Important information for any organization who currently is, or would like to become, a USDA Approved Establishment:
Over the past year, USDA Veterinary Services, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has established a working group to update and improve the process for imports of restricted animal products to better ensure the safe movement, handling, and treatment of these products. This focused specifically on the USDA Approved Establishment (AE) program, which allows certain animal products to be imported into the US ·for treatment at certain approved facilities. This process is most commonly used to import and treat hunting trophies.
The USDA Veterinary Services group has developed some changes to the AE program that will modernize the program, improve traceability, improve accountability, increase efficiency, increase consistency of program standards across the country, and, most importantly, improve customer service. These changes will be implemented in 2018.
The Veterinary Services group will be attending the 2018 NTA Convention, Competition, & Trade Show from July 11-14. They will be hosting a presentation on Friday, July 13 at the General Membership Meeting, and will also have booth space for the duration of the convention to provide information and ask questions. If you are, or wish to become, a USDA Approved Establishment, it is strongly encouraged that you attend the presentation and/or take the time to meet with these representatives at the convention.