Upcoming deadlines for inspection of egg product exports to the U.S.

On September 7, 2021, FSIS published a Federal Register notice describing upcoming deadlines to submit equivalence documentation for countries that currently export […]

According to the October 2020 final rule on egg product inspection regulations, FSIS will begin enforcing its regulation of these products on October 30, 2023. For this reason, countries that already export or wish to export these products to the U.S. must undergo an equivalence determination by FSIS. The notice describes the following deadlines:

• Phase 1: Notify FSIS of intention to export egg substitutes and freeze-dried egg products to the United States by October 30, 2021.
• Phase 2: Submit a complete self-reporting tool (SRT), including supporting documentation, that demonstrates how a country’s egg products inspection system achieves an equivalent level of public health protection to FSIS’ inspection system by April 30, 2022.
• Phase 3: Receive a determination by FSIS that the SRT submission and supporting documentation demonstrates that the country maintains an equivalent documented egg products inspection system to FSIS’ inspection system by October 30, 2023.

Additionally, countries that currently maintain egg product inspection systems equivalent to that of FSIS (i.e., Canada and the Netherlands) and wish to continue as well as countries that begin exporting egg substitutes and/or freeze-dried egg products to the U.S. after October 30, 2023, must submit an updated certified establishment list by October 1, 2023, that includes establishments producing those products.

If a country does not submit the required documentation or FSIS has determined that the country does not maintain an equivalent documented egg products inspection system, the foreign country will not be eligible to export egg substitutes and freeze-dried egg products to the