We assist clients many times each year with the import or export of frozen semen and embryos from a variety of species, and are experienced with the details involved in Agricultural Inspection, Custom's Clearance, obtaining permits, International Health Certification, arranging air transport or freight forwarding, and inspection/inventory of imported genetics upon arrival.

 Our facility is inspected twice annually by the USDA, and is approved to export to EEC, Australia, and the very rigorous New Zealand standards.  We have also exported to many other countries, all dependent upon current regulations at the time. As required under these regulations, we have a completely separate storage room for semen produced which meets these standards.  Examples of imports include frozen horse semen from Europe and chilled dog semen from Australia; examples of exports include frozen horse semen to Sir Lanka, Czechoslovakia, and Brazil; frozen bull semen to Nicaragua; frozen dog semen to the Marianas Islands; frozen cattle embryos to Thailand; and chilled horse semen three days per week to Australia and New Zealand.

A few general rules of thumb:

WHEN IMPORTING:

1. Depending upon the country of origin, it is often less expensive to send over an empty tank of U.S. origin to retrieve the semen (accompanied by copies of the purchase invoice to avoid being assessed Duty upon the tank's return).

    

2. Make CERTAIN in advance that ALL required tests have been performed by obtaining copies of the laboratory reports, and that the shipper is ready to go, before securing the Import Permit, which normally goes overseas with the tank, and is only good for fourteen days.

    

3. Certain Ports of Entry, such as New York's JFK airport, are much better set-up to expedite Agricultural Imports. Determination of the Carrier involved is often governed by their routing and reputation for good handling of cryogenic shipments.  The type of cryogenic tank will dictate whether or not actual liquid nitrogen is required (HazMat labelling), or whether less rigorous "dry shipper" packaging will suffice.

    

4. Once landed in the U.S., delivery is best effected by a courier service such as FedEx or UPS, and the broker that assisted with clearance can expedite such transfer.

WHEN EXPORTING:

1. ALWAYS require the latest detailed requirements for importation DIRECTLY from the destination country's Agricultural Authorities. While the USDA endeavors to keep an inventory of the various regulations on computer, it often takes many months from the moment regulations are changed in a foreign country until they are officially transmitted to the USDA and updated here.

    

2. Depending upon the country of destination, it is often most economical overall to purchase a brand new tank for the client here, and use it to send the semen or embryos "one-way", eliminating the expense and hassle of returning a rented tank.

Our convenient location not far from the main USDA office in Sacramento has been very helpful in expediting many an International Health Certificate and export, particularly of fresh-chilled semen, where collection, USDA-certification, and export must all occur on the same day.

Among our experience and "firsts":

• First-ever United States export of frozen equine semen to eastern Europe (Czechoslovakia, 1993).
• First-ever United States export of frozen equine semen to Sri Lanka (1996).
• First-ever United States export of frozen equine semen to the Phillippines (1997).
• First-ever United States export of frozen jack semen to Great Britain (1997) with three mules out of draft mares on the ground as of 2004).
• First-ever United States export of frozen jack semen to New Zealand (2000).
• First-ever United States export of frozen Senepol cattle embryos to Thailand (2004).
• First-ever United States export of chilled stallion semen on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday basis for a full breeding season to both Australia and New Zealand (2003).
   
• Importation of approximately 900 frozen Cashmere goat embryos from Tasmania (1990).
• Importation of Polwarth and Corriedale ram semen from Australia (1992, 1993).
• Importation of Catalonian Jack semen from Spain (1994).
• Importation of semen from over two dozen Dutch Warmblood stallions from Holland for North American distribution (1996 to present).
• Importation of chilled dog semen from Australia using our special extender (2000).
• Exportation of frozen equine semen to Australia, New Zealand, and Holland (1998 to present).
• Exportation of frozen bull semen to Nicaragua (1998)
• Exportation of frozen stallion semen to Brazil (2000).