The purpose of this document is to state the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s or the Agency’s) intent to exercise enforcement discretion regarding application of the regulation on foreign supplier verification programs (FSVPs) to importers of live animals that are required to be slaughtered and processed at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-regulated establishments subject to USDA-administered hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) requirements (or at state-inspected establishments subject to requirements equivalent to the federal standards).

We are issuing this guidance consistent with our good guidance practices (GGP) regulation (21 CFR 10.115). This guidance is immediately effective because FDA has determined that prior public participation is not feasible or appropriate (21 CFR 10.115(g)(2)).

FDA’s guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities. Instead, guidances describe the Agency’s current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited. The use of the word should in Agency guidances means that something is suggested or recommended, but not required.

This guidance provides information to facilitate understanding of the applicability of the FSVP requirements to the importation of live animals. The pronouns “I,” “me,” and “you” are used in this guidance to refer to the importer. “Agency” and the pronouns “we” and “our” are used to refer to FDA.

This guidance represents the current thinking of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) on this topic. It does not establish any rights for any person and is not binding on FDA or the public. You can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations. To discuss an alternative approach, contact the Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine as listed on the title page.

Download the Guidance

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Related Information

• FSMA Rule on FSVP for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals