APHIS VS- Outline of Required CWD Certification for Canadian Farmed Cervids Imported for Purposes 

Other than Immediate Slaughter (Effective September 1, 2023)

1. The herd of export and herd(s) of origin for any animal in the export shipment (if different): 

1.1. have Been enrolled in a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Herd Certification Program 

(HCP) for a minimum of 5-years; 

1.2.currently have fully certified status; and 

1.3.complied with all identification, testing and record keeping requirements as outlined in 

the HCP for the last 5 years;

1.4.have completed testing on all cervids aged 12 months or older that died from any cause, 

within the last 5 years with valid results on at least 95 percent of samples. There are no 

pending results on tests nor samples waiting to be submitted. 

Note - assembled herds assume the status of the lowest HCP status animals upon formation. 

The exporting herd must have had at least 5 years within the HCP and have achieved “certified” 

status in the HCP from assembly or based on conferred status. 

2. The animals to be exported have not been exposed to any CWD positive animal in the last 5 

years. 

3. During the last five years, the animal(s) to be exported 

Note - statements followed by uppercase (1) that are non-applicable, are to be crossed out 

and initialed by the endorsing CFIA veterinarian. 

If 3.1. or 3.2. is selected no other statements can have occurred. Statements 3.3 and 3.4 can be 

either solo or joint occurrences. 

3.1. have not resided in a herd that has been epidemiologically linked to a CWD positive 

animal either through a trace forward of exposed animal(s) or a trace back of a positive 

animal. (1)

OR

3.2. resided in a herd that has been epidemiologically linked to a CWD positive animal either 

through a trace forward of exposed animal(s) or trace back of a positive animal, but 

the residency occurred before the time the positive or exposed animal(s) were in that 

herd. (1)

OR

3.3. resided in a herd that has been epidemiologically linked to a CWD positive animal by a 

trace forward of exposed animal(s) to the herd, AND , either (1)

3.3.1. The animal(s) for export resided in the epidemiologically linked herd during or 

after the time that the exposed animal(s) were in that herd, and all the exposed 

animals traced to the epidemiologically linked herd died or were euthanized and 

were tested on obex and retropharyngeal lymph node with no detected results, (1)

OR 
APHIS VS- Outline of Required CWD Certification for Canadian Farmed Cervids Imported for Purposes 

Other than Immediate Slaughter (Effective September 1, 2023)

3.3.2. The epidemiologically linked herd has complied with the CWD HCP standards for 

60 months after the last exposed animal entered the herd and currently has 

Certified status. (1)

AND/OR

3.4. the animal(s) for export resided in a herd where a CWD positive animal was traced back 

to the herd, and the animal(s) for export resided in the epidemiologically linked herd 

during or after the time that the positive animal resided in that herd, and the epi-linked 

herd has complied with the CWD HCP standards for 60 months after the CWD positive 

animal left the herd and currently has Certified status. (1)