ANIMAL HEALTH ACT 1981

The Importation of Hay and Straw Order 1979

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by this licence issued under Article 3 of the Importation of Hay and Straw Order 1979 hereby authorises to land in England, in accordance with the conditions set out below:   Hay and Straw from South Africa, except for the territory listed in Commission Decision 94/305/EC i.e., that part of the Foot and Mouth Disease control area situated in the veterinary region Northern and Eastern Transvaal, in the district of Ingwavuma of the Veterinary region of Natal and in the border area with Botswana east of longitude 28°, at Border Inspection Post listed in Schedule 2 of the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1996 unless imported into the Community via another Member State, until further notice, unless previously revoked by the Minister.   EQU 148/GEN/8 is hereby revoked.   Any expressions used in this licence have the same meaning as they bear in the Animal Health Act 1981.

Conditions attached to this Licence

  1. All landings must be in accordance with the provisions of the Importation of Hay and Straw Order 1979, the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1996, and with the following provisions of this licence.   2. The importer must provide the veterinary staff at the Border Inspection Post of entry into the Community with at least 24 hours notice for consignments arriving by sea, and 6 hours notice for consignments arriving by air (see note 4). Notification must be in English and where appropriate, the official language of the Member State of entry into the Community.   3. If the consignment enters the Community via another Member State, consignees must notify, in writing, the local Divisional Veterinary Manager of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food responsible for the premises of destination of their intention to import a consignment and the anticipated date of arrival. Such notificiation must arrive at least 24 hours in advance of the expected date of import.   4. Either:   (a) each consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate in its original form which must:       (i) be numbered and dated and show the place of issue and issuing authority;       (ii) contain the following information;       —  a description of the consignment;       —  the country of and address of the premises of destination of the consignment, and the names and addresses of the consignor and consignee;       —  the name of the certifying veterinarian in capital letters;       (iii) contain veterinary guarantees that the hay/straw has been produced and stored in an area of South Africa which is part of the Foot and Mouth Disease free zone in which vaccination is not practiced according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the international Animal Health Code ie the FMD free zone in South Africa.       (iv) the hay/straw has been produced and stored in dry conditions away from domestic animals for a period of at least 2 months and is dry to the touch on the day of export.       (v) be signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting country on the day of loading;       (vi) be stamped with the official health stamp in a different colour to that of the printing on the certificate;       (vii) be made out to a single recipient;       (viii) consist of a single sheet of paper;       (ix) be in English and an official language of the country of export;       (x) be valid for a period of 10 days (to be extended by the length of the voyage from South Africa).   Or:   (b) if imported into England after entering the Community through a Border Inspection Post in another Member State, it must be accompanied by a copy of the original health certificate:       (i) complying with the requirements at 4(a) above;       (ii) authenticated by the veterinary inspector at the Border Inspection Post; and       (iii) written in English, and an official language of the country of export and the official language of the Member State of entry into the European Community.    Notes :   1. “Hay” means any grass, clover, lucerne or sainfoin which has been dried either naturally or artifically, and includes any product (other than grain) which is obtained by so drying any green cereal.   2. “Straw” means any green cereal which has been dried either naturally or artifically and includes any product (other than grain) which is obtained by so drying any green cereal.   3. Council Directive 90/675/EEC requires that consignments may be imported into the Euroepan Community only through an approved Border Inspection Post and undergo veterinary checks before being permitted entry into the Community. The ports at which consignments of hay and straw may be landed in Great Britain are listed in column 5 of the Schedule 2 of the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1996.   In the case of consignments destined for Great Britain which first enter the Community at a Border Inspection Post in another Member State, it is the responsiblilty of the importer or his representative to obtain prior agreement from:   the checking authority at the Border Inspection Post of entry for the presentation of the consignments at the border inspection post, and   the veterinary authority of any Member State in transit, for transport of the consignment via its territory.   4. The notification document will be provided by the authorities at the Border Inspection Post on request.   The importer or his representative must fill in section 1 on 4 copies of the notification document; one copy of the completed document must be provided to the Customs authority at the Border Inspection Post, and the original plus 2 copies to the official veterinarian or, in the case of direct imports into Great Britain, the port health authorities.   Notification may be arranged by telecommunication or other system of data transmission, if adequate facilities are available.   5. When the veterinary and documentary checks have been completed at the Border Inspection Post, the original notification document will be signed and the original passed to the Customs authorities and one copy returned to the importer or his representative.   6. The original health certificate accompanying the consignment will be retained at the Border Inspection Post.   7. If the veterinary check indicates that the consignment should not be imported into the Community, or in the event of the conditions of this licence not being complied with the Ministry has powers under the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1996 to re-export or destroy the consignment at the expense of the importer or his representative.   8. The cost of the veterinary checks must be borne by importers and the charges must be paid or guaranteed before the veterinary and Customs formalities can be completed and the goods released. D. Arnold, Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Animal Health (International Trade) Division, Government Buildings, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 7NF.