Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030J Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 17, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 1 of 3 

Date Issued: 05-17-19

USDA Export Verification (EV) Program:

Specified Product Requirements for Bovine - Japan

1 Purpose

This document provides the specified product requirements for marketing U.S. Bovine items to Japan 

under the USDA Export Verification (EV) Program for animals of all ages. This program facilitates the 

international trade of U.S. Bovine meat and meat products and provides the additional requirements for 

the USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) for marketing bovine meat to Japan.

2 Scope

These requirements apply to U.S. suppliers (harvesters, fabricators, and processors) of bovine meat and 

meat products including fresh, frozen, bone-in, boneless, offal, variety meat items, and processed meat 

products that are eligible for export to Japan as listed on the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 

website. Suppliers who wish to label and sell product as meeting the specified product requirements for 

bovine under this program must meet these requirements through an approved USDA Quality System 

Assessment (QSA) Program. The requirements for the USDA QSA Program are defined in QAD 1002 

Procedure: USDA Quality System Assessment Program. The QSA Program ensures that the specified 

product requirements are supported by a documented quality management system, and that product is 

identified and traceable through the system. 

Only companies with an approved USDA QSA Program for the EV Program may label and sell product 

as meeting the specified product requirements for export. As an alternative to the USDA QSA Program, 

companies may apply the requirements of the USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) to meet the 

specified product requirements. The requirements of the USDA Process Verified Program are defined in 

QAD 1001 Procedure: USDA Process Verified Program. 

3 References

QAD 1000 Procedure: Quality Systems Verification Programs, General Policies and Procedures 

QAD 1001 Procedure: USDA Process Verified Program 

QAD 1002 Procedure: Quality System Assessment Program 

QAD 1030: EV Programs Additional Requirements 

USDA FSIS: Export Library – Requirements by Country website

USDA AMS: Beef Exports to Japan website
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030J Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 17, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 2 of 3 

Date Issued: 05-17-19

4 Specified Product Requirements

Bovine meat and meat products for export from the U.S. to Japan must be derived from animals that meet 

the following requirements, or from imported meat products into the U.S. that meet certain requirements: 

4.1 The exported meat and meat products derived from beef (bovine) to Japan must be derived 

from (A) animals that were born and raised only in the U.S., or from animals legally 

imported into the U.S. from a country recognized by the Japanese animal health authorities 

as the third free countries for cloven hoofed animals and meat or the eligible countries in 

BSE affected countries as listed on the FSIS’s Export Library website or (B) from meat 

legally imported into the U.S. from a designated facility in a country recognized by the 

Japanese animal health authorities as eligible to export bovine meat to Japan and shipped 

directly to the U.S port-of-entry. If transported through countries other than the third free 

countries or the eligible countries in BSE affected countries as identified on the current 

lists available on FSIS Export Library website, the imported meat must be transported in 

an officially sealed container. Once inspected and passed by FSIS, the shipment of 

imported meat must transfer directly to the designated facility in the U.S. 

4.2 Removal of prohibited materials

4.2.1 Beef and beef products mean all edible parts of cattle and products derived from 

such parts of cattle and are produced in a manner that ensures the hygienic removal 

of the specified risk materials (SRMs). With respect to heads, only tongues, cheek 

meat (Masseter Muscle), and skins of heads are eligible for export to Japan; all 

other parts of the head must be excluded from exports to Japan. 

4.2.2 Specified risk materials (SRMs) mean: tonsils and distal ileum from cattle of all 

ages; and brain, eyes, spinal cord, skull including head meat (but excluding cheek 

meat-Masseter Muscle), dorsal root ganglia, and vertebral column (excluding 

vertebrae of the tail, transverse processes of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and 

wings of the sacrum) from cattle 30 months of age and older at the time of harvest. 

4.3 For a listing of eligible products, refer to the USDA FSIS: Export Library – Requirements 

by Country website. 

4.4 Carcasses, bovine meat, and meat products must be uniquely identified and controlled up 

until the time of shipment.

5 Shipping Documentation

5.1 Identification of conforming product during shipment and delivery must be documented on 

the shipping documentation (bills of lading, shipping manifests, or letters of guarantee).
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030J Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 17, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 3 of 3 

Date Issued: 05-17-19

The shipping documentation must: 

5.1.1 Clearly identify the product and product quantity; and 

5.1.2 Contain the statement:

5.1.2.1 “Product Meets EV Program Requirements for Japan” – This statement is 

used for finished items that are eligible for export; or 

5.1.2.2 “Product meets EV Program Requirements for Japan excluding final 

production/processing requirements” – This statement is used for items that must 

be further processed to meet all requirements prior to being eligible for export.

6 Responsibilities

U.S. suppliers must meet all policies and procedures outlined in this procedure, QAD 1000 Procedure:

Quality Systems Verification Programs, General Policies and Procedures, and QAD 1002 Procedure: 

Quality System Assessment Program. 

7 Listing of Approved Programs 

Only U.S. suppliers that have an approved USDA QSA Program which meets the specified product 

requirements for this Program will be listed on the Official Listing of Eligible Suppliers to the 

USDA Japan Program.

________________________________ 

Jeff Waite, Branch Chief

Quality Assessment Division

Livestock and Poultry Program 

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