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South Africa

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Export - 3/18/2025, SF-222

Export Requirements

Last update Mar 18, 2025

Ineligible Products

  1. Egg products are not eligible for export to South Africa at this time.

  1. Fresh/chilled and frozen poultry meat derived from poultry hatched and raised in the United States and slaughtered on or after November 18, 2015, except products listed under Ineligible below.
  2. Fresh/chilled and frozen turkey meat derived from Canadian origin turkeys IMPORTED on or after January 19, 2018 which meet the requirements as described in the Letterhead Certificate for Export of Poultry Products to South Africa.
  3. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has set up a voluntary Poultry Export Verification (EV) Program for South Africa to verify that poultry meat and poultry meat products were sourced from birds, other than commercially raised chickens, ducks and geese, which were hatched and raised in the United States. Exporting establishments that slaughter and process birds other than those listed in the exemptions below must participate in the Poultry EV Program in order to export poultry meat and poultry meat products to South Africa.
    1. Exemptions from the Poultry EV Program:
      1. Establishments producing commercially raised chickens, ducks, and geese: Certification that commercially raised chickens, ducks, and geese are hatched and raised in the United States can be made based upon assurances provided by the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS).
      2. Establishments producing commercially raised turkeys meeting the requirements of #2 above.  For turkey producers not previously enrolled in the EV Program who intend to export turkey to South Africa, participation in the EV Program is not required, but is strongly recommended in the event of a future HPAI outbreak in Canada.  For this same reason, companies that are already enrolled and participating in the EV Program are encouraged to remain in the program.
    2. Information about the Poultry EV Program and a list of Poultry EV approved establishments and their approval dates can be found at the AMS website. Each establishment that participates in the Poultry EV Program for South Africa is required to maintain a unique product identification system, which can be accessed by authorized FSIS inspection personnel from the SharePoint site.
  4. Raw frozen pork meat.
  5. Beef and beef products derived from cattle slaughtered after June 24, 2015.
  6. Poultry offal products, if certified fit for human consumption: giblet packs (gizzard, heart, and liver) and necks; and chicken feet (must be cleaned, scaled, and bear the mark of inspection)

  1. Fresh/chilled and frozen poultry and poultry products derived from birds originating from the following zones are ineligible due to virulent Newcastle disease (vND)
    1. Arizona:
      1. From the 10km radius ineligible zones on the attached map in Coconino County slaughtered on or after April 1, 2019 and before December 1, 2019
    2. California:
      1. From the 10km radius ineligible zones on the attached map
        1. in Los Angeles County slaughtered
          • between July 18, 2018 and January 9, 2019;
          • between August 1, 2018 and January 9, 2019,
        2. in San Bernardino County slaughtered
          • between May 24, 2018 and February 24, 2020;
          • between May 26, 2018 and February 24, 2020;
          • between June 20, 2018 and February 24, 2020;
          • between August 8, 2018 and February 24, 2020,
        3. in Riverside County slaughtered
          • between June 30, 2018 and February 24, 2020;
          • between November 20, 2018 and February 24, 2020;
          • between January 7, 2019 and February 24, 2020;
          • between January 9, 2019 and February 24, 2020,
          • between February 1, 2019 and February 24, 2020;
          • between March 20, 2019 and February 24, 2020;
          • between September 9, 2019 and February 24, 2020
      2. From the 10km radius ineligible zones on the attached map in San Diego County slaughtered on or after August 31, 2019 and before March 16, 2020 (reference map for relevant zone).
      3. From the 10km radius ineligible zones on the attached map in Alameda County slaughtered on or after March 13, 2019 and before December 3, 2019.
    3. Utah:
      1. From the 10km radius ineligible zones on the attached map in Utah County slaughtered on or after January 17, 2019 and before August 18, 2019.
  2. Fresh/chilled and frozen Poultry and poultry products derived from birds originating from the following zones are ineligible due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)  

    For state (and U.S. Territory) restrictions: Poultry and poultry products derived from birds originating from the below states (or U.S. Territory), slaughtered / processed on or after the indicated date, are ineligible. Poultry and poultry products derived from birds originating from the state (or U.S. Territory) before the indicated date are eligible.  Product produced and sealed with a commercial seal in other unaffected states (or U.S. Territory) may transit through and/or be shipped from the restricted state (or U.S. Territory) if the commercial seal remains intact.

    *Note: If the commercial seal is broken while product is passing through a restricted state (or U.S. Territory) or if eligible product is further processed in the below states (or U.S. Territory) after the indicated date, the product is ineligible. 
    1. Alabama: slaughtered on or after October 11, 2023. 
    2. Alaska: slaughtered on or after September 12, 2022 and before June 11, 2023.
    3. Arizona: slaughtered on or after October 27, 2024.
    4. Arkansas: slaughtered between September 23, 2022 and March 3, 2023, and on or after October 16, 2023.
    5. California: slaughtered between August 5, 2022 and August 2, 2023, and on or after October 9,2023. 
    6. Colorado: slaughtered between March 20, 2022 and October 24, 2023, and on or after November 9, 2023.
    7. Delaware: slaughtered between February 7, 2022 and August 25, 2022, and on or after December 19, 2024
    8. Florida: slaughtered between September 25, 2022 and June 27, 2023, and on or after January 14, 2024.
    9. Georgia: slaughtered on or after November 14, 2023.
    10. Idaho: slaughtered between March 19, 2022 and May 24, 2023, and on or after November 22, 2023.
    11. Illinois: slaughtered between November 12, 2022 and July 5, 2023, and on or after November 27, 2024.
    12. Indiana: slaughtered between January 25, 2022 and June 19, 2023, and on or after January 9, 2024.
    13. Iowa: slaughtered between February 21, 2022 and July 23, 2023 and on or after October 5, 2023.
    14. Kansas: slaughtered between March 1, 2022 and May 30, 2023, and on or after November 24, 2023.
    15. Kentucky: slaughtered on or after January 25, 2022 and before January 12, 2023.
    16. Maine: slaughtered on or after March 6, 2022 and before November 19, 2022.
    17. Maryland: slaughtered between February 18, 2022 and March 20, 2023, and on or after November 5, 2023. 
    18. Massachusetts: slaughtered on or after February 16, 2024.
    19. Michigan: slaughtered between March 26, 2022 and September 6, 2023, and on or after November 7, 2023.
    20. Minnesota: slaughtered on or after March 13, 2022.
    21. Mississippi: slaughtered between October 20, 2022 and July 17, 2023, and on or after December 4, 2024.
    22. Missouri: slaughtered between February 16, 2022 and June 23, 2023, and on or after October 18, 2023.
    23. Montana: slaughtered on or after March 23, 2022.
    24. Nebraska: slaughtered between March 7, 2022 and September 21, 2023, and on or after January 20, 2024.
    25. Nevada: slaughtered on or after September 20, 2022.
    26. New Hampshire: slaughtered on or after September 5, 2022 and before May 30, 2023.
    27. New Jersey: slaughtered on or after April 30, 2022.
    28. New Mexico: slaughtered on or after March 26, 2024.
    29. New York: slaughtered between March 8, 2022 and November 19, 2023, and on or after November 25, 2023.
    30. North Carolina: slaughtered between March 13, 2022 and October 10, 2022, and on or after January 25, 2024.
    31. North Dakota: slaughtered between March 14, 2022 and August 17, 2023, and on or after October 29, 2023.
    32. Ohio: slaughtered between August 16, 2022 and June 12, 2023, and on or after November 3, 2023. 
    33. Oklahoma: slaughtered between April 15, 2022 and August 9, 2022, and on or after November 15, 2024.
    34. Oregon: slaughtered on or after May 1, 2022.
    35. Pennsylvania: slaughtered between March 30, 2022 and October 30, 2023, and on or after December 4, 2023.
    36. Puerto Rico: slaughtered on or after December 5, 2024.
    37. South Carolina: slaughtered on or after December 12, 2024.
    38. South Dakota: slaughtered on or after February 18, 2022.
    39. Tennessee: slaughtered between August 29, 2022 and August 11, 2023, and on or after November 10, 2024.
    40. Texas: slaughtered between March 5, 2022 and April 21, 2023, and on or after March 18, 2024.
    41. Utah: slaughtered on or after April 7, 2022.
    42. Virginia: slaughtered between January 2, 2023 and July 9, 2023, and on or after January 1, 2025.*
    43. Washington: slaughtered between April 14, 2022 and July 28, 2023, on or after October 5, 2023.
    44. West Virginia: slaughtered on or after November 25, 2024.
    45. Wisconsin: slaughtered between February 28, 2022 and June 20, 2023, and on or after November 6, 2023.

All FSIS export certificates accompanying the product must be signed by a FSIS veterinarian. The veterinary degree (DVM or equivalent) must be indicated after the signature.

NOTE:  Exporters be warned that South African regulatory authorities will not accept certificates endorsed by the veterinarian after the consignment has shipped and do so at their own risk.  U.S. exporters should ensure that the products do not ship until after the certificate is signed by the veterinarian.  In addition, review FSIS Regulation 9 CFR 322.4.

Note: The Exporter/Shipper section at the bottom of the FSIS Letterhead Certificates for poultry meat, pork and beef indicated must be completed regardless of the method of shipment.

  1. Poultry meat and Fresh/chilled and frozen turkey meat derived from Canadian origin turkeys.
    1. Obtain FSIS 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Certificate of Wholesomeness, and the FSIS Letterhead Certificate for the Export of Poultry Meat (excluding trimmings, mince, mechanically recovered poultry meat and other anatomically unrecognizable cuts) to South Africa.
    2. FSIS Safe Handling Instructions for poultry as laid out in 9 CFR 381.125(b) must be followed and applied to product exported to South Africa. Use of FSIS Safe Handling stickers is accepted by South Africa.
    3. The following statement must be included and the pack date(s) added to the ‘Remarks’ section of FSIS Form 9060-5: "The range of "Pack Dates", which refers to the production or slaughter dates, included in this consignment is: (List product pack/slaughter dates)."
  2. Pork Products: Obtain FSIS 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Certificate of Wholesomeness, and the appropriate letterhead. 
    1. For all pork cuts exported from the United States of America for Processing at Approved Facilities, obtain FSIS Letterhead Certificate for Raw Frozen Pork Meat (Including Trimmings and Mechanically Recovered Meat, Excluding Offal).
    2. For pork cuts on the indicated list of pork products exempt from further processing on arrival in South Africa, obtain FSIS Letterhead Certificate for Raw Frozen Pork Meat (Specified Cuts, Excluding Offal) Exported from the United States of America to South Africa for Unrestricted Sale. Prior to issuance of this certificate, FSIS Inspection Program Personnel must be provided with documentation verifying that lymph nodes have been removed from the product. This documentation can be provided in the form of plant Quality Assurance/Quality Control checks, manufacturer certification or company attestation, or other acceptable written documentation.
      Note to Exporter: For pork shoulder cuts listed in Annex A in the list of pork products exempt from further processing (above), the shipper/exporter should ensure that lymph nodes and excessive connective tissues are removed during the fabrication process. The removal of lymph nodes and excessive connective tissues should have minimal impact on the appearance of the cuts.
  3. Beef: Obtain FSIS 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Certificate of Wholesomeness, and the FSIS Letterhead Certificate for Importation of Beef and Beef Products from the United States to South Africa.
  4. Special Permit/License
    1. Each consignment must be accompanied by an import permit issued by the Director, Veterinary Services, Republic of South Africa. The importer is responsible for obtaining the import permit.
    2. Samples - A special permit may be issued by RSA veterinary authorities for samples. Importers must arrange in advance for a veterinary permit which may differ from permits issued for commercial purposes but exporters are advised to make sure requirements are followed. A veterinary certificate may still be required. Contact in RSA is Dr. M. Bronkhorst 012 319 7444, e-mail mariettad@nda.agric.za.

Export certification of inedible products, other than technical animal fat (9 CFR 351) and certified pet food (9 CFR 355), is no longer provided by FSIS. Exporters should contact APHIS field offices to obtain information about certification of inedible products. A list of APHIS offices is available at APHIS' Web site.

  1. Packaging:
    1. Bone-in frozen red meat carcasses or quarters should be wrapped in such a way that the meat is totally covered. All other meat should be packed in cartons.
    2. The packaging material used must be hygienic, must not alter the organoleptic characteristics of the meat, and must be strong enough to protect the meat during handling, transportation, and storage.
    3. Only meat derived from the same animal species can be packed in an individual carton. Cartons must be safely secured in a manner such that the product does not become loose or fall off the pallet.
    4. Packaging material can be reused provided it is made of non-toxic, corrosion-resistant materials that can be cleaned and sterilized.
    5. Waxed cartons are acceptable.
  2. Shipping: The Department of Agriculture of the RSA prohibits the importation of meat in breakbulk format; only cartoned meat in sealed, self-cooling containers will be accepted into the Republic of South Africa.

  1. Any federally inspected U.S. meat and poultry establishments interested in exporting to South Africa must submit FSIS Form 9080-3 through PHIS. IPP will not accept paper forms for review on or after June 29, 2018. Establishments that are not using PHIS must submit a fully completed (not including FSIS signatures) 9080-3 Form to the FSIS Proxy for entry into PHIS. Information on sending completed 9080-3 Forms to the FSIS Proxy is available on the FSIS Export Library - Requirements by Country page or by clicking here.
  2. Red meat and poultry slaughter and cut-up plants which desire to apply for approval to export to the Republic of South Africa (RSA) must comply with the RSA requirements. These plants are recommended by FSIS for approval by the Director, Veterinary Services, RSA to export meat and poultry products to RSA.
  3. Approval for export to South Africa:
    1. After reviewing the FSIS Form 9080-3 in PHIS, FSIS will certify these establishments to South African Officials. Product should not be shipped until confirmation of certification is received from South Africa through FSIS. Upon FSIS receipt of notification from the South African officials of their approval, these establishments will be added to the current FSIS Eligible Plants List for the Republic of South Africa. This list is available through the Export Library.
    2. All approved plants will be subject to review by a representative of the RSA, at their discretion.
  4. Issuance of an updated Grant of Inspection does not automatically change the establishment information on the South Africa approved plant list. When an updated Grant is issued that indicates an administrative change (name, dba, address, type of operation, or species changes), the establishment must submit a 9080-3 through PHIS. IPP will not accept paper forms for review on or after June 29, 2018. Establishments that are not using PHIS must submit a fully completed (not including FSIS signatures) 9080-3 Form to the FSIS Proxy for entry into PHIS.
    NOTE: When completing FSIS Form 9080-3 in PHIS, the information submitted on the form is what will be sent to South Africa.  For example, if the establishment is currently eligible to ship poultry, and now wishes to export both pork and poultry, they should check both poultry and pork. If only pork is checked, the update will remove eligibility for chicken.
  5. The RSA list for approved meat and poultry slaughter and cut-up establishments is updated periodically and is available through the Export Requirements Library. 
  6. The RSA does not require approval of processing plants or cold storage facilities. However, raw materials for processing and cold storage must originate from meat and poultry slaughter establishments that are approved to export to South Africa.

    Requirements for Exporting Processed Egg Products
Last Updated: Mar 18, 2025