News from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

In January 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launched a phased approach to digital Phytosanitary application through My CFIA for plant exports to the United States (US).  Since then, select participants have been using My CFIA to submit export service requests online to CFIA rather than emailing a completed Application for Export Inspection and Phytosanitary Certification (form CFIA / ACIA 3369).  Certificates requested via My CFIA are issued as electronic Phytosanitary certificates (ePhyto).  ePhytos are sent directly to the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) through government to government (G2G) data exchange. A certified copy of the ePhyto is available to view and print from My CFIA and a paper original Phytosanitary certificate is no longer issued.

As of June 17^th, 2024 the CFIA is gradually increasing the number of exporters invited to use My CFIA for certification of plant and plant product commodities to the US.

My CFIA is available for Phytosanitary export requests to the US. Export requests for other destination countries must continue to be submitted to local CFIA plant offices using a completed Application for Export Inspection and Phytosanitary Certification (form CFIA / ACIA 3369).

Note – use of My CFIA does not represent changes to the current phytosanitary export requirements.

• For example, seed shipments to the USA that currently use the certificate of analysis PPQ925 and CFIA5289 or other certificates will continue to use them.
• No new export requirements are being added. For example, exports to the USA that currently do not require a phytosanitary certificate will continue not to require a phytosanitary certificate.
• Horticulture commodities that are currently shipped under the Greenhouse Certification Program and Canadian Nursery Certification Program will continue. This process will not change.

News from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

On December 15, 2022, the CFIA replaced the Automated Shipment Inspection Status Search Tool (ASISST) with an enhanced tool that provides access to the status of any food, plant or animal import declared electronically to the CFIA called the CFIA Shipment Tracker for Food, Plant and Animal products. Since launch, the ASISST link has remained active and has been redirecting users to the new CFIA Shipment Tracker for Food, Plant and Animal products. As of June 26th, the ASISST link will be deactivated and will stop redirecting users.

To ensure continued access to the CFIA Shipment Tracker for Food, Plant and Animal products please use the following link.

For more information, visit the CFIA Shipment Tracker webpage

Attention Exporters: Requirements for Wood Packaging Material (WPM) in Outbound Shipments from Canada

This serves as an important reminder for all exporters regarding the strict treatment requirements for WPM that accompanies goods exported from Canada to a participating foreign trading partner, including wood dunnage used to support goods in ship holds. A participating foreign trading partner is one that requires imported WPM to comply with the international standard for phytosanitary measures 15: Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (ISPM 15). ISPM 15 outlines the essential guidelines and phytosanitary measures in preventing the introduction of quarantine pests associated with untreated wood-based packaging material, including pallets, crates, boxes, etc.

Over 80 countries require imported WPM to comply with ISPM 15. The Canadian Heat Treated Wood Products Certification Program (HT program) administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is based on the ISPM 15 requirements and provides a basis for meeting import requirements of participating foreign trading partners. For example, to comply with ISPM 15 and importing countries’ plant health regulations, WPM accompanying goods exported from Canada must be debarked and must undergo heat treatment to a minimum temperature of 56°C for a minimum duration of 30 continuous minutes throughout the entire wood profile, including its core. The WPM must also be stamped by a facility registered under the CFIA’s HT program.

Ensuring that WPM complies with ISPM 15 requirements is necessary to preserve confidence in Canada’s phytosanitary certification. Using WPM for exports obtained from facilities registered under the CFIA’s HT program is in fact a requirement for exports to participating foreign trading partners, as is adhering to all other plant health import requirements of trading partners. Exemptions may apply for exports destined for the continental USA.

Non-compliance with ISPM 15 and/or Canada’s Plant Protection Regulations can lead to severe repercussions, including:

• refusal of shipment receipt at the port in the destination country;
• shipment being returned to Canada;
• shipment being destroyed at the discretion of the receiving country;
• financial penalties at destination; and
• administrative financial penalties or prosecution by the CFIA.

Please contact your local CFIA office for more information.

News from AAFC’s Market Access Secretariat

On April 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published on it’s website an advance copy of the Final Rule concerning changes to the user fees for the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection (AQI) program.
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APHIS has noted that steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of this internet version of the rule, however, this is not the official version of the final rule for the purposes of compliance. The official version of the rule will be published in a forthcoming Federal Register publication, which will appear on the Government Printing Office’s GovInfo website and on Regulations.gov.

News from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Following consultation and stakeholder input on Directive 99-06: Policy on the Issuance of Phytosanitary Certificates for Export and for Re-export, the directive was updated and revised to include procedural changes for the application and issuance of phytosanitary certificates using the My CFIA online service portal.

The updates provide clarifications for the issuance date on the phytosanitary certificate including the potential addition of an inspection date in the Additional Declaration field, and, general administrative improvements.

The revised directive is available at the following link:

D- 99-06: Policy on the Issuance of Phytosanitary Certificates for Export and for Re-export

Please contact cfia.ippc.acia@inspection.gc.ca if you have further questions.