Dear Fellow Researchers,

I need to know the licensing and or permitting requirements by the FDA
and USDA (only) for importing cheeses and cured animals products from
Italy to the USA.  In other words, what license or permits do I need
to import these products, from the FDA and USDA.  The importation is
for commercial purposes for a small business in California.  The
volume is low, less than 2000kg/year, and more than 5kg/shipment (not
for personal or research purposes).

This question might require putting in a couple simple calls to the
FDA District office in California and the USDA in Washington DC.

Details:
Cheeses include cow, sheep, and goat cheeses: hard cheeses (e.g.
parmigiano reggiano), cheeses in liquid (mozzarella di bufala), and
semi-soft (brie-like).  Note, some soft cheeses (from raw milk might
be prohibited).
  
Animal products include cured pork, beef, turkey, chicken: prosciutto,
coppa, bresaola (cured beef), and smoked turkey/chicken.

A satisfactory answer would let me know which permits/license forms
(with online links) to fill out (if any), how long does the permitting
process takes, and whether I need the permits before the shipment
takes off from Italy.

By the way, sometimes the FDA/USDA operators are not well informed.  I
really this answer to confirm what I already gathered.

Thank you kindly for your quick response,
Claudietta