Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030 Add. Requirements

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 

0258

September 15, 2020

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 1 of 4

Date Issued 03/01/06

Date Revised 09/15/20

EXPORT VERIFICATION (EV) PROGRAMS

Additional Requirements

Within all quality management systems, opportunities for continuous improvement exist and when 

identified must be addressed. Please review the following requirements, and ensure that your 

USDA Quality System Assessment, Export Verification (QSA-EV) Program addresses each 

requirement, as applicable.

1 QSA-EV Program Manuals

Approved programs must provide FSIS officials access to the approved QSA-EV Program 

quality manual. Access to the manual may be provided in either electronic or paper format.

2 QSA-EV Program Audit Reports

Approved programs must include a documented procedure to ensure that QSA-EV Program 

audit reports are available to and discussed with FSIS officials during scheduled weekly 

FSIS meetings. Records to show conformance must be maintained.

3 QSA LT 30 Carcass Identification

In order to assure segregation and prevent commingling between meat eligible for export 

and meat not eligible for export under a QSA LT 30 program, establishment operators must 

have written procedures to identify the carcasses of bovine animals aged 30 months or older 

and to maintain the identity of the carcasses and meat products derived from these animals 

from the point at which the age is determined until the products are packaged and 

appropriately labeled or the carcass is removed from the establishment.

4 Company's Supplier Listing

Approved programs must include a company supplier listing if QSA-EV Program product is

received from another supplier approved under the QSA-EV Program. In addition, the 

company must require their supplier to provide an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 

Statement of Verification as defined in Section 7 for each load of product received.

The company supplier listing must:

a) Identify the supplier's name and FSIS establishment number;

b) Identify the date a supplier is added to the list;

c) Identify the date a listed supplier is no longer supplying product; and

d) Be submitted to the Quality Assessment Division (QAD) at EV.Export@usda.gov or fax 

to 1-844-345-3575 for review when changes are made.
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030 Add. Requirements

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 

0258

September 15, 2020

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 2 of 4

Date Issued 03/01/06

Date Revised 09/15/20

The company must review the Official Listing of Eligible Suppliers located on the USDA:

Bovine, Ovine, and Caprine Export Verification Programs website to ensure that the 

supplier is listed as an eligible supplier for the specific country.

5 Product List

Approved programs must include a list of all eligible product items intended for shipment to 

countries requiring a QSA-EV Program. In signing FSIS Form 9060-6, the exporter is 

attesting to, among other things, the eligibility of all the listed products. Products that are 

not required to be produced under an EV Program shall not be listed on the approved 

product list.

The product list must:

a) Identify all eligible beef, veal, and lamb items intended for shipment;

b) Provide the following information for each item on the list:

• FSIS Establishment Number;

• Establishment Name;

• Establishment Location (City and State); 

• Type of Facility (slaughter, fabricator, processor, cold storage);

• Product Name;

• Product Code which must be specific to the country(s) if applicable based on 

production practices and program requirements; and 

• Description of Product (IMPS item number or NAMP Meat Buyers Guide item 

number, or other detailed description);

c) Be divided by country; 

d) Be in the approved Excel format. The approved format is available on the USDA: 

Bovine, Ovine, and Caprine Export Verification Programs website; and

e) Be submitted to QAD (EV.Export@usda.gov or fax to 1-844-345-3575) for initial 

review and approval and when changes are made.

Note:

• Refer to the QAD 1030X SRM-Free Bovine Inedible Raw Materials Procedure for 

product list requirements.

• For programs involving bison, a product list is considered optional. 

6 AMS Statement of Verification for Product Intended for Further Processing 

For all countries requiring an EV Program, product shipped for further processing from one 

eligible supplier to another eligible supplier must be accompanied with an AMS Statement 

of Verification for Product Intended for Further Processing. This AMS Statement of 
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030 Add. Requirements

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 

0258

September 15, 2020

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 3 of 4

Date Issued 03/01/06

Date Revised 09/15/20

Verification identifies the product categories produced for the specific country(s) under the 

company's approved EV Program.

The company supplying products intended for further processing must request an AMS 

Statement of Verification for Product Intended for Further Processing. A copy of this 

Statement must accompany each shipment of product intended for further processing. If the 

product categories produced for the specific country(s) under the company's approved EV 

Program changes, then the company must request a new AMS Statement of Verification for 

Product Intended for Further Processing. Requests for the AMS Statement of Verification 

for Product Intended for Further Processing must be submitted via email to 

EV.Export@usda.gov or via fax at 1-844-345-3575.

Receiving companies must review the Official Listings of Eligible Suppliers on the USDA: 

Bovine, Ovine, and Caprine Export Verification Programs website to ensure that the 

supplier is listed as an eligible supplier for the specific country. Additionally, the products

must be identified as meeting the EV Program requirement for the specific country.

7 Hygienic Removal of SRM’s for EV Programs

The spinal cord of cattle aged 30 months or older is designated as a SRM and must be 

removed in its entirety. Lifting the cord out of the vertebral canal can be achieved using a 

knife or other specialized tools.

Separate knives or other tools, including vacuums, must be provided for exclusive use in 

removing and handling of spinal cords of cattle aged 30 months or older. These 

knives/tools, as well as steels must be identified by a color coding or other visual system.

Note: The spinal cord of cattle less than 30 months of age is not designated as a SRM but, 

nevertheless, must still be completely removed from all split carcasses as required by the 

specific countries export verification program.

8 Age Verification Requirements

In order to meet the LT30 requirements for all EV and QSA LT30 Programs, age 

verification must be conducted. There are two methods approved for age verification, 

Dentition or Age Verification through an AMS approved PVP or QSA Program.

• Dentition must be conducted by trained company employees and overseen by FSIS 

Officials at the establishment.

• Age Verification documentation must be provided by an AMS approved PVP or QSA 

Program that includes Age Verification as a point. Acceptable forms of documentation 

include birth records or affidavits supplied by the approved company.
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030 Add. Requirements

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 

0258

September 15, 2020

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 4 of 4

Date Issued 03/01/06

Date Revised 09/15/20

Note: Unverified producer affidavits are not acceptable methods of Age Verification

documentation and cannot be used as a source of Age Verification under the EV and QSA 

LT30 Programs.

___________________________________

Jeff Waite, Branch Chief

Quality Assessment Division

Livestock and Poultry Program

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