The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has issued an import order in preparation for the importation of cattle from Canada.

Effective Monday, November 19th, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will allow the importation of all Canadian cattle and bison into the United States that were born on or after March 1, 1999. Previously, importation of cattle and bison from Canada was limited to animals under 30 months of age for movement directly to slaughter or to feedlots for movement to slaughter.

ORDER: This Order is in addition to:

(1) The requirements found in the current Nebraska Animal Importation Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. 54-753.05, and 54-784.01 through 54-796)

(2) the Nebraska Animal Importation Regulations (Title 23 NAC, Chapter 2); and

(3) all federal regulations concerning the interstate movement of such animals All Canadian bovine animals (cattle, including bison, which have spent any part of their lives in Canada) shall meet the following requirements before being imported into Nebraska: • Be born on or after March 1,1999; and

• Canadian bovine animals shall be individually identified with an official CFIA RFID tag; or with a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) approved eartags, and all such identification shall be listed on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI); and

• Canadian bovine animals imported into Nebraska for other than immediate slaughter must obtain a Nebraska pre-entry permit prior to entry, and such Nebraska pre-entry permit number shall be listed on the CVI. Please contact the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, at (402) 471-2351, for a pre-entry permit; and

• Purebred registered bovine animals imported for other than immediate slaughter, may be imported with ear tattoos provided the following requirements are met: (1) all tattoos shall be legible, (2) tattoos shall be official breed registration tattoos; and (3) all animals identified with a breed registration tattoo shall also be identified with the “CAN” tattoo applied to the inside of the left ear; and

• Non-registered Canadian bovine animals imported for other than immediate slaughter shall be properly hot iron or freeze branded with the “CAN”, high on the right hip prior to entry (hairbrands are not acceptable).

The complete import order can be found on the NDA website at www.agr.ne.gov , under Animal Health.