Import Regulations

Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI)

All livestock must be accompanied by one copy of the CVI from the state of origin, which must be attached to the waybill or shall be in the possession of the driver of the vehicle or person in charge of the shipment. A copy of the CVI shall be forwarded immediately to the Animal Health Official of the state of origin for approval and transmittal.

The CVI shall:

• Be on official forms of the state of origin.
• State that the animals are free of visible signs of contagious, infectious, or communicable disease.
• Describe the animals by species, breed, sex and age, and individually identify where required.
• Record all data for required tests and vaccinations, including date, results, and the name and address of the laboratory.
• Have complete name and address of the consignor and consignee.
• Contain a permit number where required.
• Designate intended purpose for which the animals are to be used:
  • Dairy or breeding.
  • Feeding.
  • Immediate slaughter.
  • Other (i.e. exhibitions)
• Any addendums or attachments to a CVI shall comply with the CVI Addendum Policy.

A CVI is not required for the following conditions:

• Animals shipped for immediate slaughter to federally inspected slaughtering establishments.
• Cattle shipped from a farm of origin in an adjacent state directly to a livestock market approved under Title 9, Part 76 and Part 78 of the code of federal regulations.
• Swine shipped from a farm of origin directly to a livestock market approved under Title 9, Part 76 and Part 78 of the code of federal regulations.
• Horses brought into the state for trail rides and exhibitions.
• Livestock entering the State consigned to the above described markets and slaughtering establishments, shall be accompanied by a waybill or similar document delivered to the consignee at destination and listing the following:
  • Name and address of the consignor or agent.
  • Purpose of the movement.
  • Number of animals in the shipment.
  • Point of origin.
  • Name and address of the owner or shipper.

Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) Statement

The following statement is required on equine, cattle, swine, sheep, goat, and camelid health certificates for entrance into MN from New Mexico:

“All animals identified on this health certificate have been examined and found to be free from Vesicular Stomatitis. During the past 30 days, these animals have neither been exposed to nor located within 10 miles of an area where Vesicular Stomatitis has been diagnosed.”

All camelids require a certificate of veterinary inspection

VS Statement required on CVI for all livestock from New Mexico.

General Requirements for Import of Cattle and Bison

Cattle and bison imported into Minnesota must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), be officially identified, and have an import permit. The following are the exceptions:

• Female cattle of beef breeds under 18 months of age for feeding require only a CVI.
• Steers and spayed heifers require only a CVI.
• Bulls under 10 months for feeding require only a CVI.
• Cattle going directly to a federally inspected slaughter plant do not require a CVI, official identification or an import permit.
• Cattle which are moving directly from a farm in an adjacent state to a federally approved market in Minnesota do not require a CVI, official identification or an import permit.

The Certificate of Veterinary Inspection must list the individual identification number of each animal in the consignment, along with the information listed above. Click here for a complete list of approved official identification.

To request an import permit for cattle entering Minnesota, please call the Minnesota Board of Animal Health mainline at 651-296-2942.

Information that will be collected and required in order to obtain a free import permit include:

• Name, address and telephone number for the veterinarian issuing the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI);
• The CVI number;
• Name, address and telephone number for the origin of the cattle; and
• Name, address and telephone number for the destination of the cattle (destination refers to the physical location the cattle will be residing at and not a business or home address).
• The Board will also require information on the type of official identification that has been used on the cattle.

Exhibition Requirements

All cattle of all ages and classes entering Minnesota for exhibition purposes require a CVI, official ID, and an import permit.

Additional Requirements

• Cattle imported for use in rodeos or timed events (i.e. calf roping, steer wrestling) must be negative to a tuberculosis test conducted within 6 months of import.
• Cattle originating from Mexico must be negative to two tuberculosis tests, the second test conducted within 60 days of import. All Mexico origin cattle require an import permit.
• Cattle originating from parts of Michigan, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho must meet additional import requirements. Call the Board of Animal Health for more information.
• VS Statement required on CVI for all livestock from New Mexico.

All imported cervidae require:

1. “M” import permit issued by the Board
2. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection
3. Official ear tag identification.

Import requirements are subject to change. Contact our office at 651-201-6804 to verify current import requirements and obtain an import permit.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) requirements:

All cervidae imported must originate from a herd that has demonstrated at least three years of successful CWD surveillance monitored by a state, federal, or provincial entity.

No importation is allowed from CWD infected or exposed herds or from the following known CWD endemic areas:

• Canada: must have approval from Board veterinarian
• Colorado: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Cheyenne, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, Elbert, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Jefferson, Kit Carson, Larimer, Logan, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Park, Phillips, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Miguel, Sedgwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma
• Idaho: Caribou
• Illinois: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, Dupage, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, La Salle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Winnebago Woodford
• Iowa: Dubuque, Jackson
• Kansas: Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove, Graham, Greeley, Logan, Norton, Rawlins, Rooks, Scott, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Wichita
• Maryland: Allegany, Garrett, Washington
• Missouri: Adair, Chariton, Knox, Linn, Macon, Monroe, Randolph, Shelby, Sullivan
• Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Powder River
• Nebraska: Adams, Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Chase, Cheyenne, Clay, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Howard, Kearney, Keith, Knox, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Loupe, McPherson, Merrick, Morrill, Perkins, Red Willow, Rock, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Wheeler
• New Mexico: Dona Ana, Otero, Sierra
• North Dakota: Adams, Grant, Sioux
• Pennsylvania: Bedford, Fulton, Somerset
• South Dakota: Butte, Corson, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Pennington, Shannon
• Texas: El Paso
• Utah: Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, San Juan, Sanpete, Summit, Uintah, Utah
• Virginia: Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah
• West Virginia: Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, Pendleton
• Wisconsin: Adams, Barron, Burnett, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Lafayette, Marquette, Polk, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Waukesha
• Wyoming: All counties are restricted

Tuberculosis (TB) requirements:

All cervidae imported must originate from a TB accredited herd or meet the following requirements:

1. Originate from a herd that is negative to a whole herd TB test within 365 days prior to the date of movement and,
2. Animals that are 2 months of age and older must test negative for TB within 90 days prior to the date of movement.

No importation is allowed from TB infected or exposed herds.

Brucellosis (BR) requirements:

All cervidae imported, that are six months of age or older, must originate from a BR certified herd or be negative to a BR test within 30 days prior to movement.

No importation is allowed from BR infected or exposed herds.

Certificate of veterinary inspection:

The certificate should show that all dogs and cats 3 months of age and over have been vaccinated or re-vaccinated for rabies with a licensed vaccine, approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, within the time limit recommended by the manufacturer. It should also include the name of the vaccine, serial number, and the date of vaccination.

All dogs and cats require a certificate of veterinary inspection with the following exceptions:

• Performing dogs and cats in professional animal acts.
• Dogs and cats for exhibition (However, all dogs over 6 months of age must be accompanied by a certificate of rabies vaccination issued by a licensed veterinarian).
• Dogs and cats used for research at educational or scientific institutions.
• Dogs or cats coming to a veterinary clinic for diagnosis, surgery or treatment.

Modified live vaccines for companion animals:

Live or modified live vaccines for companion animals may be imported only by the following:

• veterinarians licensed to practice in Minnesota,
• persons that have a written prescription issued by a veterinarian with whom they have an established veterinarian/client/patient relationship, or
• pharmacists, companies, corporations engaged in the retail sale of such products, who may only sell them to veterinarians.

State law prohibits the ownership of primates, bears, and exotic cats with certain exceptions.

Importation of fish is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). For import restrictions and requirements contact Roy Johannes at 651-259-5213.

Certificate of veterinary inspection required including the following information*:

• Complete description including age, sex, breed, color markings, and registration name and number if registered,
• Negative Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) test within 12 months,
• Name and address of the laboratory, test results and date or permit number if the test is pending.

*Horses brought in for trail rides and exhibitions do NOT need a CVI, but do need a negative EIA test.

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) requirements:

Animals must have a negative EIA test except in the following cases:

• Movement to federally inspected slaughtering plants.
• Suckling foals accompanying their negative dam.
• Pending the results of a test at a state of origin laboratory if a permit is secured.

VS Statement required on CVI for all livestock from New Mexico.

All non-poultry birds must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.

Older than 5 months:

Certificate of veterinary inspection from the state of origin must accompany poultry over five months of age that are not consigned to slaughter. The CVI must include a statement which indicates that the poultry qualify for the specific diseases stipulated below or pass negative tests for the specific applicable diseases within 30 days prior to shipment.

Younger than 5 months and hatching eggs:

Poultry under 5 months and hatching eggs need a CVI or an NPIP Form VS 9-3 as well as a Minnesota Poultry Import permit.

Permits

Issued on an annual basis, running from September 1 through August 31. The Import Permit number is to be placed on shipping labels or invoices and on NPIP Form VS 9-3 or CVI. Importation permits are required for the following:

• Poultry under 5 months and hatching eggs must originate from flocks officially classified for the following diseases.
• Poultry over 5 months must have a negative test for the following diseases.

Disease Control Classifications	Poultry Type
	Egg-Type Chickens	Meat-Type Chickens	Turkeys	Other*
Pullorum–Typhoid	YES	YES	YES	YES
Salmonella typhimurium			YES
Mycoplasma gallisepticum	YES (Commercial)	YES (Commercial)	YES
Mycoplasma synoviae	YES (Commercial)	YES (Commercial)	YES
Salmonella enteritidis	YES (Commercial)
Sanitation monitored			YES (Commercial)
Avian Influenza

*Waterfowl, Hobby, Fancy, Exhibition Chickens, Game Birds and Backyard Flocks

Certificate of Veterinary Inspection

All sheep and goats imported into Minnesota must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection with the following exceptions:

• Animals moved directly to a federally inspected slaughter establishment.
• Animals moved to a state-federal approved livestock market that has an official veterinarian.

Certificates must include the official identification number of each animal unless they are being imported for feeding. Certificates for feeding animals should include one of the following:

1. If the feeders have been officially identified:
   • the individual identification numbers, or
   • the flock number and a statement noting that all animals have been officially identified or tagged
2. If the feeders have not been officially identified the certificate must include the flock number and the permit number

Official Identification Required

All sheep and goats imported into Minnesota must be officially identified with the following exceptions:

• Slaughter animals less than 18 mo of age if moved directly to a federally inspected slaughter establishment.
• Feeders less than 18 mo of age if moved to at state-federal approved livestock market that has an official veterinarian.
• Feeders less than 18 mo of age if moved under permit from the board to a terminal feedlot in Minnesota. Permits can be obtained by calling the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

VS Statement required on CVI for all livestock from New Mexico.

General Requirements:

Certificate of veterinary inspection required for all domestic swine. CVI shall show individual identification, date of tests, name and address of laboratory and results of required tests, or validated and qualified herd numbers. Exceptions include:

• Feeder swine from a farm of origin in an adjacent state to a market approved under Part 76 of the code of federal regulations.
• Swine consigned directly to slaughter at a federally inspected slaughtering establishment.

Importation of feral swine is prohibited.

Swine semen and embryos must be accompanied by a document from an accredited veterinarian stating that the donor swine meet Minnesota requirements for importation of breeding swine.

Disease and Testing Requirements (Brucellosis and Pseudorabies)

A permit required for all domestic swine which originate from a pseudorabies Stage II area.

Breeding Swine

Brucellosis requirements:

• Negative to a brucellosis test within 30 days,
• Originate in a validated brucellosis-free swine herd, or
• Originate from a non-quarantined herd in a validated swine brucellosis free state.

Pseudorabies requirements:

• Negative by an official test for pseudorabies within 30 days,
• Originate in a qualified pseudorabies-negative swine herd, or
• Originate from a Stage IV, or V state or area.

Feeder Swine

Feeder swine must meet the following requirements:

• Originate from a Stage III, IV, or V pseudorabies area, or
• If feeder swine originate from a Stage II pseudorabies area:
  • Must originate from a premises which is negative to an official random sample test (95/10) conducted within 30 days prior to movement,
  • Must be vaccinated for pseudorabies with a modified-live Gp1 deleted pseudorabies vaccine prior to entry, and
  • Must be retested for pseudorabies, at owner expense, using an official random sample test (95/20) not less than 15 nor more than 45 days following importation.

Slaughter swine from herds under pseudorabies quarantine

Swine must be accompanied by a federal shipping permit Form 1-27 issued by an accredited veterinarian and must be transported in vehicles which are sealed by an accredited veterinarian. Seals may only be broken at federally licensed slaughtering establishments.

VS Statement required on CVI for all livestock from New Mexico.

State law does not allow skunks or feral swine to be transported into Minnesota.