JAMIE CLOVER ADAMS, DIRECTOR,
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Food safety is the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's top priority, not only because it helps protect consumers from foodborne illness, but also because it helps Michigan food businesses stay competitive and market their products both domestically and across the world.
Our state's strong food safety licensing and inspection program coupled with the industry's reputation for high quality commodities and processed food products makes Michigan ripe for the export market. Michigan exports over $3.53 billion annually in food products to foreign countries, and that number continues to grow.
Just as the U.S. has stringent food safety requirements for foreign companies who want to sell their products here, other countries place requirements on U.S. companies who want to export products. Each country has its own requirements list for documentation and food safety. These requirements help countries assure their citizens that imported products are equivalent to products offered for sale in the exporting country.
A Certificate of Free Sale is required by some countries for certain commodities and processed foods, certifying that specified imported goods are normally and freely sold in the exporting country's open markets and are approved for export.
Certificates of Free Sale are issued by MDARD's Food and Dairy Division to licensed Michigan food processors that wish to export their processed food products. Many countries will not accept products without a Certificate of Free Sale. Each certificate states that a particular product is produced and marketed in Michigan by a licensed and inspected food processor, the processing facility meets Generally Accepted Manufacturing Standards, and the product's manufacturer has no unresolved enforcement actions pending before either the Food and Drug Administration or the State of Michigan.
Turn-around time for companies to receive their certificates after MDARD receives a request is typically 3-5 days, depending on workload. The certificates expire one year from the date of issuance.
Based on customer feedback, recent process improvements for this program have increased the speed of certificate issuance and reduced errors. MDARD has also aligned the wording on Certificates of Free Sale to match other forms required for exporting, which allows for a smoother export/import process.
Certificates of Free Sale and MDARD's licensing and inspection program helps create more opportunities for companies in the global market and allows companies to reach out and expand into international markets. MDARD is proud to be a partner with industry, helping our businesses grow and thrive.
For more information on MDARD's International Marketing Program or Certificates of Free Sale, contact the department toll-free at 800-292-3939.
Published: Fri, Sep 18, 2015
