Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 8/24/2004

**GAIN Report Number:** BD4003

BD4003

**Bermuda**

**Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards**

**Country Report**

**2004**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Paul Hoffman, Director

Caribbean Basin ATO

**Prepared by:**

Sergio A. Tigera

**Report Highlights:**

Bermuda accepts USDA and FDA food standards and regulations on all food
products imported from the United States. Water, milk, cream and meat
are the only products that have additional requirements imposed by the
government of Bermuda. Products clearance is normally quick and
straightforward.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Miami \[C11\]

\[BD\]

[Table of Contents]{.smallcaps}

[Section I. Food Laws 1]{.smallcaps}

[Section II. Labeling Requirements 1]{.smallcaps}

[Section III. Packaging and Container Requirements 1]{.smallcaps}

[Section IV. Food Additive Regulations 2]{.smallcaps}

[Section V. Pesticide and Other Contaminants 2]{.smallcaps}

[Section VI. Other Regulations and Requirements 3]{.smallcaps}

[Section VII. Other Specific Standards 3]{.smallcaps}

[Section VIII. Copyright and/or Trademark Laws 3]{.smallcaps}

[Section IX. Import Procedures 3]{.smallcaps}

[Appendix I. Government Regulatory Agency Contacts 4]{.smallcaps}

**DISCLAIMER:** This report was prepared by the Office of Agricultural
Affairs of the

USDA/ Foreign Agricultural Service in (Miami, U.S.A.) for U.S. exporters
of domestic

food and agricultural products. While every possible care was taken in
the preparation

of this report, information provided may not be completely accurate
either because

policies have changed since its preparation, or because clear and
consistent information

about these policies was not available. It is highly recommended that
U.S. exportersverify

the full set of import requirements with their foreign customers, who
are normally best

equipped to research such matters with local authorities, before any
goods are shipped.

FINAL IMPORT APPROVAL OF ANY PRODUCT IS SUBJECT TO THE IMPORTING
COUNTRY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS AS INTERPRETED BY BORDER OFFICIALS AT
THE TIME OF PRODUCT ENTRY.

**Section I: Food Laws**

Currently, imported food is accepted into Bermuda when it meets the
requirements of the Country of origin and can therefore be sold in that
Country.

**Section II: Labeling Requirements**

Bermuda has no food labeling legislation. The Department of Health and
the Department of Consumer Affairs are in the process of documenting
legislation for locally produced products. To date local producers have
been operating on a voluntary agreement of understanding by putting the
minimum information on the labels such as :

-Name of product

-Name of Manufacturer or Distributor

-Address and contact number of Manufacturer or Distributor

-List of all ingredients ion descending order of quantity

-Additives- Natural or Artificial

-Net quantity of the food (by weight if solid, by volume if liquid)

The Public Health Act makes provisions for the regulating and
enforcement of food labeling legislation.

No person shall import into Bermuda any food:

a\) which has been manufactured or prepared under insanitary conditions;
or

b\) which has been adulterated; or

> c\) which is not permitted to be sold, or whose sale is restricted in
> the country from which it is exported.

The foreign food label must be applied prior to export.

###### Section III: Packaging and Container Regulations

1.  Packing and container regulations exist for water, milk and cream
    only. The Public Health (Food) Regulations 1950 for artificially
    sweetened aerated water state: A person shall not sell, or have for
    the purposes of sale or other disposal in the way of trade or
    business, artificially sweetened aerated water in any can, bottle,
    or other container unless that can, bottle or other container is of
    a kind or size approved by the Chief Medical Officer.

2.  The following is a schedule of type and specification of
    manufactured milk;

> Filled Milk- Red Container
>
> Low Fat Filled Milk- Pink Container

####### Filled Cream- Brown Container

Recombined Skim

> or Skimmed Milk- Green Container
>
> Not withstanding anything contained in these regulations, no milk
> shall be imported into Bermuda or if imported sold or offered for sale
> for human consumption unless it is milk of a type which has been
> approved in writing by the Chief Medical Officer. No such approval
> shall be granted unless the Chief Medical Officer is satisfied:

a\) as to the source and quality of the milk;

> b\) as to the methods of heat treatment of the milk and the packing
> operations in respect thereof;

c\) as to the chemical and bacteriological standard of the milk;

> d\) as to the manner and conditions under which the milk is
> transported to Bermuda and the distribution thereof within Bermuda;
>
> e\) as to the capacity, type and material of the container in which
> the milk is packed and that the capacity of any such container does
> not exceed the capacity specified in writing by the Chief Medical
> Officer.

**Section IV: Food Additive Regulations**

Bermuda has no food additive regulations and relies on the country of
origin requirements for additives.

**Section V: Pesticide and Other Contaminants**

No person shall bring into Bermuda any food which is unfit for human
consumption:

a\) manufacture or prepare; or

b\) store or have in his possession; or

c\) sell or offer for sale, whether by wholesale or by retail or by
public auction.

Pesticides for outdoor use are registered with the Department of
Agriculture and Fisheries. Pesticides for indoor use are registered with
the Department of Health. Application is submitted with the MSD sheet.
An approved list of products monitored at the retail/wholesale
distribution levels can be found at both agencies.

**Section VI: Other Regulations and Requirements**

The following are text from the Bermuda regulations on meat.

1.  \"Meat\" means: the flesh or other edible part of an animal and
    includes uncooked meat prepared or otherwise, but does not include
    meat products. \"Meat Products\" means:

a\) meat which has been cooked or otherwise prepared; or

b\) meat packed in airtight containers; or

c\) rendered animal fats; or

> d\) pies, sausages or other prepared or manufactured articles, food
> containing any meat or cooked or dried meat; or

e\) poultry, game either whole or predressed and packed.

2.  \"Official Certificate\" means: a certificate, label , mark, stamp
    or other voucher which is furnished by a competent authority in
    respect of any fresh meat, or package containing any such meats, and
    which certificate is for the time being recognized by the Minister
    as showing:

> a\) that the meat to which it relates was derived from animals
> inspected both ante and post mortem and passed in accordance with
> criteria satisfactory to the Chief Medical Officer; or
>
> b\) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to
> public health were taken in the dressing of preparing and packing of
> such meat.

3.  \"Prohibited Meat\" includes:

> a\) scrap meat, trimmings or other pieces with or without bone, of
> such shape or condition as to afford insufficient means of
> identification with a definite part of a carcass;
>
> b\) meat comprising the wall of the thorax or abdomen from which any
> part of the pleura or, except in the case of a pig, the peritoneum has
> been detached, other than a necessarily removed in preparing the meat;
> and
>
> c\) meat from which a lymphatic gland, except a gland necessarily
> removed in preparing the meat, has been removed; and

d\) the head of an animal without submaxillary glands.

4.  Restrictions on importation of meat

> No person shall import, or cause to be imported, prohibited meat; and
> no person shall import, or cause to be imported, meat, other than
> prohibited meat, unless he is in possession of an official certificate
> in respect thereof.
>
> Products are monitored at the retail and wholesale level by The
> Department of Health. The Environmental Health Officer monitors
> Quality Control and outdated products.

**Section VII: Other Specific Standards**

Standard weights and measures are required for imported food.

######## Section VIII: Copyright and/or Trademark Laws

Registration of trademarks for imported foods and beverages is not
required in Bermuda, however it is advisable for protection.

**Section IX: Import Procedures**

Customs clearance is done by the importer or receiving agent. After
arrival at the port, a customs officer will inspect the shipment and
with proper documentation is released to the importer. Duty is paid
directly to the Department of Customs.

The length of time it takes to clear customs depends on your arrival
time. Customs is most congested from 12-2 pm. Arrival between these
hours can take between 1-1.5 hours for clearance. Arrival any other time
will take between 35-40 minutes. Customs officials are off for local
holidays but are working on overseas holidays. Cargo arriving on ship in
Hamilton will be inspected until 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Any
shipments arriving outside this time frame will be held until customs is
back at work. Flight arrivals are guaranteed to be inspected on arrival.
Customs will work until the last expected shipment arrives. Because of
the new import schedule in Bermuda falling in line with the harmonized
tariff system, products are itemized on the bills of lading as opposed
to falling in more general categories. There is no \"official\" appeals
process for disputed and/or rejected products.

**APPENDIX I: GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCY CONTACTS**

**Mrs. Estlyn Harvey (Public Health Act)**

**Chief Environmental Health Officer**

**Department of Health**

**P.O. Box HM 1195**

**Hamilton HM EX**

**Phone: (441) 236-0938**

**Fax: (441) 232-1941**

**E-MAIL: [ehd@ibl.bm]{.underline}**

**Mrs. Marlene Chrisotpher, Registrar (Trademark Laws)**

**Registrar General**

**30 Parliament Street**

######## Hamilton HM 12

**Phone: (441) 297-7705**

**Mr. John Barnes, Director (Importation of Produce)**

**Agriculture & Fisheries**

**P.O. Box HM 834**

**Hamilton HM CX**

**Phone: (441) 235-4201**

**Fax: (441) 236-7582**

**Agriculture & Fisheries (Importation of Fish)**

**Fisheries Division**

**P.O. Box CR 52**

**CR BX**

**Attention: Mr. Brian Luckhurst**

**Senior Fisheries Officer**

**Phone: (441) 293-1785**

######## Fax: (441) 293-2716

**HM Customs Custom House PO Box HM 2084 (Tariff Information)**

**Hamilton HMHX**

**Bermuda Telephone (441) 295 4816**

**E-MAIL customs@bdagov.bm**

**Phone: (441) 235-4201**

**FAX (441) 295 5392**

**Post Contacts**

**For more information and importer list, please contact:**

**United States Department of Agriculture**

**Foreign Agricultural Service**

**Caribbean Basin Agricultural Trade Office**

**909 SE 1st Avenue, Suite 720**

**Miami, FL 33131**

**Phone: (305) 536-5300**

**Fax: (305) 536-7577**

**Email: [cbato@cbato.net]{.underline}**

[**http://www.cbato.fas.usda.gov**](http://www.cbato.fas.usda.gov/)

**Paul Hoffman Director**

> **[Email:paul@cbato.net]{.underline}**

**Omar Gonzalez Deputy Director**

**Email: omar@cbato.net**

**Graciela Juelle Agricultural Marketing Assistant**

> **[Email:]{.underline}grace@cbato.net**