This page contains detailed instructions and the documents necessary for account establishment and international sample shipping. Cumberland Valley Analytical Services is committed to providing forage testing and evaluation services to the international community. United States Government regulations for the importation of plant materials are significant and must be carefully adhered to.
Information Needed for International Shipping
Failure to follow import directions may result in fines from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). These fines will be passed on to the sender of the package.
Documents Obtained from CVAS
- Cumberland Valley Analytical Services Departmental Import Permit
- Facility Registration Number of CVAS: 12264057024
Documents Generated by Shipper
- Shipper’s Facility Registration Number
- Shipper’s Prior Notice Number
Include all of the above information on the outside of the package. Also place a copy of the CVAS Import Permit and the Shippers Prior Notice inside the package.
Once the request is sent to CVAS to establish an account, CVAS will send detailed directions on how to create the necessary shipper generated documents.
Important Information
Samples must not contain any animal proteins. This includes, but is not limited to bloodmeal, fishmeal, feathermeal, meat and bone meal. A separate permit is available for this material.
Please email CVAS at mail@foragelab.com to request the Shipping Protocol for Animal Proteins.
In situ analysis options are not available to international clients due to USDA restrictions.
Sample Preparation
- 1. Due to possible delays that can occur during the U.S. Government inspection process, taking any or all of the following steps can be beneficial to help preserve the characteristics of the sample:
- Dry and grind the sample
- Sample can not be dried if requesting fermentation analysis
- Include information on grind type
- For wet samples, vacuum seal the sample
- Include cooler packs (ensure they will not leak)
- Mark the box ‘Perishable Samples – Keep Refrigerated’
- 2. Shipments may arrive within two days to two weeks depending on the schedule of United States Customs and Plant Protection and Quarantine agents. Regrettably, CVAS can not speed up the process. If you have any questions on the status of your shipment, please contact us and include the package tracking number.
- 3. Please refer to the page “Additional Information for Preparation of Samples” for more information.