Import Regulations

Importation of Camelids

Requirement for a certificate of veterinary inspection. All camelids imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection.

Importation of Cattle and Bison

Definition of breeding cattle. "Breeding cattle" means all cattle except:

1. heifers of beef breed less than 18 months of age maintained for feeding purposes;
2. bulls under ten months of age maintained for feeding purposes; and
3. steers and spayed heifers.

Requirement for official identification. Breeding cattle, rodeo cattle, and all cattle for exhibition entering the state must be officially identified, except:

1. cattle originating from a farm of origin that are consigned to a state-federal approved livestock auction market;
2. cattle moving directly to a slaughtering establishment under federal inspection; and
3. cattle moving directly to a slaughter-only handling facility in a manner approved by the board.

Requirement for certificate of veterinary inspection. Cattle imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian, except as provided in items A to E:

1. cattle originating from a farm of origin that are consigned to a state-federal approved livestock market;
2. cattle shipped directly to slaughtering establishments operating under federal inspection;
3. cattle moving directly to a slaughter-only handling facility in a manner approved by the board;
4. cattle returning from pasture to the herd of origin in the state under permit; or
5. cattle moved in accordance with a board-approved commuter herd agreement.

Cattle returned to Minnesota from pasture. Cattle not under quarantine that are owned by state residents who are not livestock dealers may be returned to the premises of origin from pastures in adjacent states without tests or certificates of veterinary Inspection if a permit is secured from the board prior to movement. Permits for return from pasture may be issued by the board if the pasture is owned, leased, or operated by the state resident, the pasture is contiguous to state land owned by the applicant, only the applicant's cattle are in the pasture, and the pasture has been inspected by a representative of the board.

Requirement for tuberculosis test.

1. Rodeo cattle entering the state must be negative to an official tuberculosis test within the previous six months.
2. Cattle imported into the state for the purposes of breeding rodeo stock must be negative to an official tuberculosis test within the previous six months.
3. Mexican-origin cattle must be negative to two official tuberculosis tests. The second test must be done by an accredited veterinarian and be performed within 60 days prior to importation.

Requirement for an import permit. A permit must be obtained from the board prior to the importation of all breeding cattle, all cattle for exhibition, and all cattle requiring a tuberculosis test, with the following exceptions:

1. cattle originating from a farm of origin that are consigned to a state-federal approved livestock market; or
2. cattle shipped directly to a slaughter establishment operating under federal inspection or to a slaughter-only handling facility.

Please call 651-296-2942 to get an import permit for incoming cattle or bison.

Information that will be collected and required in order to obtain a free import permit include:

• Name, address and telephone number for the veterinarian issuing the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI);
• The CVI number;
• Name, address and telephone number for the origin of the cattle; and
• Name, address and telephone number for the destination of the cattle (destination refers to the physical location the cattle will be residing at and not a business or home address).
• The Board will also require information on the type of official identification that has been used on the cattle.

Additional Requirements

• Cattle originating from parts of Michigan, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho must meet additional import requirements. Call the Board of Animal Health for more information.

Importation of Farmed Cervidae

Import permit. A permit must be obtained from the board prior to the importation of live cervidae into Minnesota.

Certificate of veterinary inspection. Live cervidae imported into Minnesota must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

1. Live cervidae must originate from a herd that has been subject to a state, federal, or provincial approved CWD herd certification program and that has reached a status equivalent to level 6 as specified in Minnesota Rules part 1721.0420.
2. CWD endemic areas:
   1. Live cervidae may not be imported into the state from a CWD endemic area, as determined by the board.
   2. Cervidae carcasses may not be imported into the state from a CWD endemic area, as determined by the board, except for cut and wrapped meat, quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, antlers, hides, teeth, finished taxidermy mounts, and antlers attached to skull caps that are cleaned of all brain tissue.
3. Live cervidae or cervidae carcasses may not be imported into Minnesota from a herd that is infected with or exposed to CWD.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) requirements:

No importation is allowed from CWD infected or exposed herds or from the following known CWD endemic areas:

• Canada: must have approval from Board veterinarian
• Colorado: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Cheyenne, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, Elbert, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Jefferson, Kit Carson, Larimer, Logan, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Park, Phillips, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Miguel, Sedgwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma
• Idaho: Caribou
• Illinois: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, Dupage, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, La Salle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Will, Winnebago Woodford
• Iowa: Dubuque, Jackson
• Kansas: Barton, Cheyenne, Clark, Cowley, Decatur, Edwards, Ellis, Ford, Gray, Gove, Graham, Greeley, Harper, Hodgeman, Kingman, Kiowa, Logan, Meade, Ness, Norton, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Rawlins, Reno, Rice, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Sedgwick, Scott, Sheridan, Sherman, Stafford, Sumner, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Wichita
• Maryland: Allegany, Garrett, Washington
• Missouri: Adair, Chariton, Knox, Linn, Macon, Monroe, Randolph, Shelby, Sullivan
• Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Powder River
• Nebraska: Adams, Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Chase, Cheyenne, Clay, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Howard, Kearney, Keith, Knox, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Loupe, McPherson, Merrick, Morrill, Perkins, Red Willow, Rock, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Wheeler
• New Mexico: Dona Ana, Otero, Sierra
• North Dakota: Adams, Grant, Sioux
• Oklahoma: Grant, Kay
• Pennsylvania: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon, Somerset
• South Dakota: Butte, Corson, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Pennington, Shannon
• Texas: El Paso, Hudspeth
• Utah: Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, San Juan, Sanpete, Summit, Uintah, Utah
• Virginia: Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah
• West Virginia: Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, Pendleton
• Wisconsin: Adams, Barron, Burnett, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Lafayette, Marathon, Marquette, Monroe, Ozaukee, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood
• Wyoming: All counties are restricted

Tuberculosis (TB) requirements:

All cervidae imported must originate from a TB accredited herd or meet the following requirements:

1. Originate from a herd that is negative to a whole herd TB test within 365 days prior to the date of movement and,
2. Animals that are 2 months of age and older must test negative for TB within 90 days prior to the date of movement.

No importation is allowed from TB infected or exposed herds.

Brucellosis (BR) requirements:

All cervidae imported, that are six months of age or older, must originate from a BR certified herd or be negative to a BR test within 30 days prior to movement.

No importation is allowed from BR infected or exposed herds.

Importation of Dogs, Cats, or Ferrets:

Requirement for a certificate of veterinary inspection. A dog, cat, or ferret imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection, except:

1. Dogs or cats for research at educational and scientific institutions;
2. Dogs, cats, or ferrets entering a veterinary facility for treatment, surgery, or diagnostic procedures;
3. Dogs, cats, or ferrets temporarily entering the state if there is no change of ownership and if the animal will be leaving the state within 30 days; and
4. Dogs and cats originating from an adjacent state and entering a kennel licensed by the board if the following conditions are met:
   1. The kennel has a written contract with the city from which the dog or cat originated that specifies the terms under which the kennel accepts and houses stray, abandoned, or impounded animals for the city;
   2. Dogs and cats are held in a nonpublic area until they can be examined by a licensed veterinarian;
   3. A licensed veterinarian examines the dog or cat within 48 hours of entry into the state and records the date and results of the examination in the kennel records;
   4. A dog or cat that shows signs of infectious, contagious, or communicable disease is returned to the state of origin, held in a nonpublic area until released by the veterinarian, or euthanized; and
   5. A dog or cat three months of age or older originating outside the state must be currently vaccinated for rabies before being discharged from the facility.

Requirement for rabies vaccination. A dog, cat, or ferret three months of age or older imported into the state must be currently vaccinated for rabies unless they meet all conditions of D (1-5) above, or are exempted by the board based on the written recommendations of a licensed veterinarian who has examined the animal and who has determined that vaccination is contraindicated due to a medical condition.

Contents of certificate of veterinary inspection. The certificate of veterinary inspection must state that any dog, cat, or ferret three months of age or older is currently vaccinated for rabies and must list the name of the vaccine and the date it was given.

Importation of Exotic Animals

Requirement for a certificate of veterinary inspection. All mammals and birds imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian.

State law prohibits the ownership of primates, bears, and exotic cats with certain exceptions.

Importation of Fish

Regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). For import restrictions and requirements contact Paula Phelps at 651-259-5213.

Importation of Horses

Certificate of veterinary inspection. Horses imported into Minnesota must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian that includes official identification and the date of the last negative EIA test, except:

1. horses brought into the state for participation in trail rides or exhibitions;
2. horses consigned directly to slaughtering establishments under federal inspection; or,
3. horses entering a veterinary facility for treatment, surgery, or diagnostic procedures.

EIA tests. Horses imported into Minnesota must be negative to an official test for EIA conducted within 12 months prior to the date of importation, except:

1. horses consigned directly to slaughtering establishments under federal inspection; or
2. suckling foals accompanying a negative dam.

Horses imported without the required test for EIA. Horses imported without the required negative test for EIA must be quarantined, isolated, and tested for EIA within ten days following notification from the board. Tests must be conducted at the owner's expense.

Importation of Non-poultry Bird species (Psittacine, Pet birds)

Certificate of veterinary inspection. Non-poultry bird species imported into Minnesota must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian.

Importation of Hatching Eggs, Poultry, and Ratites

Slaughter exemption. Poultry and ratites imported into the state that move directly to a state or federally licensed slaughter establishment are exempt from the requirements in this part.

Import permit. An import permit must be obtained from the board prior to importation of hatching eggs, poultry, or ratites into the state. The application for the permit must be endorsed by the official animal health agency of the state or country of origin and indicate that the requirements of this part have been met. All other importers may request a 30-day permit to import poultry by calling 320-441-6515.

Certificates. All hatching eggs, poultry, and ratites imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection, Plan Form VS 9-3 Report of Sale of Eggs, Chicks, and Poults, or an equivalent form as approved by the board.

Pullorum-typhoid. All hatching eggs, poultry, and ratites imported into Minnesota must:

1. originate from a hatchery or breeding flock that is classified pullorum-typhoid clean under the plan; or
2. be individually identified with a leg or wing band and be negative to a pullorum-typhoid test conducted within 30 days prior to importation.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae. Chicken hatching eggs, chicks, and chickens from commercial egg-type or meat-type chicken hatcheries or breeding flocks and all turkey hatching eggs, poults, and turkeys imported into the state must:

1. originate from a hatchery or breeding flock that is classified Mycoplasma gallisepticum clean and Mycoplasma synoviae clean under the plan; or
2. be individually identified with a leg or wing band and be negative to a Mycoplasma gallisepticum and a Mycoplasma synoviae test within 30 days prior to importation.

Salmonella enteritidis. Chicken hatching eggs, chicks, and chickens imported into Minnesota from commercial egg-type chicken hatcheries or breeding flocks must originate from a hatchery or breeding flock that is classified Salmonella enteritidis clean under the plan.

Sanitation monitored. Turkey hatching eggs, poults, and turkeys imported into the state from commercial turkey hatcheries or breeding flocks must originate from a hatchery or breeding flock that meets the requirements of the sanitation monitored program of the plan.

Shipping containers. Only new or cleaned and disinfected poultry boxes or containers shall be used to ship baby poultry into the state.

For questions related to the importation of hatching eggs, poultry, or ratites, please call the Minnesota Poultry Testing Laboratory at 320-231-5170.

Importation of Sheep or Goats

Requirement for official identification. Goats or sheep imported into Minnesota must be identified with official identification except as provided in items A to D:

1. goats or sheep less than 18 months of age that are going directly to slaughter at a slaughtering establishment having federal inspection;
2. restricted-movement feeder animals that are moved to a state-federal approved livestock market that restricts the sale of sheep and goats without official identification to slaughter channels in a manner approved by the board;
3. restricted-movement feeder animals that are moved to a terminal feedlot when accompanied by a board-issued permit; or
4. goats or sheep moved for grazing or similar management reasons if the goats or sheep are moved from a premises owned or leased by the owner of the goats or sheep to another premises owned or leased by the owner of the goats or sheep and the goats or sheep are not commingled with goats or sheep from other flocks.

Requirement for certificate of veterinary inspection. Goats or sheep imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian except as provided in items A and B:

1. goats or sheep going directly to slaughter at a slaughtering establishment having federal inspection; or
2. goats or sheep originating from a farm of origin in an adjacent state and consigned to a state-federal approved livestock market.

Contents of certificate of veterinary inspection. If official identification is required, the certificate of veterinary inspection must show the individual official identification number of each animal except:

1. officially identified goats and sheep moving directly to slaughter if the certificate indicates the animals are scrapie-tagged and for slaughter only; or
2. officially identified feeder animals that are being moved to a terminal feedlot if the certificate indicates the animals are scrapie-tagged and that the animals are for feeding purposes only.

Requirement for import permit. A permit must be obtained prior to importation of the following:

1. a restricted-movement feeder animal that is being moved to a terminal feedlot as described in subpart 1, item C;
2. goats or sheep from a flock that is currently under quarantine; or
3. goats or sheep from a flock that is currently designated as an exposed flock, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 9, part 79.1.

Prohibited imports. No goat or sheep that is currently designated as a scrapie-positive, suspect, or high-risk animal as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 9, part 79.1, or that is from a noncompliant flock as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 9, part 79.1, may be imported into the state.

Importation of Swine

Importation of feral swine prohibited. The importation into the state of feral swine or swine that were feral during any part of their lifetime is prohibited. Importation into the state of feral swine carcasses is prohibited except for cut and wrapped meat, hides, teeth, and finished taxidermy mounts.

Requirement for official identification and certificate of veterinary inspection. Swine imported into the state must be officially identified and accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian except for:

1. swine which move under an approved swine production system health plan;
2. swine consigned to a state-federal approved livestock market which move directly from a farm of origin; or
3. swine moving directly to slaughter at a slaughtering establishment under federal inspection.

Importation of Wild Animals

Requirement for a certificate of veterinary inspection. All mammals and birds imported into the state must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian.

State law does not allow skunks or feral swine to be transported into Minnesota.