wishes to export:
    1. fresh meat of domestic and captive wild pigs an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from pigs that have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir and have been subjected with favourable results to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 1.1. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
    2. domestic and captive wild pigs an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of animals:
      1. showed no clinical signs of PRRS on the day of shipment;
      2. were kept in a country, zone or compartment free from PRRS since birth or for at least the past three months.
  10. If a country, zone, or compartment not free from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory
    Syndrome (PRRS) according to WOAH wishes to export:
    1. fresh meat of domestic and captive wild pigs an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from pigs that have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir and have been subjected with favourable results to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 1.1. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
    2. domestic and captive wild pigs for slaughter an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the animals showed no clinical signs of PRRS on the day of shipment. The pigs should be transported directly with appropriate biosecurity from the place of shipment to the slaughterhouse/abattoir for immediate slaughter.
    3. domestic and captive wild pigs for breeding or rearing an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of animals:
      1. were kept, since birth or for at least three months prior to isolation, in an establishment in which no infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) was detected within that period;
      2. showed no clinical signs of PRRS on the day of shipment;
      3. have not been vaccinated against PRRS nor are they the progeny of vaccinated sows;
      4. were isolated for 28 days by application of biosecurity and subjected to a serological test for infection with PRRSV, with negative results, on two occasions, at an interval of not less than 21 days, the second test being performed within 15 days prior to shipment.
  11. If a country, zone, or compartment wishes to export meat or meat products an international veterinary certificate must attest that the entire consignment of meat or meat products:
    1. has been produced in accordance with the Codex Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat (CAC/RCP 58-2005);
    2. comes from pigs which have been slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir;
    3. either:
      1. comes from pigs born and raised in a country, zone or compartment demonstrated to be free from T. solium in accordance with Article 1.4.6. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. or comes from pigs which have been subjected to post-mortem inspections for T. solium cysticerci with favourable results;
      3. or has been processed to ensure the inactivation of the T. solium cysticerci in accordance with one of the procedures referred to in Article 15.4.6. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
  12. If a country, zone, or compartment wishes to export:
    1. pigs for breeding or rearing, an international veterinary certificate must attest that the entire consignment of pigs:
      1. showed no clinical signs of Transmissible gastroenteritis Virus (TGE) on the day of shipment;
      2. and either:
        1. come from an establishment in which no case of TGE was reported during the 12 months prior to shipment; and
        2. showed negative results to a diagnostic test for TGE during the 30 days prior to shipment, and were kept isolated during this period; or
        3. come from a country in which TGE is officially notifiable and no clinical case has been recorded in the previous three years.
      3. pigs for slaughter, an international veterinary certificate must attest that the entire consignment of pigs:
        1. showed no clinical signs of TGE on the day of shipment;
        2. come from an establishment in which no case of TGE was officially reported during the 40 days prior to shipment.
  13. If a country, zone, or compartment wishes to export chilled pork an international
    veterinary certificate must attest that:
    1. the entire consignment of meat has been free from trichinosis for six (6) months
      prior to slaughter and date of slaughter or carcasses from which the pork was
      derived has been tested and found free from trichinosis.
    2. chilled pork has been derived from gilts and castrates; the products do not contain
      any harmful residues.
    3. chilled pork has not been treated with chemical decontamination.
    4. chilled pork has been produced under strict hygienic condition, vacuum packed
      and have a shelf life of over 6 weeks.
  14. If a country, zone, or compartment regardless of status wishes to export meat and meat products derived from pigs, an international veterinary certificate must attest that:
    1. the meat has not been derived from animals which have been swill-fed;
    2. the meat has been derived from animals which were born and bred in the country of origin since birth;
    3. the meat has not been treated with chemical preservatives or other substances injurious to health;
    4. the meat has been inspected and found fit for human consumption and every precaution must be taken to prevent contamination prior to export;
    5. retort processed meat products (e.g. canned meat) have been heat treated (sterilising process with sterilising value of not less than F03 or 250°F/121°C) to commercial sterility in hermetically sealed containers and are shelf stable at ambient temperatures.