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Implementation of Contingency Plan & Antibiotic Resistance Panel

Implementation of Contingency Plan

In the March issue of AgVetLink MAF advised the public that if there was further delay in the commencement of the HSNO Act and, consequently, delay in the commencement of the ACVM Act it would implement a contingency plan to give maximum effect to Government policies under the existing legislation (ie Animal Remedies, Pesticides, Fertilisers and Stock Foods Acts).

The Minister for the Environment was to make an announcement in mid- April about the likely HSNO commencement date. At the time of printing this issue of AgVetLink the announcement has not been made, and MAF assumes that there is insufficient time to complete the necessary legislative groundwork to support the commencement of the HSNO Act by mid-year 1999. MAF advises regulated parties that commencement may not occur before October 1999. At this time MAF is unable to provide a more precise statement about the commencement of the ACVM Act.

As advised in the March issue of AgVetLink MAF will progressively introduce changes in the present regulatory process with the intention of having a marked change in operation by 1 July 1999. The changes will foreshadow the operational arrangements that were to be introduced under the ACVM Act. However, it must be noted that what is done must be sustainable under the existing legislation and MAF must administer the legislation effectively.

MAF will be making policy recommendations to the statutory boards to adjust the regulatory interests in certain products. However, until further notice, the present regulatory system will apply to all animal remedies, pesticides, fertilisers and stock foods.

Readers are advised that:

• Agricultural compound products that are not regulated under the existing legislation will not be regulated until the ACVM Act commences.

• Anyone who is holding off marketing a product in anticipation that the product would be exempted from registration must be aware that the proposals to exempt agricultural compounds or veterinary medicines under the ACVM Act cannot come into effect until the commencement of that Act. If you intend to market the product during 1999 you may want to reconsider licensing it as an animal remedy or registering it as a pesticide, whichever is relevant.

• Any product that meets the definition of a fertiliser under the Fertilisers Act must be registered under that Act.

• Dietary supplements that have in the past been defined as animal remedies will continue to be defined as such and must be licensed under that Act.

• Existing requirements to pay annual fees will continue for all licensed/registered products.

MAF will publicise any decisions made that would alter the regulatory interest in any of the products mentioned above. However, until policies are actually endorsed by the relevant statutory board, present policy will apply.

Antibiotic Resistance Panel

Membership of the MAF Antibiotic Resistance Expert Panel has been finalised and the Panel first met on 16 April 1999. Following a review of the Terms of Reference, the Panel identified a target date of 30 July 1999 to provide a report to the MAF Antibiotic Resistance Steering Group. The membership of the Expert Panel is:

Chair Prof Bill Manktelow
Veterinary Clinical Pharmacologist Dr Paul Chambers
Veterinary Microbiologist Dr Roger Marshall
Livestock Nutritionist Dr Julian Waters
Epidemiologist Dr Mike Bates
Human Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr Tim Blackmore
MAF Secretariat and Veterinary
Clinical Pharmacologist Dr Nick Whelan (replacement to be advised)