Frozen Semen Export to France

[bugsynskeeter]

Hi All,

We are in the process of getting ready to export some frozen semen from the US to France. Yes, the semen is qualified for export and stored appropriately. The farm I work for is well versed in export to foreign countries, my question only has to do with paperwork for France.

The last time we exported semen to France (almost 5 years ago), the permit was required to be in both French and English. Our USDA rep had thought that France had adopted an English only permit, but we cannot find verification on this. I have already tried contacting the French version of USDA and the French National Stud book, but with not a single response. I’m hoping someone here will know the answer, as our vet would like to get the permit completed so we can get the semen sent off.

Thank you in advance!

[Equine_Reproduction]

[QUOTE=bugsynskeeter;6235398]
Hi All,

We are in the process of getting ready to export some frozen semen from the US to France. Yes, the semen is qualified for export and stored appropriately. The farm I work for is well versed in export to foreign countries, my question only has to do with paperwork for France.

The last time we exported semen to France (almost 5 years ago), the permit was required to be in both French and English. Our USDA rep had thought that France had adopted an English only permit, but we cannot find verification on this. I have already tried contacting the French version of USDA and the French National Stud book, but with not a single response. I’m hoping someone here will know the answer, as our vet would like to get the permit completed so we can get the semen sent off.

Thank you in advance![/QUOTE]

Check with CFIA (Canada) and see if they have a current export documentation. As they speak both French and English, the last time we exported to France, we used their paperwork. HOWERVER, since that time, there have been changes in the requirements and when we last checked, they hadn’t updated their paperwork to reflect those changes. Barring that, you will need to have the forms translated. BEFORE you do that, make sure that USDA will be okay with whomever does the translations as they won’t sign off on something they can’t read if it’s just been translated by Joe Blow with no accreditiation or affiliation with a respectable organization. Ahhh yes…exporting to France is always so entertaining. Do NOT use FedEx to ship the stuff, either. Last time we did that, Fedex lost the shipment in their warehouse and then delivered it to the wrong address. The people at the address it was delivered to had contacted FedEx several times but never received a call back or anyone to come pick it up. Ultimately, they called the facility that it was SUPPOSED to be delivered to, but all I can say is that it was a logistical nightmare. By the time it was delivered, it was just two days shy of the recommended holding time of the dry shipper :O!!! Can we say STRESS!!!

[bugsynskeeter]

I know the feeling of stress in regards to EU shipping. I have copies of the exact same permit in both English and French (the only helpful thing from the French Dept of Ag) - which reflects the changes that we are aware of.

The importer wants to use FedEx…so we shall see. I’d rather use Mersant and be done with it!

I guess I’m just more irritated with the LACK of any response from across the pond. I did contact the importer to see if he could find anything out, so we shall see.

[Equine_Reproduction]

@bugsynskeeter;6235621

I know the feeling of stress in regards to EU shipping. I have copies of the exact same permit in both English and French (the only helpful thing from the French Dept of Ag) - which reflects the changes that we are aware of.

Good…perhaps they are getting ahead of things.

The importer wants to use FedEx…so we shall see. I’d rather use Mersant and be done with it!

Oh boy. Good luck with that. DHL seems to be the courier of choice of Europe. FedEx definitely is not and is not commonly used over there. It’s who we use almost exclusively on this side of the pond, but holy smokes…after the last debacle, never again!

I guess I’m just more irritated with the LACK of any response from across the pond. I did contact the importer to see if he could find anything out, so we shall see.

Errr…well…wait until things are LOST and see how much headway you make! I would get off the phone and want to kill someone…anyone! Just no one’s neck to wrap my fingers around. It was truly the most frustrating experience I’ve had in a long, long time. And the clock kept ticking and all I could think of was several thousand dollars worth of semen just melting away <lol>. Fortunately, it didn’t come to that, but it was an 11th hour save, that’s for sure! Good luck!