These are general requirements for importing cattle into the United States. Contact the National Import and Export Services at 301-851-3300 for the protocol to import cattle from a specific country. You must obtain an import permit from our office.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promulgates and enforces livestock waste regulations. Feedlot operations are specifically addressed under concentrated animal feeding operation regulations. Poultry and hogs are generally kept in confined areas for their entire life cycles.

Livestock and meat production and marketing are influenced by Federal regulations on manure storage and disposal, animal health and safety, mandatory price reporting, and country-of-origin labeling. Federal commodity programs for livestock are generally not comparable to those for crops. The two exceptions are dairy and wool.

FDA has also promulgated regulations stating that all animal feed ingredients must be properly labeled to prevent animal byproducts, such as meat and bone meal, from entering the ruminant food supply chain. Federal regulations further govern the inspection of livestock before slaughter and inspection of meat products after slaughter.