	Introduction

The United States exports agricultural products to nearly every country in the world. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that U.S. agricultural exports reached nearly $139 billion in FY2017 ( Figure 1 ). USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is the U.S. government authority tasked with regulating most animal and plant product exports. Export health certificates are commonly necessary for the export of horticultural products (e.g., fruits and vegetables) and livestock, which represent over one-third ($53 billion) of U.S. agricultural exports in FY2017 ( Figure 2 ). To meet the health standards required by U.S. trading partners, APHIS and other U.S. federal agencies negotiate "export health certificates" with each partner country ( Figure 3 ). Export health certificates are also part of broader agreements between the United States and its trading partners on the World Trade Organization's (WTO) established "sanitary and phytosanitary" (SPS) measures. These measures protect against diseases, pests, toxins, and other contaminants. Without these certificates, shipments could be delayed or rejected. This report discusses APHIS's role in export health certificate issuance to facilitate agricultural trade. APHIS is not the sole issuer of export health certificates; many food and agricultural products (i.e., that are not horticultural products or livestock) have oversight by other federal agencies that are outside the scope of this report. An APHIS export health certificate informs the importing country that the U.S. product is free of certain diseases, and it includes additional information required by the importer. In FY2017, APHIS issued close to 675,000 federal export health certificates for international agricultural shipments. For example, the Department of Commerce has jurisdiction over the administration of health certificates for fish and seafood. For example, an importing country may require two certificates from a U.S. exporter of hatching eggs, including one requiring the exporter to participate in the Agricultural Marketing Service's "export verification program" and a second requiring the exporter to obtain an APHIS export health certificate. Other Certificates and Programs

APHIS export health certificates do not apply to certain food and agricultural products. The following list describes the most common types of certificates and programs—outside of the APHIS export health certificates—that facilitate agricultural exports. These certificates verify that the accompanying products have been inspected by FSIS at official FSIS slaughter and processing establishments and approved cold storage facilities. Animal Health Certificates

VS is the authority for issuing export animal health certificates for live animals (including semen and embryos), pets, animal products, and biologics (vaccines, bacterins, antisera, diagnostic kits, and other products of biological origin). The President's FY2019 budget proposes to reduce the overall APHIS budget by 25%, which could impact the resources available to process the current volume of APHIS export health certificates. How Export Health Certificates Facilitate Trade

Export health certificates facilitate trade by verifying that U.S. agricultural exports meet importers' health and safety standards. APHIS, in collaboration with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), is primarily responsible for resolving disputes that arise between U.S. exporters and importing countries over health-certificate-related issues. In particular, export health certificate discussions among scientific authorities contributed to opening markets for beef to China, poultry to Korea, and potatoes to Japan in FY2017. Export health certificates and the process underlying them may help facilitate trade in certain animal health situations. Considerations for Congress

Congress has direct interest in export health certificates—both through annual appropriations for APHIS activities and through congressional oversight. Examples of potential oversight issues include preparation for animal disease outbreaks, export-market openings, and potential U.S. agricultural trade barriers. The Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response portion of the APHIS budget is responsible for monitoring animal and plant health in the United States and throughout the world, representing roughly 85% of APHIS's budget. The FY2019 APHIS proposed budget totaled $742 million, down 25% from FY2018 funding. This proposed reduction would affect all major area activities, particularly Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response. This proposed budget reduction for FY2019 could affect APHIS's ability to issue health certificates for both exports and imports of agricultural products. Limiting APHIS's ability to issue export health certificates could negatively impact U.S. agricultural exports. Likewise, APHIS funding for this budget line item also supports APHIS's ability to enforce animal and/or plant health requirements that protect the United States against the unintended introduction of animal and/or plant pests and diseases. In contrast to the President's budget proposal for FY2019, both the House and the Senate proposed roughly $1 billion for the FY2019 APHIS budget, or roughly $260 million over the Administration's request and an increase from FY2018 ( Table 2 ). Finally, as the United States has entered into, or is currently negotiating or renegotiating, certain regional and bilateral free trade agreements that address agricultural trade, APHIS's health certificates would be expected to be a component of any SPS chapter included as part of a free trade agreement or trade negotiation that includes agriculture. Each importing country is allowed to have different import requirements—and some are stricter than others—which sometimes result in "non-tariff measures," as explained in the text box below. SPS requirements by individual countries can become the source of a trade dispute and may be used by some countries as a way to protect local markets, thereby discouraging U.S. exports.
An agricultural export health certificate verifies that agricultural products are prepared or raised in accordance with requirements of the importing country. In the United States, export health certificates are issued primarily by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for live animals, raw fruits and vegetables, and some grain products. APHIS ensures that U.S. exporters have met animal and plant health requirements for export. Other federal agencies, not discussed here, have authority over agricultural products outside of APHIS's jurisdiction, such as oversight of processed foods and processed meats.
APHIS serves as the principal U.S. scientific authority on verification of the animal and plant export health certificates when communicating with foreign governments. Animal and plant export health certificates assure foreign countries that their health requirements (e.g., disease-free livestock and plants) have been met and aim to keep diseases from crossing international borders.
In FY2017, APHIS issued almost 675,000 export health certificates that helped facilitate more than $50 billion in plant and animal product exports. A major driver of the volume of agricultural exports was meeting key "sanitary and phytosanitary" (SPS) measures established by international organizations such as the World Trade Organization. SPS measures are the rules that governments employ to protect against diseases, pests, toxins, and other contaminants. These SPS measures are verified in animal and plant health certificates, which in turn help to facilitate agricultural trade. Failure to meet export health certificate requirements can result in shipments being rejected or delayed, resulting in additional expense to the exporter. Therefore, export health certification allows both parties to agree to mutual trade terms and in so doing facilitates agricultural trade.
Congress has direct interest in export health certificates through annual appropriations for APHIS activities. The President's proposed FY2019 budget for APHIS is $742 million (including building and facility costs), down 25% from FY2018 appropriations (P.L. 115-141). This proposed reduction decreases APHIS funding for "Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response," which provides technical support for both exported and imported agricultural products. In addition to facilitating U.S. agricultural exports, this item also supports APHIS enforcement of animal and/or plant health requirements that protect the United States against the unintended introduction of animal and/or plant pests and diseases. Limiting APHIS's ability to issue export health certificates could negatively impact U.S. agricultural exports. In May 2018, both the House and the Senate proposed roughly $1 billion for the APHIS FY2019 appropriations, an increase from FY2018, or roughly $260 million over the Administration's request.
Potential issues for congressional oversight include preparation for animal disease outbreaks, opening export markets, and potential U.S. agricultural trade barriers. The Trump Administration has entered into, or is currently negotiating, regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) that address SPS measures and export health certificates. Each importing country can have different import requirements—which sometimes result in "non-tariff measures" (NTMs). SPS requirements by individual countries can become the source of a trade dispute and may be used by some countries as a way to protect local markets, thereby discouraging U.S. exports.
An agricultural export health certificate verifies that agricultural products are prepared or raised in accordance with requirements of the importing country. In the United States, export health certificates are issued primarily by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for live animals, raw fruits and vegetables, and some grain products. APHIS ensures that U.S. exporters have met animal and plant health requirements for export. Other federal agencies, not discussed here, have authority over agricultural products outside of APHIS's jurisdiction, such as oversight of processed foods and processed meats.
APHIS serves as the principal U.S. scientific authority on verification of the animal and plant export health certificates when communicating with foreign governments. Animal and plant export health certificates assure foreign countries that their health requirements (e.g., disease-free livestock and plants) have been met and aim to keep diseases from crossing international borders.
In FY2017, APHIS issued almost 675,000 export health certificates that helped facilitate more than $50 billion in plant and animal product exports. A major driver of the volume of agricultural exports was meeting key "sanitary and phytosanitary" (SPS) measures established by international organizations such as the World Trade Organization. SPS measures are the rules that governments employ to protect against diseases, pests, toxins, and other contaminants. These SPS measures are verified in animal and plant health certificates, which in turn help to facilitate agricultural trade. Failure to meet export health certificate requirements can result in shipments being rejected or delayed, resulting in additional expense to the exporter. Therefore, export health certification allows both parties to agree to mutual trade terms and in so doing facilitates agricultural trade.
Congress has direct interest in export health certificates through annual appropriations for APHIS activities. The President's proposed FY2019 budget for APHIS is $742 million (including building and facility costs), down 25% from FY2018 appropriations (P.L. 115-141). This proposed reduction decreases APHIS funding for "Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response," which provides technical support for both exported and imported agricultural products. In addition to facilitating U.S. agricultural exports, this item also supports APHIS enforcement of animal and/or plant health requirements that protect the United States against the unintended introduction of animal and/or plant pests and diseases. Limiting APHIS's ability to issue export health certificates could negatively impact U.S. agricultural exports. In May 2018, both the House and the Senate proposed roughly $1 billion for the APHIS FY2019 appropriations, an increase from FY2018, or roughly $260 million over the Administration's request.
Potential issues for congressional oversight include preparation for animal disease outbreaks, opening export markets, and potential U.S. agricultural trade barriers. The Trump Administration has entered into, or is currently negotiating, regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) that address SPS measures and export health certificates. Each importing country can have different import requirements—which sometimes result in "non-tariff measures" (NTMs). SPS requirements by individual countries can become the source of a trade dispute and may be used by some countries as a way to protect local markets, thereby discouraging U.S. exports.