SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — Earlier this year, the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) shared that the Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) released new import health requirements (IHRs) for pet food. The IHRs went into effect on Jan. 14. 

According to the FAS, these new IHRs establish a pathway for US pet food products containing ruminant ingredients in 2003, following the first US bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case, a fatal brain disease that impacts cattle. Once US beef access had resumed, the US government requested resumption of market access for pet food containing ruminant ingredients in 2006, however, these ingredients remained prohibited in US pet food exports to the country. 

In 2018, the United States then submitted a request to expand market access for pet foods containing US-originated ruminant ingredients, as well as ruminant ingredients imported from countries that had low risk of BSE. Since then, MAFRA’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) has been developing the new IHRs to reflect Korea’s updated potential risk for BSE in imported pet foods.

The new IHRs details new requirements for US pet foods containing ruminant ingredients, including requirements regarding the animal ingredients themselves, production conditions, manufacturing facilities and quarantine inspection, in accordance with the Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases. The requirements apply to pet food intended for dogs, cats, ferrets and hamsters. 

Additionally, under the IHRs, pet food manufacturing facilities must undergo inspection by the Korean government to assure compliance. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will work with the APQA in Korea to obtain approval of pet food facilities. 

According to the FAS, pet food that has been imported to Korea within the past year from Jan. 14 may continue to be imported using an existing health certificate until Dec. 31, 2025. New-to-market products, including those made with ruminant ingredients and those that have not yet been imported to Korea within the past year, must comply with the new IHRs. 

Learn more about Korea’s new pet food import requirements. 

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