Trade Facilitation Unit - Dairy Products

The Bahamas currently has conditions to allow the importation of dairy (milk and milk- based products) from various countries. Having conducted an import risk analysis (IRA) that considers quarantine risks that may be associated with the importation to The Bahamas of milk and milk products from any country, the IRA recommends that the importation of milk and milk products to The Bahamas could be permitted subject to compliance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures to manage the quarantine risks of a range of significant diseases to a very low level, in line with WOAH guidelines. The IRA assessed all potential disease agents that may be introduced to The Bahamas via the importation of milk and milk products and SPS measures. These diseases include Foot and Mouth Disease, High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses, Scrapie, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), Lumpy Skin Disease virus (LSD), Anthrax, Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis, M. tuberculosis complex, and peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV).

Based on this risk assessment The Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA) has developed conditions of import for milk and milk product consignments. They are outlined below. All consignments of milk and milk products must:

1. Meet the labelling requirements prescribed in Section 23 of the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), Food Safety and Quality Act (2016) in Appendix 1

2. Meet the import conditions for milk and milk products in Appendix 2

Appendix 1

Labelling and advertising

1. No person shall offer for sale in The Bahamas any package of food unless the label thereon—
   1. is written in English;
   2. specifies the product name;
   3. specifies the date of manufacture and expiration;
   4. permits the traceability of the food as prescribed in regulations; and
   5. sets out such particulars as may be prescribed in regulations.
2. Where food that is not packaged is displayed for sale, it shall bear an identification mark.
3. The Director shall prescribe requirements for food advertising in accordance with applicable legislation.
4. Any foods not in compliance with the requirements under this section shall be confiscated by the Director.
5. Any person selling food in contravention of this section commits an offence and shall be liable to a fixed penalty as prescribed by regulations.

Appendix 2

Conditions for importation of milk and milk products

1. If a country, zone, or compartment wishes to export:
   1. Milk and milk products, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. the milk originates from animals showing no clinical sign of anthrax at the time of milking;
      2. if the milk originates from herds or flocks that have had a case of anthrax within the previous 20 days, it has been chilled promptly and processed using a heat treatment at least equivalent to pasteurisation.
      3. 1. have been derived from animals in a country, zone, herd or flock free from infection with Brucella as relevant;
         OR
         2. were subjected to pasteurisation or any combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.
      4. 1. have been derived from animals in a country or zone free from LSD;
         OR
         2. were subjected to pasteurisation or any combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.
   2. Milk and milk products of bovids, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the milk and milk products:
      1. have been derived from bovids in a herd free from infection with M. tuberculosis complex; or
      2. were subjected to pasteurisation or any combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.
2. If a country, zone, or compartment infected with High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) and/or Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) wishes to export:
   1. milk and milk products, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that :
      1. these products:
         1. originate from herds which at the time of milk collection were not infected or suspected of being infected with HPAI and/or FMDV, and comes from milk that:
         a. has a pH less than 7 or has been tested for HPAI and/or FMDV with negative results, and
         b. has been heated at a minimum temperature of 72°C for at least 15 seconds;
         OR
         2. have been processed to ensure the inactivation of HPAI and/or FMDV in accordance with one of the procedures in Article 8.8.39.;
   2. the necessary precautions were taken after processing to avoid contact of the products with any potential source of HPAI and/or FMDV.
3. If a country, zone, or compartment infected with Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) wishes to export:
   1. milk and milk products from susceptible animals, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the consignment:
      1. was subjected to pasteurisation; or
      2. was subjected to a combination of treatments with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.
4. If a country, zone, or compartment free of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) wishes to export milk and milk products from sheep and goats, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that these products come from animals which have been kept in a PPR free country or zone for at least the 21 days prior to milking.
5. If a country, zone, or compartment infected with peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) wishes to export:
   1. milk from sheep and goats, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. the milk:
         1. originates from flocks which were not subjected to any restrictions due to PPR at the time of milk collection;
         OR
         2. has been processed to ensure the destruction of the PPRV in accordance with one of the procedures referred to in Articles 8.8.35. and 8.8.36. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the products with any potential source of PPRV.
   2. Milk products from sheep and goats, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
      1. these products are derived from milk complying with the requirements of Article 14.7.19. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
      2. the necessary precautions were taken after processing to avoid contact of the milk products with any potential source of PPRV.
6. If a country, zone, or compartment not free from scrapie according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) wishes to export milk and milk products of sheep or goat origin intended for use in feeding of sheep and goats, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the milk and milk products come from scrapie free establishments.