Untanned hides and skins and bird trophies 1 may be imported into the United States if they meet the requirements of this section. Except for ruminant hides or skins from Mexico, untanned hides and skins and bird trophies may also be imported if handled at an approved establishment as set forth in § 95.17.

1 The importation of bird trophies is also subject to restrictions under § 95.17.

Untanned hides and skins. (1) Except for ruminant hides or skins from Mexico, any untanned hides or skins of ruminants from regions free of foot-and-mouth disease and any untanned hides or skins of swine from regions free of foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever may be imported without further restriction.

Untanned ruminant hides or skins may be imported from any region without other restriction if an inspector determines, based on inspection and upon examination of a shipper or importer certificate, that they are hard dried hides or skins.

Except for ruminant hides or skins from Mexico, untanned abattoir hides or skins of ruminants may be imported from any region without other restriction if the following requirements are met:

The ruminants from which the hides or skins were taken have been slaughtered under national government inspection in a region 2 and in an abattoir in which is maintained an inspection service that meets the requirements and has been approved pursuant to part 327 of this title; and

2 Names of these regions will be furnished upon request to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, National Center for Import and Export, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, Maryland 20737-1231.

The hides or skins are accompanied by a certificate bearing the seal of the proper department of that national government and signed by an official veterinary inspector of the region in which the ruminants were slaughtered. The certificate must state that the hides or skins were taken from ruminants slaughtered in an abattoir that meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section and that the hides or skins are free from anthrax and foot-and-mouth disease.

Untanned ruminant hides or skins from any region may be imported without other restriction if an inspector determines, based on inspection and upon examination of a shipper or importer certificate, that they have been pickled in a solution of salt containing mineral acid and packed in barrels, casks, or tight cases while still wet with such solution. The solution must be determined by the inspector to have a pH of less than or equal to 5.

Untanned ruminant hides or skins from any region may be imported without other restriction if an inspector determines, based on inspection and upon examination of a shipper or importer certificate, that they have been treated with lime in such manner and for such period as to have obviously been processed, to have become dehaired, and to have reached the stage of preparation for immediate manufacture into products ordinarily made from rawhide.

Ruminant hides and skins from Mexico. Ruminant hides and skins from Mexico may enter the United States without other restriction if:

They are free of ticks and have been subjected to any one of the treatments specified in paragraphs (a)(2), (a)(4), or (a)(5) of this section; or

They are inspected and found to have been frozen solid for 24 hours by an inspector and are accompanied by a certificate attesting to that fact issued by the shipper or importer that is reviewed by the inspector, and are free from ticks; or

They are free from ticks and are accompanied by a certificate issued by a full-time salaried veterinary officer of the Government of Mexico stating that they have been treated with an acaricide; or

They are bovine hides taken from cattle that were subjected to a tickicidal dip in one of the permitted dips listed in § 72.13(b) of this chapter at a Mexican facility 7 to 12 days prior to slaughter, and are free from ticks.

Bird trophies. Bird trophies from regions designated in § 94.6 of this subchapter as free of Newcastle disease and free of HPAI may be imported without further restriction if accompanied by a certificate of origin issued by the national government of the region of export.