Argentina facilitates efforts to maintain adequate food production

In the framework of preventive and mandatory social distancing ordered by the national government to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (SENASA) has provided a series of measures and has increased flexibility to ensure that stakeholders can carry out required paperwork in a digital format, which is key in the food production and distribution chain for domestic consumption and international trade.

• The government has extended deadlines for several procedures and required documents. Animal feed productions have until July 31 to register as an establishment or submit other routine required documents.
• The government will facilitate transport to and from farms that have not yet completed 2020 vaccinations for foot-and-mouth disease.
• Inspections for the import and export of animals are considered essential and, by means of Provision 130/2020, the validity of diagnostic tests required to maintain or re-certify the disease-free status of operations expiring between 20 March and 31 May 2020 are extended until 31 May 2020.
• The health authorizations for the transport of live animals were extended from one year to 18 months without affecting the health and welfare of the animals (Resolution 581/2014 and Provision DNSA 108/2020) and those for products, by-products and derivatives of animal origin are extended until 31 July 2020 (Resolution 295/2020).