An animal-science baccalaureate fits the Animal Scientist entry, so an employed U.S. position in that field can qualify. She cannot continue self-employed consulting while physically in the United States on TN; the status covers only the employment named in the application.
Employment yes, side practice no
Hypothetical example: a Haldimand County consultant who formulates rations for dairy herds is offered a nutritionist job by a U.S. feed cooperative and wants to keep invoicing her Ontario farm clients on weekends. The employment half is straightforward: Animal Scientist is a listed profession requiring a baccalaureate or Licenciatura, she holds an animal-science degree, and the cooperative is a U.S.
employer. The consulting half is the problem. TN authorizes work for the employer identified in the application; independent consulting performed from U.S.
soil is unauthorized self-employment, and it does not become permitted because the clients are Canadian. She can wind the practice down, hand it to an associate, or perform that work only while physically in Canada. Ownership of her consulting corporation must still be disclosed.
Decide the fate of the practice before the port-of-entry interview, not after an officer asks about it. First, compare the proposed work arrangement with the paper trail that would exist after the start date: the employment letter, payroll, tax reporting, services agreement and invoice flow should all point to the same U.S. employer.
Hypothetical example: a poultry-feed formulator proposes to work through a Canadian corporation that will bill a U.S. integrator. The services agreement, invoice recipient, payroll records and right-to-control clause settle whether the integrator is truly the employer.
If it will merely buy the corporation's output, a TN application for employment does not solve the arrangement. The parties should restructure employment before travel or select a category compatible with the facts.