The GV Division has been assigned responsibility for reviewing and approving companies as eligible suppliers of ovine meat and meat products under the USDA Export Verification (EV) Programs. The EV Programs outline the specified product requirements for individual countries. The specified product requirements must be met through an approved Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program. The QSA Program ensures that the specified product requirements are supported by a documented quality management system and is verified through independent, third-party audits conducted by the GV Division.

Only eligible suppliers listed on the Official Listing for Ovine EV Programs may supply conforming ovine meat and meat products to the countries for which they are approved. Conforming product must be produced under an approved Program and be identified as meeting the requirements of the applicable USDA EV Program. Only conforming product which is identified as eligible for export by the country may be exported. Eligible products and export requirements are listed on the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) export website.

Eligible suppliers must submit a list of all product items intended for export. The product list must be submitted in the approved Excel format and update must be made in accordance with the procedure, EV Program Updating Approved Product Lists.

The following Procedure outlines the specified product requirements for Ovine EV Programs