Skip navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Food Safety
    • Recalls & Public Health Alerts
      • Report a Problem with Food
        • Additional Recalls
      • Annual Recall Summaries
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2012
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2013
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2014
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2015
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2016
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2017
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2018
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2019
    • Food Safety Stats
      • Consumer Research
    • Foodborne Illness and Disease
      • Pathogens
        • Campylobacter
          • Campylobacter En Español
        • Clostridium botulinum
        • Escherichia coli O157:H7
        • Parasites and Foodborne Illness
        • Salmonella Questions and Answers
      • Resources for Public Health Partners
      • Outbreaks
        • Outbreak Investigations: Prevention
        • Outbreak Investigations: Response
    • Safe Food Handling and Preparation
      • Food Safety Basics
        • Additives in Meat and Poultry Products
        • Appliance Thermometers
        • Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness
        • Cooking for Groups
        • Cooking with Microwave Ovens
        • Cutting Boards
        • Deep Fat Frying
        • Doneness Versus Safety
        • Food Allergies
        • Glossary of Packaging Terms
        • Grilling Food Safely
        • High Altitude Cooking
        • How Temperatures Affect Food
        • How to Find the USDA Establishment Number
        • Importing Meat, Poultry & Egg Products US
        • Inspection for Food Safety: The Basics
        • Irradiation and Food Safety FAQ
        • Keeping "Bag" Lunches Safe
        • Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
        • Kitchen Thermometers
        • Mail Order Food Safety
        • Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
        • Meat and Poultry Packaging Materials
        • Natural Flavors on Meat and Poultry Labels
        • Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods
        • Slaughter Inspection 101
        • Slow Cookers and Food Safety
        • Smoking Meat and Poultry
        • Tailgating Food Safety Q & A
        • Understanding FSIS Food Recalls
        • Water in Meat & Poultry
        • Danger Zone 40F - 140F
        • Food Product Dating
        • Freezing and Food Safety
        • Leftovers and Food Safety
        • Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
          • Hongos en los Alimentos: ¿Son Peligrosos?
        • Refrigeration
        • Safe Temperature Chart
        • Shelf-Stable Food
        • Steps to Keep Food Safe
        • The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods
        • The Color of Meat and Poultry
        • Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety?
      • Meat
        • Bacon and Food Safety
        • Beef From Farm To Table
        • Bison from Farm to Table
        • Color of Cooked Ground Beef as It Relates to Doneness
        • Corned Beef
        • Door-to-Door Meat Sales
        • Fresh Pork from Farm to Table
        • Goat from Farm to Table
        • Ground Beef and Food Safety
        • Hams and Food Safety
        • Hot Dogs & Food Safety
        • Jerky
        • Lamb From Farm to Table
        • Rabbit From Farm to Table
        • Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats
        • Sausages and Food Safety
        • Veal from Farm to Table
        • Yersiniosis and Chitterlings Tips
      • Poultry
        • Chicken From Farm to Table
        • Chicken Liver
        • Duck and Goose from Farm to Table
        • Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements
        • Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
        • Let's Talk Turkey Roasting
        • Poultry Processing: Questions & Answers
        • Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating
        • Stuffing and Food Safety
        • The Poultry Label Says "Fresh"
        • Turduckens Require Safe Food Handling
        • Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
        • Turkey Basics: Stuffing
        • Turkey from Farm to Table
        • Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table
      • Eggs
        • Egg Products and Food Safety
        • Shell Eggs from Farm to Table
      • Emergencies
        • A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
        • Fires and Food Safety
        • Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies
        • Removing Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers
      • USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
    • Food Defense and Emergency Response
      • Emergency Response
      • Food Defense
        • Risk Mitigation Tool
        • Food Defense Considerations for Transportation of FSIS-Regulated Products
        • Food Defense Tools, Resources and Training
        • Functional Food Defense Plans
        • International Food Defense
  • Science & Data
    • Research Priorities
    • Data Sets & Visualizations
      • Microbiology
        • Baseline Microbiology Data Reports
        • Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat and Poultry Products
          • Tables & Results Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat
          • Tables & Results: Microbiological Testing Program Pasteurized Egg Products
          • Aggregate Salmonella Categorization of Raw Chicken Parts, NRTE Comminuted Poultry, Young Chicken Carcass and Young Turkey Carcass Establishments Using Moving Windows
          • Salmonella Initiative Program Criteria
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Salmonella
            • Salmonella Action Plan: A One and Two Year Update
            • Salmonella Categorization of Individual Establishments for Poultry Products
            • Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting
        • Microbiological Testing Program for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
          • Year-to-Date Totals: Testing of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
          • Annual Report for STEC in Raw Ground Beef or Veal and Raw Ground Beef or Veal Components
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2017
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2018
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2016
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2015
          • Year-to-Date 2018 Totals: Results of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC):
        • National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS)
      • Residue Chemistry
      • Laboratory Sampling Data
        • Egg Product Testing, Years 1995-2017
    • Scientific Reports
      • Public Health Regulations (PHR)
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2021
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2016
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2017
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2018
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2019
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2020
      • Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC)
    • Laboratories & Procedures
      • Accredited Laboratory Program
        • Key Facts: ISO Accreditation
      • FSIS Laboratories
        • Requesting Bacterial Isolates from FSIS
    • Risk Assessments
    • Sampling Program
      • Raw Pork Products Exploratory Sampling Program
      • Sampling Results for FSIS Regulated Products
    • Journal Publications
  • Policy
    • Food Safety Acts
      • Federal Meat Inspection Act
      • Poultry Products Inspection Act
      • Egg Products Inspection Act
      • Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act
    • FSIS Guidelines
    • Directives & Notices
      • FSIS Notices
      • FSIS Directives
        • Related Documents for FSIS Directive 10240.4
    • Petitions
    • Federal Register & Rulemaking
      • Federal Register Notices
      • Federal Register Rules
      • Executive Orders, Small Business Protection Laws & Other Guidance
      • Regulatory Priorities
    • Advisory Committees
      • National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI)
      • National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
  • Inspection
    • Inspection Programs
      • Inspection of Meat Products
        • Humane Handling Ombudsman
      • Inspection of Poultry Products
        • Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection
      • Inspection of Egg Products
      • Inspection of Siluriformes
    • Compliance Guidance
      • Significant Guidance
      • HACCP
        • HACCP-Based-Inspection Models Project
          • New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS)
          • HIMP Redesign Achievement of Performance Standards Young Chicken Plants
          • HIMP Study Plans and Resources
          • List of HIMP Participating Plants
        • HACCP Validation
      • PHIS
        • PHIS: Historical Information
      • Retail Guidance
      • Small & Very Small Plant Guidance
        • Appealing Inspection Decisions
        • Food Safety Resources for Small and Very Small Plant Outreach: Order Form
        • Small Plant Help Desk
        • Small Plant Help Desk Form
      • Microbial Risk
        • Listeria Monocytogenes
        • Salmonella
        • Shiga Toxin-Producing E.Coli (STEC) and E. Coli O157:H7
        • Specified Risk Material
        • Guidance for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in Retail Delicatessens - Best Practice Tips for Deli Operators
      • Food Safety Assessments Tools
      • Recall Process
      • Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide
      • Labeling
        • Basics of Labeling
        • Claims Guidance
        • Nonfood Compounds
          • Compounds Used for Construction and Repair in Federally Inspected Meat and Poultry Plants
          • Criteria Used by the Former Compounds and Packaging Branch for Evaluating Nonfood Compounds and Proprietary Substances
        • Ingredients Guidance
        • Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
          • Integration of Paper Label Applications into the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
        • Labeling Policies
          • Foods Made with Cultured Animal Cells
          • Nutrition Labeling Information
            • FSIS Statement: Interim Labeling Guidance the Labeling of Factual Statements on Nutrients in Meat and Poultry Products
          • Regulations for Package Dating
          • Comprehensive List of Reasons for Label Modifications and Returns
        • Labeling Procedures
          • Information Required For Requesting a Temporary Approval
          • 10 Most Common Mistakes And How to Avoid Them
          • Label Submission Checklist
          • Labeling Situations That Can Not Have a Temporary Approval
          • Labeling and Establishment Responsibilities
          • Questions and Answers Concerning the Recently Published Generic Labeling Final Rule
          • Ten Most Commonly Asked Labeling Questions
          • Trans Fat Declarations in the Nutrition Facts Panel on Product Labeling
      • New Technology
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2003
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2004
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2005
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2003
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2004
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2005
        • NOL for Non-O157 STEC Test Methods
        • New Technology Information Table
      • Humane Handling
    • Import & Export
      • Import & Export Library
        • Eligible Foreign Establishments
        • U.S. Establishments by Country
          • Australia Eligible Establishments
          • Brazil Export Eligible Establishments
          • Egypt Export Eligible Establishments
          • Gibraltar Export Eligible Establishments
          • Israel Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Casings) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Cold Storage Facilities) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Mexico Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Beef) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Pork) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Poultry) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Prepared Products) Export Eligible Establishments
          • South Africa Eligible Establishments
      • Import Guidance
        • FSIS Import Procedures for Meat, Poultry & Egg Products
        • FSIS Import Reinspection
        • Sourcing Egg Products and Shell Eggs From Foreign Countries
      • Export Guidance
      • Equivalence
      • PHIS Components
      • International Reports
        • Foreign Audit Reports
        • Import and Export Data
    • Regulatory Enforcement
      • Humane Handling Enforcement
      • Quarterly Enforcement Reports
      • FSIS Policies on Regulatory Decisions
    • Inspection Training & Videos
      • Meat, Poultry and Processed Egg Product Inspection Videos
      • Virtual & Regional Training
      • Regulatory Education Video Seminars
    • Apply for Grant of Inspection
      • Grants & Financial Options
      • State Inspection Programs
        • Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program
          • Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Establishments
        • Guidance Documents for State and Local Agencies
        • States With and Without Inspection Programs
        • Reviews of State Programs
    • Establishments
      • FSIS Inspected Establishments
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory
    • Inspection Forms
  • About FSIS
    • History
    • Leadership & Organizational Structure
    • Strategic Planning
      • FSIS Enterprise Governance Decision Making Process
    • Core Values
    • Food Safety & Agency Partners
      • Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
    • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
      • FSIS Adjudications
      • FSIS FOIA Reading Room
      • Frequently Requested Records
      • Making a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
  • Contact Us
    • FSIS Offices
      • Office for Food Safety (OFS)
      • Office of the Administrator (OA)
      • Office of Field Operations (OFO)
      • Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit (OIEA)
      • Office of Public Health Science (OPHS)
      • Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD)
      • Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
      • Office of International Coordination (OIC)
      • Office of Employee Experience and Development (OEED)
      • Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
      • Office of Management (OM)
      • Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE)
      • Internal Affairs (IA)
      • Office of Planning Analysis Risk Management (OPARM)
      • Significant Incident Preparedness and Response Staff (SIPRS)
      • Civil Rights Staff
    • FSIS Department Emails
    • State HACCP Contacts and Coordinators
    • askFSIS
      • Having Trouble with the Webform
    • Pregúntele a Karen
  • Careers
    • Build A Career With USDA!
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
      • Career Profiles
        • Administrative Positions
        • Consumer Safety Inspector
        • Food Inspector
        • Professional Positions
        • Public Health Veterinarian (PHV)
        • Scientific Positions
    • Who Works for Us
    • Incentives & Benefits
    • Employment Programs
  • News & Events
    • Events & Meetings
      • Officials' Calendar of Meetings
      • USDA FSIS Eastern Laboratory Open House Registration
    • News & Press Releases
      • News Feeds & Subscriptions
    • Publications
  • Employees
    • HR Policies & Systems
      • Forms
      • Performance Management
      • Understanding Your Benefits
    • Environmental, Safety and Health
      • COVID-19 Pandemic Resources
        • Information about Face Coverings/Masks and Face Shields
    • Onboarding
      • New Hire Training
    • Professional Development Opportunities
      • Agency Awards & Achievements
    • Employee News & Stories
      • Employee Connections
      • The Beacon
        • USDA Vaccination Heroes Do Their Part for America
      • i-Impact
    • Facilities and Services
    • Employee Bargaining
    • Civil Rights

Food Safety and Inspection Service

  • About FSIS
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • News & Events
  • Employees
  • Food Safety
  • Science & Data
  • Policy
  • Inspection
  • Recalls
  • Search
  • Full Menu
RECALL NOTICE: JBS USA Food Company Recalls Imported… See more details
Page Hero
  • Inspection
    • Inspection Programs
      • Inspection of Meat Products
      • Inspection of Poultry Products
      • Inspection of Egg Products
      • Inspection of Siluriformes
    • Compliance Guidance
      • Significant Guidance
      • HACCP
      • PHIS
      • Retail Guidance
      • Small & Very Small Plant Guidance
      • Microbial Risk
      • Food Safety Assessments Tools
      • Recall Process
      • Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide
      • Labeling
      • New Technology
      • Humane Handling
    • Import & Export
      • Import & Export Library
      • Import Guidance
      • Export Guidance
      • Equivalence
      • PHIS Components
      • International Reports
    • Regulatory Enforcement
      • Humane Handling Enforcement
      • Quarterly Enforcement Reports
      • FSIS Policies on Regulatory Decisions
    • Inspection Training & Videos
      • Meat, Poultry and Processed Egg Product Inspection Videos
      • Virtual & Regional Training
      • Regulatory Education Video Seminars
    • Apply for Grant of Inspection
      • Grants & Financial Options
      • State Inspection Programs
    • Establishments
      • FSIS Inspected Establishments
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory
    • Inspection Forms
Subscribe for Updates
Ask FSIS

askFSIS

Find answers to questions on inspection-related policies, programs, systems, and procedures.
Find An Answer
State Inspection

State Inspection

Apply for Federal or State inspection. States operate under a cooperative agreement with FSIS.
Find Nearest Office
Document in circle icon

Participate in Creating Standards

FSIS invites the food safety community to participate in establishing standards for our food safety policies and services. Join us for public meetings or respond to comment requests.
Learn More

Equivalence

Determining equivalence of a country’s food safety inspection system is important because it protects public health and facilitates trade.

What is Equivalence?

Equivalence is the process of determining whether a country’s food safety inspection system achieves the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) appropriate level of public health protection as applied domestically in the United States (US).  Additionally, the foreign food safety inspection system is to provide standards equivalent to the FSIS to ensure other non-food safety requirements (such as humane handling, accurate labeling, and assurance that meat, poultry, or egg products are not economically adulterated) are met.  This means that the country is not required to develop and implement the same procedures that the US does, but rather the country must objectively demonstrate how its procedures meets the US level of protection. Countries wishing to become eligible to export meat, poultry, or egg products to the US must demonstrate that they have a regulatory food safety inspection system that is equivalent to that of the US.


Equivalence Background

Determining equivalence of a country’s food safety inspection system is important because it protects public health and facilitates trade. An equivalence determination of an exporting country’s regulatory food safety inspection system for meat, poultry, or egg products is a prerequisite for trade for the United States Department of Agriculture's  (USDA) FSIS.  USDA-FSIS is the US central competent authority (CCA) responsible for regulating and inspecting meat, poultry, and egg products. FSIS implements an equivalence process to make an equivalence determination to ensure that US treaty obligations under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) are met. The SPS Agreement sets out the basic international rules for food safety, animal, and plant health standards. FSIS ensures during the equivalence process that the following SPS Agreement standards are met through the implementation of the following principles: science, risk assessments, transparency, harmonization, and equivalence.

To ensure that meat, poultry, or egg products (including imported products) do not pose any public health risks to US consumers, FSIS implements the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA), Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA), and regulations under Title 9 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 300-590. FSIS ensures that a country’s food safety inspection system addresses FSIS’s food safety regulatory-based objectives. Food safety regulatory-based objectives are food safety goals for preventing the occurrence of an identified food safety hazard. 

The criteria by which FSIS assesses the equivalence of a country’s food safety inspection system can be found under Title 9 CFR §327.2 (for meat products), §557.2 (for fish of the order Siluriformes products), §381.196 (for poultry products), and §590.910 (for egg products).  

Countries wishing to request an initial equivalence determination in order to export fish of the order Siluriformes to the US can find information in the initial equivalence process section, and information about exporting Siluriformes fish under Additional Resources. 

Types of Equivalence Determinations

There are four (4) types of equivalence determinations: (1) Initial Equivalence, (2) Ongoing Equivalence Verification, (3) Reinstatement of Equivalence, and (4) Individual Sanitary Measure.
 

Types of Equivalence Determinations Explanation About the Type of Equivalence Determination
(1) Initial Equivalence
  • For countries seeking to export meat, poultry, or egg products to the US for the first time
  • FSIS evaluates a country's food safety inspection system to make an initial equivalence determination before the country can export products to the US 
  • Rulemaking is only required for initial equivalence determinations.
(2) Ongoing Equivalence Verification
  • For countries that have an equivalence determination and are exporting meat, poultry, or egg products to the US  
  • Countries are to maintain communication with the US concerning updates to their food safety inspection system.
(3) Reinstatement of Equivalence
  • For countries that FSIS has determined to have an equivalent food safety inspection system and stopped exporting to the US for an extended period of time  
  • FSIS will reassess the food safety inspection system before the country can export products to the US again.
(4) Individual Sanitary Measure
  • For countries that have an equivalence determination and want to change a procedure in their food safety inspection system  
  • FSIS will assess the new procedure before the country can implement the procedure for products it  exports to the US

The Equivalence Process


The following sections on initial equivalence, ongoing equivalence verification, reinstatement of equivalence and individual sanitary measure breaks down FSIS’s equivalence process steps to make an equivalence determination.

Initial Equivalence


The following six (6) process steps briefly outline how an initial equivalence determination is made for a country wishing to export meat, poultry, or egg products to the US for the first time.

  1. Country Submits Written Requests to FSIS
  2. Document Submission Through Self-Reporting Tool (SRT)
  3. Document Review
  4. On-site Verification Audit
  5. Public Notification Proposed Rule in Federal Register
  6. Final Determination of Equivalence Final Rule in Federal Register

The SRT is a questionnaire that provides an organized means for the country’s government to demonstrate that its inspection system achieves an equivalent level of protection as applied domestically in the US.

The SRT is arranged into six (6) components:

  1. Government Oversight (e.g., Organization and  Administration)
  2. Government Statutory Authority and Food Safety and Other Consumer Protection Regulations (e.g., Inspection System Operation, Product Standards and Labeling, and Humane Handling)
  3. Government Sanitation
  4. Government Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System
  5. Government Chemical Residues Testing Programs
  6. Government Microbiological Testing Programs

For more information on the SRT and initial equivalence process, please refer to Additional Resources.

Ongoing Equivalence Verification
 


FSIS will continuously evaluate and verify the equivalence of an exporting country’s food safety inspection system through a three (3) part process: (1) document reviews, (2) on-site audits, and (3) point-of-entry reinspection of meat, poultry, and egg products.

Part 1- Document Reviews

Countries are to submit the following for review at least annually by May 18th:

  1. Either (1) updated SRT responses, or (2) communicate to FSIS that the Central Competent Authority (CCA) has verified its SRT responses, as recorded in FSIS’s Public Health Information System (PHIS) (i.e., by reviewing the SRT electronically in PHIS) or by mailed hard copy of the version of SRT responses FSIS has entered for the CCA, are accurate and complete.
  2. An up-to-date list of all certified establishments eligible to export meat, poultry, or egg products the US.
  3. An updated government residue control program, including the previous year’s residue test results and reactions to residue findings.
  4. Updated government microbiological sampling and testing programs, including the previous year’s test results and reactions to (A) indicator organism results for intestinal or fecal contamination; (B) Salmonella and Campylobacter results for raw meat and poultry products; (C) Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, or other pathogens of public health concern in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products and all lots of pasteurized egg products; and (D) shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in raw beef products.


Part 2 - On-Site Audits

FSIS will periodically conduct an on-site audit of every eligible country’s food safety inspection system to verify whether the country continues to maintain an equivalent inspection system.
 

Part 3-Point of Entry Reinspection

All imported shipments of meat, poultry, and egg products that enter the US are presented to FSIS for reinspection. FSIS checks every imported shipment for eligibility, certification, transportation damage, and labeling. The purpose of point-of-entry reinspection is to monitor the effectiveness of an eligible exporting country’s food safety inspection system, not to assess the performance of an individual certified establishment.

For more information about ongoing equivalence verification, please refer to Additional Resources.

Reinstatement of Equivalence

The following five (5) process steps briefly outline how a reinstatement of equivalence determination is made when a country wants to start exporting meat, poultry, or egg products again to the US.

  1. Country Submits Written Requests to FSIS
  2. Document Submission through SRT
  3. Document Review
  4. On-Site Verification Audit (may or may not be needed)
  5. FSIS Notifies Country of Equivalence Determination Through a Formal Letter (no rulemaking is necessary)

Note: Rulemaking steps are not applicable for countries seeking to reinstate equivalence, because their food safety inspection systems have already been determined to be equivalent.

For more information on reinstatement of equivalence, please refer to Additional Resources.
 

Individual Sanitary Measure
 


Eligible countries currently exporting meat, poultry, or egg products to the US request an individual sanitary measure when they want to change a procedure in their food safety inspection system. There are two (2) reasons an eligible country requests an individual sanitary measure equivalence determination.

  1. The country wants to make a change to a procedure in its food safety inspection system that FSIS previously determined was equivalent.
  2. FSIS has updated its US domestic food safety procedures or requirements and identified that the procedures or requirements affect previous equivalence determinations for specific eligible countries.

The following four (4) process steps briefly outline how an individual sanitary measure equivalence determination is made:

  1. Country Submits Written Request to FSIS
  2. Document Submission Through SRT
  3. Document Review
  4. FSIS Notifies Country of Its Individual Sanitary Measure Equivalence Determination Through a Formal Written Letter.

For more information on individual sanitary measures, please refer to Additional Resources.

The attached document contains a list of countries with significant, non-routine finalized individual sanitary measures.

Equivalence Processes


Resources that explain the process to determine initial, reinstatement, and ongoing equivalence, and to assess individual sanitary measures.

  • Guideline for Countries on the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Equivalence Process 
  • The FSIS Equivalence Process 
    FSIS PowerPoint presentation that provides an overview on what equivalence is, the types of FSIS equivalence determinations, and an overview of the equivalence process.

Additional Resources


Resources that provide countries with information to obtain level 2 eAuthentication credentials for access to FSIS’s Public Health Information System (PHIS), and submitting a Self-Reporting Tool (SRT).

  • 2019 Self-Reporting Tool (v.2019-001)
    Contains questions regarding regulatory-focused food safety objectives that reflect the equivalence criteria used by FSIS to determine whether a country’s documented food safety inspection system is equivalent to the U.S. system.
  • Steps to Obtain Level 2 eAuthentication Credential and PHIS Access
    Provides step-by-step instructions on how the designated Central Competent Authority (CCA) official can obtain level 2 eAuthentication credentials and request access to FSIS’s PHIS.
  • How to Complete and Submit the SRT Using the PHIS 
    This FSIS PowerPoint presentation provides click-by-click instructions to obtain level 2 eAuthentication credentials for access to PHIS, as well as how to submit a SRT in PHIS.
  • FSIS Guidance for a Suggested Reporting Table for the Certified Establishment List 
  • FSIS Guidance for Suggested Reporting Tables of the Government Residue Control Program 
  • FSIS Guidance on Suggested Reporting Tables of the Government Microbiological Sampling and Testing Program
  • Summary of FSIS Government Residue Control Program Frequencies
    Provides a summary of the sampling frequency of FSIS government chemical residue testing, including links to the U.S. National Residue Program (NRP).
  • Summary of FSIS Government Microbiological Sampling Programs Frequencies 
    Provides a summary of the sampling frequency of FSIS government microbiological testing, including a link to the current FSIS Annual Sampling Plan.
  • FSIS Responses to the SRT (v2019-001)
    Provides a model with FSIS’s responses to the SRT that illustrates the level of detail FSIS needs in foreign country SRT responses to determine whether a country’s food safety inspection system achieves an equivalent level of sanitary protection.
  • Food Safety Equivalence and Inspection Seminar
    FSIS hosted webinar held September 13, 2016 in Washington DC on the Self-Reporting Tool (SRT) / Overview and the Public Health Information System.
  • Importing Products
    FSIS is responsible for assuring that US imported meat, poultry and processed egg products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
  • Guidebooks and Methods
    These guidebooks contain current protocols for analytical tests required by FSIS regulatory activities on meat, poultry and processed egg products. They include Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook, Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook, and Pathology Laboratory Guidebook.

All communications concerning equivalence should be directed to the Office of International Coordination (OIC). Communication must come from the country’s government’s Central Competent Authority (CCA). Please address correspondence to:

United States Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Office of International Coordination
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 3143, South Building
Washington, DC 20250
Phone: (202) 708-9543 
Fax: 
(202) 690-3856
E-mail: InternationalCoordination@usda.gov

Equivalence Process Status

Table showing the status of countries' equivalence requests.

Download the Table

Featured Resources

Import inspector at work

Quarterly Enforcement Reports

Review the enforcement actions FSIS has taken to ensure that consumers have access to safe, wholesome and properly labeled products.
Learn More
A measurement tool.

Food Safety Assessments Tools

An important toolbox for identifying potential risks in the food production process and to document food safety assessments (FSAs) methodically.
Learn More
FSIS Poultry Inspecto

Apply for Grant of Inspection

The steps and requirements for obtaining a Federal grant of inspection.
Learn More
Last Updated: Jun 30, 2020
  • USDA.gov
  • USA.gov
  • Whitehouse.gov
  • About Us
  • Our Performance
  • Information Quality & Publishing Schedule
  • Visit OIG
  • FOIA
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Non-Discrimination Statement
  • Plain Writing
  • No FEAR
  • Significant Guidance

Food Safety and Inspection Service

  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • GovDelivery
  • Instagram
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • RSS
.

Start your search

Popular Topics

Recalls Import & Export FSIS Directives FSIS Guidelines Petitions