Since 2010, China has maintained that the previous health certificate, which dates back to 2007, did not meet its requirements and needed to be renegotiated. For the past few years, China had agreed to allow continued imports of U.S. dairy products under the legacy certificate as long as negotiation to resolve the issue continued in good faith.
“This is a very welcome development. It provides certainty that IDFA members will continue to have access to our third-largest and one of the fastest growing dairy export markets,” said Clay Hough, IDFA senior group vice president. “IDFA thanks the U.S. interagency team and all industry stakeholders in the United States and China who have worked diligently to resolve this important issue.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service will start issuing the new certificates immediately. Certificates issued by AMS for products destined for China prior to January 18, 2013, will be valid for 60 days, but they will not be accepted in China after March 20, 2013.
IDFA encourages exporters to contact AMS dairy programs directly with any questions regarding the new certificate.
