Export Requirements for Breaking Stock to Canada

Export Requirements for Breaking Stock to Canada
March 26, 2019

Ineligible Products

There may be active export restrictions in place for Shell Egg Export Shipments to Canada. Consult the Shell Egg Export Restrictions Dashboard prior to certifying any shipments.

Prerequisites

All Policy and General Procedures Requirements listed in General Export Certification must be met unless otherwise noted in this webpage.

Purpose

This instruction outlines specific requirements that must be met before certifying breaking stock for shipment to Canada.

General Procedures

Grade Requirements

Suppliers have the option of exporting shell eggs in any of the below listed categories.

  1. Shell Egg Categories
    1. U.S. Nest Run Grade 

      The product must be officially graded and meet the requirements of U.S. Nest Run shell eggs.  The eggs must be described as U.S. Nest Run on the Form LP-210S, Shell Egg Grading Certificate as well as on the product label.  It is optional for the packer to report the weight class for U.S. Nest Run Grade shell eggs.  See Exhibits for U.S. Nest Run.
       
    2. Ungraded Eggs

      The eggs must be described as "Ungraded Eggs" on the grading certificate as well as on the product label. The USDA “Officially Certified as Stated on the Certificate” Stamp should be used to identify Pallets of Ungraded Eggs and be documented on the LP-210S. Do not use the USDA “Graded for Export” Stamp. See Exhibits for Ungraded Eggs.  Ungraded eggs may be subject to destination inspection by CFIA at the port of entry.  Shipments showing evidence of excessive dirty eggs, leakers, or evidence of insects, mold, or rodents may be refused entry.  Specifically, loads may be refused when they are found to contain more than 8-percent dirties, exceeding 1/3 of the shell surface, 3-percent leakers, or evidence of mold.

      At the time of shipment, the USDA grader will first perform an initial inspection by walking around the entire load to identify any obvious defects for removal (mold, leakers, evidence of insects, or damaged packing/packaging materials).  Secondly, the USDA grader must visually inspect one sample (100-eggs per sample) for every two pallets being shipped, a maximum of ten samples of product, to certify that the packing and packaging material is clean and that the eggs do not exceed 8-percent dirties, exceeding 1/3 of the shell surface, or 3-percent leakers.  When there is an odd number of pallets presented for examination, the number of samples will be rounded up to a whole number. The results of the packing and packaging condition and product sample examination results must be recorded on the Form LP-211, Poultry Products Grading Memorandum and shall be attached to the USDA grader’s copy of the certificate.  Product percentages are not required on Form LP-210S.

      CFIA will notify the importer if a load has been refused entry and request that they correct the identified non-conformance before the next shipment.  When shipment is refused entry, CFIA will intensify inspection of eggs originating from an identified exporter/egg packer and examine the next five subsequent shipments.  If any of these shipments are refused, CFIA will discontinue accepting ungraded eggs from the identified and will notify USDA of this action.

      Thereafter, subsequent shipments will only be accepted if the eggs are certified and identified as meeting either the requirements of U.S. Nest Run shell eggs or Canada Grade C.  If the exporter wishes to resume exporting ungraded eggs to Canada, the exporting company must submit a petition for review to the USDA National Supervisor, Shell Eggs, for forwarding to CFIA.
       
    3. Canada C

      CFIA has established a further processing grade of shell eggs (Canada C).  The eggs must originate from a plant utilizing continuous voluntary resident or temporary grading service.  The product must be officially graded and meet the requirements of Canada C as follows:
      1. Eggs must be washed and segregated to remove obvious loss.
      2. Eggs must meet the origin tolerances for leakers and loss stated in the U.S. Consumer Grade Standard.  No tolerance is allowed for adhering dirt.
      3. Eggs may have stains of any intensity provided the aggregate area does not exceed one-third of the shell surface.
      4. Eggs may have cracked shells with no maximum limit established.
      5. See Exhibits for Canada Grade C.

Please Note:  Canada C eggs must be described as "Grade C" on the product label.

Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs during Production, Storage, and Transport

  1. Environmental testing for Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) of egg processing facilities is not required for eggs exported specifically to egg breaking facilities for further processing in Canada.
     
  2. Each producer/packer requesting certification of shell eggs destined for Canada must provide a Certificate of Conformance (CoC) on company letterhead to accompany each shipment of eggs packaged for the ultimate consumer. The CoC signed by the producer (source flock owner) must declare:

“The eggs covered by the attached USDA certificate did not originate from a flock in a layer house with an environment testing positive for the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) or from eggs testing positive for SE.”

Packaging/Packing

When polyethylene film overwrap is utilized to secure eggs on pallets, the overwrap must be applied in a manner to allow air circulation to reduce the possibility for development of unsatisfactory storage conditions (i.e. mold, mildew, excess condensation, etc.) which may impact the quality of the eggs. Pallets completely over wrapped with film will not be certified.

Labeling

  1. Product labeling, with all required information, must be clear, legible, and readily visible.  
  2. The lettering must be at least 1/2 inch in height and the name and address of exporter not less than 1/4 inch in height. 
  3. All markings must be bilingual, in French and English and may be printed, stenciled, or stamped.
  4. Stenciled markings are not to be applied over printed graphics such as the name and address of a packer/distributor, advertising material, etc. 
  5. Product labeling must appear in a central location on the end of every case.  If there is insufficient space in the end panel to place all the necessary information, place the English version on the end panel and the French translation on an adjacent right side panel.  However, when eggs are loose packed on pallets or racks, labeling information must be attached on at least two sides of the top layer of the pallet or rack.
  6. Canada C eggs must be described as "Grade C" on the product label.
  7. All graded product is to be identified with the “USDA Graded for Export” stamp and certificate number. Product shipped as ungraded eggs must be stamped on each pallet with the USDA "Officially Certified as Stated on the Certificate" Stamp, including the certificate number.

Certification

  1. Online Sampling: When the product is determined to be eligible based upon online sampling, the Form LP-210S, without quality percentages, may be issued. Under the section entitled "Official Grade and Size," insert the words "See Remarks."  Enter the following statement in the “Remarks” section of the grading certificate:

    "Product represented on this certificate is equivalent to Canada C requirements as determined by online sampling on (date product was packed)."

    All grading data information shall be recorded on Forms LP-75 or LP-75A, Shell Egg Online Candling Record and attached to the USDA grader’s copy of the issued certificate.
     
  2. Stationary Lot Grading: When the product is determined to be eligible based upon stationary lot grading, the Form LP-210S, with quality percentages, may be issued.  Under the section entitled "Official Grade and Size," insert the words "See Remarks."  Enter the following statement in the “Remarks” section of the grading certificate:

    "Product represented on this certificate is equivalent to Canada C requirements as determined by stationary lot grading on (date product was packed)."

    All grading data and product identity information shall be recorded on Form LP- 211 and shall be attached to the USDA grader’s copy of the issued certificate.
     
  3. Specialty Egg Claims: Before breaking stock eggs destined for Canada can be labeled "organic", a certifying agent accredited by USDA must approve the production and processing operations according to the USDA National Organic Program standards. Plant management must provide the grader a copy of the producer's and packer’s organic certificate issued by the accredited certifying agent. When management requests certification of loose-packed organic eggs, an additional statement is to be recorded in the remarks section of the grading certificate. 

    “Product meets the requirements for labeling shell eggs as organic in accordance  with Canadian standards. The eggs are labeled, For Export Only.

    If management requests certification of loose-packed eggs originating from cage-free layers, record the following statement in the remarks section of the grading certificate.

    “Eggs originated from a cage-free layer flock.”

    Similarly, when loose-packed specialty eggs (such as eggs with enhanced levels of Omega-3 fatty acids or vitamins) are identified, this type of declaration may be declared, upon verification, in the remarks section of the certificate. Plant management will be responsible for providing the Canadian officials, upon request, laboratory analysis to support nutritional marketing claims listed in the remarks section of the grading certificate. 

    “Each individual egg contains 300 mg. of Omega-3 fatty acids.” “Good source of Vitamin D.”
     
  4. CFIA does not recognize the terminology "Fresh."  Do not include this terminology as part of the egg description on the Form LP-210S.
     
  5. The egg description on the Form LP-210S must agree with the label on the product.

When completing the certificate (Form LP-210S) the following information must be included:

  • The statement “Product of the USA.”
  • All certified eggs must be expressed as a 15-dozen case equivalent.  Insert the words "See Remarks" in the "Total Cases" space of the grading certificate.  Under "Remarks", record the total number of cases or pallets and the equivalent in 15-dozen cases.
  • Company seal number.
  • If product is U.S. Nest Run, statement “Cases labeled U.S. Nest Run”.
  • If product is Ungraded:
    • Statement “Product not officially graded”.
    • Statement “Eggs shipped in containers labeled Ungraded eggs” or “Egg shipped on palletized filler flats labeled Ungraded eggs”.
  • If product is Grade C:
    • Statement “Product represented on this certificate is equivalent to Canada C requirements determined by online or stationary lot sampling on (MM/DD/YYYY)”.
    • Statement “Grade C – for Export Only”.
  • Disease Free Statement(s): 

    The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) requires a statement attesting that the eggs did not originate from a source flock currently under a control zone for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or Virulent Newcastle Disease (vND). 


For shell eggs derived from flocks located in states with no control zones listed on the AMS Shell Egg Export Restrictions page, AMS graders will add the following statement to the remarks section of the LP-210S certificate: 
 

  • "I, the undersigned, salaried inspector of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), after due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge, do hereby certify that the poultry or bird products/by-products within this certificate are exported from the United States, and did not originate in a current CFIA recognized quarantine control zone established due to the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or Newcastle disease (ND), as these diseases are defined by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).”

For shell eggs derived from flocks located in states with HPAI or vND control zones listed on the AMS Shell Egg Export Restrictions page, management must obtain VS Form 16-4 from APHIS with the following remarks: 

  • “I, the undersigned, salaried veterinarian of the USDA , after due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge, do hereby certify that the poultry or bird products/by-products within the certificate number (insert number here) are exported from the United States, and did not originate in a current CFIA recognized quarantine control zone established due to the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or Newcastle disease (ND), as these diseases are defined by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)”

If a VS Form 16-4 is required, it is the exporter’s responsibility to forward the Shell Egg Grading Certificate, Form LP-210S to the applicable APHIS Service Center as part of the request for certification. View the relevant VS Service Center. Both the VS Form 16-4 and Form LP-210S (original with signature in blue ink) must be presented to CFIA authorities at the point of entry to Canada.

CFIA Contact Information:

Alia Blais
National Manager, Food Imports 
Canadian Food Inspection Agency / Government of Canada
alia.blais@inspection.gc.ca / Tel: 613-617-8480

Sample LS 210S Form for Ungraded Eggs

Sample LS 210S Form for Canada C eggs

Sample LS 210S Form for Nest Run Eggs