
Costa Rica
Library Updates
Export Requirements
Last update Sep 19, 2023
- Eligible Products
- Egg products
- Ineligible Products*
- Imported dehydrated egg products, except for imported dehydrated egg products imported from Canada
Documentation Requirements
- Obtain FSIS Form 9060-5EP
- For dehydrated egg products, also obtain FSIS Form 9060-5B. Include the following statements typed on the 9060-5B*
- The egg product originates from, or was legally imported into, the United States.
- The product is subject to a treatment of a minimum of 67°C for at least 20 hours or another treatment which has been shown to inactivate biological pathogens of concern transmissible through the product, and procedures are in place to prevent cross-contamination of the final product.
- The egg products undergo microbiological testing as required by FSIS regulations and were found to be in full compliance
- For all other egg products, include the following statement typed in the remarks section of the FSIS Form 9060-5EP: “The egg product has been pasteurized in accordance with FSIS requirements.”
- For dehydrated egg products, also obtain FSIS Form 9060-5B. Include the following statements typed on the 9060-5B*
Plants Eligible for Export
All FSIS inspected egg products plants are eligible to export.
- Fresh/frozen bone-in and boneless beef including further processed products, and beef tongues, kidneys, livers, and hearts. Bovine tripe is eligible for export under the requirements that apply to beef and other beef by-products, including further processed products.
- Fresh/frozen pork and pork products.
- Fully cooked pork products.
- Fresh/frozen poultry and poultry meat products.(Except as noted in Section B. 2)
- Fully cooked poultry meat and poultry meat products that are heat treated in compliance with the time/temperature requirements in the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) (currently 10.4.26) to inactivate the AI virus. (See Ineligible section below).
- Hog casings derived/produced from animals slaughtered on or after May 17, 2013.
-
All fresh/frozen poultry meat and poultry meat products derived birds originating from, slaughtered or processed in, or stored within the listed states and counties, are ineligible for export, unless heat treated in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) (currently 10.4.26) to destroy the AI virus - (see Eligible Products A.5 above)
- Alaska
- Matanuska-Susitna County on or after October 5, 2022 and before April 10, 2023.
- Arizona
- Coconino County between April 1, 2019 and November 10, 2019.
- Arkansas
- Madison County on or after October 7, 2022 and before December 31, 2022.
- California
- Del Norte County on or after October 4, 2022 and before November 26, 2022;
- Fresno County on or after August 22, 2022 and before February 18, 2023;
- Glenn County on or after December 22, 2022 and before June 1, 2023;
- Los Angeles County between May 17, 2018 and January 9, 2019;
- Merced County on or after February 6, 2023 and before April 10, 2023;
- Monterey County on or after October 4, 2022 and before November 30, 2022;
- Riverside County between May 24, 2015 and September 15, 2022;
- Sacramento County on or after August 30, 2022 and before November 23, 2022;
- San Bernardino County between May 24, 2018 and September 15, 2020;
- San Diego County on or after November 3, 2022 and before April 1, 2023;
- Stanislaus County
- on or after March 29, 2021 and on or before July 15, 2021; and
- on or after October 3, 2022 and before February 28, 2023;
- Tehama County on or after January 12, 2023 and before February 24, 2023;
- Tuolumne County on or after August 26, 2022 and before December 10, 2022; and
- Ventura County between August 15, 2018 and September 20, 2018.
- Colorado
- Boulder County on or after October 7, 2022 and before March 7, 2023;
- Jefferson County on or after October 20, 2022 and before March 16, 2023;
- LaPlata County on or after April 19, 2022 and before October 12, 2022;
- Montrose County on or after April 19, 2022 and before September 23, 2022;
- Pitkin County on or after April 8, 2022 and before October 3, 2022;
- Prowers County on or after December 9, 2022 and before May 11, 2023; and
- Weld County
- on or after April 29, 2022 and before December 7, 2022; and
- on or after December 16, 2022 and before April 11, 2023; and
- Yuma County on or after March 28, 2023 and before August 23, 2023.
- Delaware
- Kent County on or after March 17, 2022 and before May 26, 2022; and
- New Castle County on or after February 22, 2022 and before June 24, 2022.
- Florida
- Broward County on or after October 14, 2022 and before March 14, 2023;
- Hillsborough County on or after March 21, 2023 and before April 26, 2023;
- Indian River County on or after October 25, 2022 and before March 22, 2023;
- Miami-Dade County on or after February 28, 2023 and before March 29, 2023; and
- Seminole County on or after November 16, 2022 and before April 17, 2023.
- Idaho
- Ada County on or after May 10, 2022 and before November 19, 2022;
- Canyon County on or after May 9, 2022 and before November 19, 2022;
- Gooding County on or after April 14, 2022 and before March 23, 2023;
- Madison County on or after April 20, 2022 and before October 17, 2022.
- Illinois
- Grundy County on or after November 30, 2022 and before May 4, 2023; and
- Wayne County on or after February 24, 2023 and before April 22, 2023.
- Indiana
- Allen County on or after June 7, 2022 and before July 20, 2022;
- Daviess County on or after December 13, 2022 and before April 22, 2023;
- Dubois County on or after February 8, 2022 and before June 14, 2022;
- Elkhart County
- on or after April 8, 2022 and before June 18, 2022; and
- on or after September 1, 2022 and before February 26, 2023; and
- Greene County on or after February 23, 2022 and before May 31, 2022.
- Iowa
- Bremer County on or after April 21, 2022 and before August 3, 2022;
- Buena Vista County
- on or after March 6, 2022 and before June 23, 2022; and
- on or after December 5, 2022 and before May 22, 2023;
- Cherokee County
- on or after March 31, 2022 and before July 21, 2022; and
- on or after December 7, 2022 and before March 11, 2023;
- Franklin County on or after March 25, 2022 and before May 25, 2022;
- Guthrie County on or after March 28, 2022 and before June 24, 2022;
- Hamilton County on or after March 28, 2022 and before May 26, 2022;
- Hardin County on or after April 5, 2022 and before July 21, 2022.
- Humboldt County on or after April 2, 2022 and before May 29, 2022;
- Ida County on or after December 12, 2022 and before March 15, 2023;
- Osceola County on or after March 31, 2022 and before June 22, 2022;
- Sac County
- on or after April 2, 2022 and before June 20, 2022; and
- on or after December 7, 2022 and before April 7, 2023;
- Taylor County on or after March 10, 2022 and before June 3, 2022; and
- Wright County on or after October 31, 2022 and before January 29, 2023.
- Kansas
- Anderson County on or after January 4, 2023 and before March 17, 2023;
- Dickinson County on or after March 18, 2022 and before September 20, 2022;
- Franklin County on or after March 11, 2022 and before September 6, 2022;
- Johnson County on or after October 7, 2022 and before March 29, 2023;
- McPherson County on or after April 13, 2022 and before August 4, 2022;
- Mitchell County on or after January 17, 2023 and before March 23, 2023;
- Neosho County on or after October 7, 2022 and before March 4, 2023;
- Republic County on or after April 27, 2022 and before October 25, 2022; and
- Shawnee County on or after October 19, 2022 and before November 17, 2022;
- Kentucky
- Fayette County on or after October 6, 2022 and before November 5, 2022;
- Fulton County on or after February 12, 2022 and before May 8, 2022; and
- Webster County on or after February 15, 2022 and before May 14, 2022.
- Maine
- Cumberland County on or after March 22, 2022 and before September 18, 2022.
- Maryland
- Cecil County on or after March 4, 2022 and before August 16, 2022;
- Queen Anne’s County on or after March 8, 2022 and before June 5, 2022; and
- Washington County on or after November 29, 2022 and before January 17, 2023. *
- Michigan
-
Ingham County on or after September 13, 2022 and before March 17, 2023;
-
Lepeer County on or after October 7, 2022 and before July 6, 2023;
- Menominee County on or after April 13, 2022 and before October 11, 2022;
- Muskegon County on or after May 10, 2022 and before August 2, 2022;
- Tuscola County on or after October 3, 2022 and before March 30, 2023; and
- Wexford County on or after April 28, 2022 and before October 28, 2022.
-
- Minnesota
- Becker County
- on or after April 3, 2022 and before July 21, 2022; and
-
on or after September 9, 2022 and before November 28, 2022;
- Big Stone County on or after April 5, 2022 and before June 4, 2022;
- Blue Earth County on or after April 13, 2022 and before June 24, 2022;
-
Brown County on or after September 13, 2022 and before November 21, 2022;
-
Chisago County on or after May 11, 2022 and before November 5, 2022;
-
Crow Wing County on or after May 10, 2022 and before November 3, 2022;
- Dakota County on or after May 21, 2022 and before July 12, 2022;
- Dodge County
- on or after April 3, 2022 and before June 26, 2022; and
- on or after December 8, 2022 and before February 8, 2023;
- Kandiyohi County on or after March 29, 2022 and before August 26, 2022;
- Lac Qui Parle County on or after March 29, 2022 and before June 30, 2022;
- Le Sueur County
- on or after April 3, 2022 and before June 25, 2022; and
- on or after October 27, 2022 and before December 30, 2022;
- Lyon County on or after May 3, 2022 and before July 25, 2022;
- Meeker County
- on or after March 25, 2022 and before July 4, 2022; and
-
on or after August 30, 2022 and before November 28, 2022;
- Morrison County
- on or after March 31, 2022 and before August 8, 2022; and
- on or after September 7, 2022 and before November 27, 2022;
- Otter Tail County
- on or after April 8, 2022 and before August 7, 2022; and
-
on or after September 14, 2022 and before January 27, 2023;
- Renville County on or after April 8, 2022 and before July 5, 2022;
- Roseau County on or after September 21, 2022 and before February 17, 2023; *
- Stearns County
- on or after March 26, 2022 and before August 5, 2022; and
-
on or after September 13, 2022 and before December 30, 2022;
- Swift County
- on or after April 9, 2022 and before August 18, 2022; and
- on or after October 25, 2022 and before January 25, 2023;
- Todd County
- on or after April 20, 2022 and before July 16, 2022; and
- on or after November 23, 2022 and before February 6, 2023;
- Wadena County on or after December 12, 2022 and before February 10, 2023;
- Waseca County on or after April 5, 2022 and before July 1, 2022;
- Yellow Medicine County on or after April 12, 2022 and before July 23, 2022.
- Becker County
- Mississippi
-
Copiah County on or after February 17, 2023 and before March 21, 2023;
-
Lawrence County on or after November 4, 2022 and before January 4, 2023; and
-
Leake County on or after February 7, 2023 and before May 16, 2023.
-
- Missouri
- Dade County on or after April 6, 2022 and before June 16, 2022;
- Jasper County on or after March 8, 2022 and before June 29, 2022;
- Lawrence County
-
on or after March 9, 2022 and before July 21, 2022; and
- on or after November 4, 2022 and before January 6, 2023;
-
- Osage County on or after December 9, 2022 and before February 18, 2023;
- Stoddard County on or after March 4, 2022 and before July 19, 2022; and
- Webster County on or after November 22, 2022 and before April 22, 2023.
- Montana
- Cascade County on or after April 7, 2022 and before June 1, 2022;
- Glacier County on or after April 20, 2022 and before June 21, 2022; and
- Granite County on or after November 1, 2022 and before March 26, 2023; and
- Teton County on or after September 15, 2022 and before October 19, 2022.
- Nebraska
- Butler County on or after March 22, 2022 and before June 30, 2022;
- Dixon County
- on or after April 12, 2022 and before June 20, 2022; and
- on or after November 25, 2022 and before February 7, 2023;
- Knox County
- on or after April 27, 2022 and before July 5, 2022; and
- on or after December 14, 2022 and before May 28, 2023;
- Lincoln County on or after February 21, 2023 and before July 21, 2023; and
- York County on or after October 4, 2022 and before April 4, 2023.
-
Nevada
-
Nye County on or after October 17, 2022 and before August 11, 2023;
-
-
New Hampshire
-
Merrimack County on or after September 23, 2022 and before March 29, 2023.
-
-
New Jersey
-
Monmouth County on or after May 17, 2022 and before November 13, 2022; and
-
Union County on or after September 15, 2023. *
-
- New York
-
Columbia County on or after February 15, 2023 and before July 15, 2023;
-
King County
- on or after April 18, 2023 and before May 18, 2023; and
- on or after July 25, 2023 and before September 4, 2023; *
- Monroe County on or after March 29, 2022 and before September 28, 2022;
- Orleans County on or after April 5, 2022 and before October 4, 2022;
- Putnam County on or after April 12, 2023 and before September 18, 2023; *
- Queens County
- on or after November 12, 2022 and before December 13, 2022; and
- on or after March 22, 2023 and before May 5, 2023;
- Suffolk County on or after March 23, 2022 and before September 23, 2022; and
- Tompkins County on or after March 22, 2023 and before August 19, 2023.
-
- North Carolina
- Anson County between February 18, 2020, and September 18, 2020;
- Johnston County on or after March 29, 2022 and before July 24, 2022;
- Union County between February 18, 2020 and October 19, 2020; and
- Wayne County on or after April 2, 2022 and before August 9, 2022.
- North Dakota
- Barnes County on or after April 13, 2022 and before October 8, 2022;
- Bottineau County on or after November 3, 2022 and before April 3, 2023;
-
Dickey County
- on or after March 31, 2022 and before September 27, 2022; and
- on or after April 19, 2023 and before June 16, 2023;
-
Kidder County on or after March 29, 2022 and before October 4, 2022;
- LaMoure County on or after April 2, 2022 and before July 2, 2022;
- McHenry County on or after June 6, 2022 and before December 5, 2022;
- Ransom County on or after September 27, 2022 and before November 25, 2022;
- Richland County on or after April 21, 2022 and before October 23, 2022;
- Stutsman County on or after April 8, 2022 and before October 14, 2022; and
- Ward County on or after September 22, 2022 and before April 8, 2023.
- Ohio
- Butler County on or after November 7, 2022 and before April 11, 2023; and
- Defiance County on or after September 3, 2022 and before November 26, 2022. *
- Oklahoma
- Sequoyah County on or after April 30, 2022 and before June 8, 2022.
-
Oregon
-
Deschutes County on or after July 12, 2022 and before January 14, 2023;
-
Lane County on or after May 17, 2022 and before November 12, 2022; and
-
Yamhill County on or after November 3, 2022 and before March 31, 2023.
-
- Pennsylvania
- Adams County on or after October 11, 2022 and before February 1, 2023;
- Berks County on or after May 3, 2022 and before August 7, 2022;
- Bucks County on or after March 6, 2023 and before April 13, 2023;
- Chester County on or after February 24, 2023 and before July 27, 2023;
- Lancaster County
-
on or after April 15, 2022 and before September 25, 2022; and
- on or after February 1, 2023 and before August 29, 2023;
-
- Lehigh County on or after November 3, 2022 and before March 18, 2023;
- Northampton County on or after September 8, 2022 and before November 8, 2022;
- Northumberland County on or after March 3, 2023 and before May 18, 2023;
- Washington County on or after September 20, 2022 and before October 24, 2022; and
- York County on or after September 29, 2022 and before December 16, 2022.
- South Carolina
- Chesterfield County between March 17, 2020, and August 5, 2020.
- South Dakota
- Beadle County
- on or after March 22, 2022 and before June 17, 2022;
- on or after October 12, 2022, and before January 9, 2023; and
- on or after April 19, 2023 and before June 2, 2023.
- Bon Homme Country on or after March 29, 2022 and before May 27, 2022;
- Brule County
- on or after March 30, 2022 and before May 29, 2022; and
- on or after October 6, 2022 and before November 4, 2022;
- Charles Mix County
- on or after March 5, 2022 and before May 14, 2022; and
- on or after November 30, 2022 and before January 15, 2023;
- Clark County
- on or after March 27, 2022 and before June 22, 2022; and
- on or after September 20, 2022 and before November 22, 2022; and *
- on or after December 5, 2022 and before January 19, 2023;
-
Codington County
-
on or after May 19, 2022 and before November 16, 2022; and
-
and on or after January 5, 2023 and before June 8 2023;
-
- Day County on or after May 4, 2022 and before October 30, 2022;
- Deuel County on or after April 13, 2022 and before May 21, 2022;
- Edmunds County
-
on or after March 23, 2022 and before August 5, 2022; and
-
on or after November 21, 2022 and before December 23, 2022;
-
- Faulk County
- on or after April 5, 2022 and before May 29, 2022; and
- on or after November 23, 2022 and before January 6, 2023;
- Gregory County on or after October 11, 2022 and before April 4, 2023;
- Hamlin County on or after November 30, 2022 and before January 20, 2023;
- Hanson County
- on or after March 18, 2022 and before June 4, 2022; and
- on or after November 29, 2022 and before February 28, 2023;
- Hutchinson County on or after March 20, 2022 and before May 31, 2022;
- Jerauld County on or after March 24, 2022 and before May 3, 2022;
- Kingsbury County on or after March 18, 2022 and before May 17, 2022;
- Lake County
- on or after April 2, 2022 and before June 4, 2022; and
- on or after December 1, 2022 and before February 4, 2023;
- McPherson County
- on or after March 27, 2022 and before July 13, 2022; and
- on or after September 24, 2022 and before November 11, 2022;
- Moody County on or after December 14, 2022 and before February 9, 2023;
- Roberts County on or after October 19, 2022 and before December 21, 2022;
- Spink County
- on or after March 29, 2022 and before June 11, 2022; and
- on or after November 25, 2022 and before August 17, 2023;
- Yankton County on or after April 9, 2022 and before May 26, 2022.
- Beadle County
- Tennessee
- Bledsoe County on or after November 15, 2022 and before January 19, 2023;
- Obion County on or after September 15, 2022 and before October 17, 2022; and
- Weakley County on or after December 14, 2022 and before June 10, 2023.
- Texas
- Erath County on or after April 2, 2022 and before May 19, 2022; and
-
Lampasas County on or after January 18, 2023 and before February 18, 2023. *
- Utah
- Cache County on or after April 25, 2022 and before July 13, 2022;
- Iron County on or after November 28, 2022 and before April 22, 2023; and
- Sanpete County on or after July 14, 2022 and before January 20, 2023.
- Virginia
-
Alexandria City on or after February 23, 2023 and before March 25, 2023; and
-
Rockingham County on or after January 19, 2023 and before May 8, 2023.
-
- Washington
-
Franklin County on or after December 14, 2022 and before March 7, 2023;
-
King County on or after June 7, 2022 and before December 27, 2022;
- Pacific County on or after May 5, 2022 and before October 31, 2022; and
- Snohomish County on or after July 18, 2022 and before May 27, 2023.
-
- Wisconsin
- Barron County on or after April 12, 2022 and before July 26, 2022;
- Dunn County on or after September 29, 2022 and before December 2, 2022;
- Jefferson County
- on or after March 14, 2022 and before June 22, 2022; and
-
on or after November 7, 2022 and before April 19, 2023;
- Polk County on or after April 15, 2022 and before July 1, 2022;
- Racine County on or after April 7, 2022 and before December 30, 2022; and
- Washington County on or after September 2, 2022 and before February 27, 2023.
- Alaska
All FSIS export certificates accompanying the product must be signed by an FSIS veterinarian in blue ink. The veterinary degree (DVM or equivalent) must be indicated after the signature.
- Certification Requirements
- For fresh/frozen bone-in and boneless beef and beef tongues, kidneys, livers, hearts and tripe, obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness. The following statements must be provided on a FSIS Letterhead Certificate:
- The United States complies with the conditions stated in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code as a country with negligible BSE risk.
- The beef meat and meat products were subject to testing for chemical residues in accordance with the USA National Residue Program sampling plans.
- The product (beef, livers, tongues, hearts and kidneys) was inspected and passed and found fit for human consumption.
- The beef and beef products were produced under mandatory HACCP regulations and undergo microbiological testing as required by FSIS regulations and were found to be in full compliance.
- Fresh/frozen pork and pork products - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, with the following certification statements additionally provided on a FSIS Letterhead Certificate:
- The United States is free of classical swine fever and vaccination against the disease is prohibited.
- The pork and pork products were derived from animals that were subject to testing for chemical residues in accordance with the USA National Residue Program sampling plans.
- The pork and pork products were inspected and passed and found to be wholesome and fit for human consumption.
- The pork and pork products were produced under mandatory HACCP regulations and undergo microbiological testing as required by FSIS regulations and were found to be in full compliance.
- Fresh/frozen poultry - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5,with the following certification statements additionally provided on a FSIS Letterhead Certificate:
- The product was derived from birds originating from a zone free of exotic Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic notifiable avian influenza (HPNAI) for at least 21 days prior to slaughter, and from birds subjected to ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections for NAI with favorable results.
- The birds are the progeny of flocks participating in the National Poultry Improvement Plan which are routinely monitored and free from Salmonella pathogenic to poultry.
- The slaughter plant or establishment where the birds were processed was under official inspection and is authorized to export poultry meat.
- The product was inspected and passed and found fit for human consumption.
- The poultry meat was produced under mandatory HACCP regulations that require microbial testing and written procedures to prevent contamination of carcasses and parts by enteric pathogens and fecal contamination throughout the entire slaughter and dressing operation and was found to be in compliance.
- The poultry meat was produced in accordance with the U.S. National Residue Program
- Fully cooked poultry meat products - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, and include the following certification statement in the "Remarks" section:
" The fully cooked processed poultry product was produced in accordance with USDA regulatory requirements." - Fully cooked pork meat products - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, and include the following certification statement in the "Remarks" section:
" The fully cooked processed pork product was produced in accordance with USDA regulatory requirements." - For Hog Casing derived/produced from animals slaughtered before May 17, 2013 – Obtain the appropriate Casings Export Certificate (FSIS Form 9060-7 Animal Casings Export Certificate for Countries Requiring Ante-Mortem, Post Mortem and Fit For Human Food Statements or FSIS Form 9060-18 Animal Casings Export Certificate for Countries Requiring Ante-Mortem, Post Mortem, and Sound and Clean Statements) and add the following statement in the Remarks section.
"Hog casings are derived/produced from animals slaughtered before May 17, 2013."
- For fresh/frozen bone-in and boneless beef and beef tongues, kidneys, livers, hearts and tripe, obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness. The following statements must be provided on a FSIS Letterhead Certificate:
- For Beef, Poultry and Pork:
- The official certificate must declare the following: date, exporter (name and address), consignee (name and address), establishment (name and number), lot number or production code, number of packages, weight, kind of product (ex: beef cuts, ribs, beef liver), the official export stamp, and must be signed by an official FSIS veterinarian. The ink color of the official FSIS veterinarian’s signature, the export stamp on the FSIS Form 9060-5 certificate, and the export stamp on the letterhead certificate must be different from the ink color used to print the certificate. This ink color requirement does not apply to the ink color of the export stamp that is applied to the shipping containers/boxes. The certificates must be numbered; each export document page issued by FSIS must be signed and stamped with the official export stamp.
- Beef, pork, and poultry product (bulk and retail) labeling must be in compliance with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Economy Industry and Commerce regulations. Exporters are advised to work closely with Costa Rican importers to assure labeling meets these requirements. The labels for beef, pork, and poultry must be in Spanish as a bilingual label or as an added Spanish label. *
The Spanish label must be provided on the retail ready consumer packaging label or on an authorized sticker/label affixed either in the United States or affixed to the product by the importer during or after the nationalization process (but prior to commercialization) in warehouses or storage facilities inspected, surveyed, and controlled by sanitary authorities in Costa Rica. * - For Beef:
- For beef products, labels must be in Spanish. Bilingual labels are acceptable.
- In addition to U.S. labeling requirements, the following information must appear clearly on the outer-most box packaging label of raw intact, ground, marinated, or tenderized meat and viscera.
- Name of cut (ground meat is exempt from indicating the type of cut)
- Packing date
- Expiration date. In the case of mixtures of different types of batches of ground meat, the expiration date shall be indicated taking into account the date of the oldest batch.
- The ingredients list must state the amount of water added in percentage
- The percentage of fat for ground beef
- Lot number or production code. The codes must be legible, indelible and resistant to moisture.
- Country of origin
NOTE: The above information is not required for raw sausages.
- For Pork:
- For pork products, labels must be in Spanish. Bilingual labels are acceptable.
- In addition to U.S. labeling requirements, the following information must appear clearly on the outer-most box packaging label of raw intact, ground, marinated, or tenderized meat and viscera.
- Name of cut (ground meat is exempt from indicating the type of cut)
- Packing date
- Expiration date. In the case of mixtures of different types of batches of ground meat, the expiration date shall be indicated taking into account the date of the oldest batch.
- The ingredients list must state the amount of water added in percentage
- The percentage of fat for ground pork
- Lot number or production code. The codes must be legible, indelible and resistant to moisture.
- Country of origin
NOTE: The above information is not required for raw sausages or bacon.
-
For Poultry:
-
For Fresh/Frozen poultry, labels must be in Spanish. Bilingual labels are acceptable.
-
All packaging material must be new (i.e., unused) and must clearly indicate the following information
-
Lot number, packing date
-
Expiration date
-
Temperature recommended for storage, conservation and distribution;
-
Name and official number of the producing establishment.
-
- If the product is intended for the retail market in Costa Rica, then all labeling must be in compliance with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce regulations. US Exporters are advised to work closely with Costa Rican importers to assure all labeling meets these requirements. For additional information on labeling regulations see FAS’ Costa Rica’s Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Report: https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/costa-rica-fairs-country-report-2
-
- For Beef:
- Beef and beef products that are AMS graded and are labeled USDA Choice or USDA Prime, may include the USDA grade designation on the export certificate in the “Product as Labeled” section of FSIS Form 9060-5 with the relevant beef product.
- Frozen beef product must be packed and maintained at -18 degrees Centigrade during storage and inside shipping containers while in-transit to Costa Rica. Fresh beef products should be kept at 0 degrees Centigrade or below.
- For Pork:
- Frozen pork product must be packed and maintained at -18°C during storage and inside shipping containers while in-transit to Costa Rica. Fresh pork products should be kept at 0°C or below.
All Federally inspected establishments are eligible to export to Costa Rica.
Import Requirements
Last update Feb 28, 2022
Additional Import Information
The products identified in the table above are eligible for export from Costa Rica to the United States as determined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Equivalence Process.
Source materials used to produce product intended for export to the United States must originate from a certified establishment in an eligible country that has an equivalent raw or processed products inspection system.
The above are the Process Categories, Product Categories, and Product Groups as listed in the FSIS Product Categorization document and defined in the Public Health Information System (PHIS).
APHIS Animal Disease Requirements for Costa Rica:
The USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) restricts certain animal products from entering the United States because of animal disease conditions in the country of origin. Applicable APHIS animal disease requirements that may have an impact on Costa Rica’s eligibility to export product to the United States are listed below:
Beef imported from Costa Rica is subjected to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) requirements specified in 9 CFR 94.18 or 9 CFR 94.19.
For information or questions concerning a country’s animal disease status and restrictions please contact the APHIS Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal Product Import and Export at:
USDA-APHIS
Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal Product Import and Export (APIE)
4700 River Road, Unit 40
Riverdale, MD 20737
Phone: (301) 851-3300
E-mail: APIE@USDA.GOV
Link to Costa Rica’s Certified Establishment List:
A certified establishment is an establishment that the Central Competent Authority (CCA) of the foreign country has certified as meeting the requirements of the inspection system that FSIS has determined equivalent to the United States inspection system and, therefore, eligible to export meat, poultry, or egg products to the United States.