Good manufacturing practice

MAF has released proposals for the monitoring of compliance with good manufacturing practice (GMP) by manufacturers of pesticides in anticipation of the implementation of the ACVM Act. The key factors supporting this decision are:

1. For agricultural compounds that are used on food producing plants, a requirement will exist for assurance that domestic food residue standards are not breached as a result of inappropriate manufacture.
2. MAF, in developing policy for implementation under the Act, has determined that the aspects of chemistry and manufacture are the two significant characteristics that define the identity of a product. This is of particular importance to both MAF and the registrants of control unauthorised manufacture or importation of products that do not comply with the conditions of registration.
3. When unfinished products are imported to be finished in New Zealand to comply with conditions of registration, they will be redirected at the border to approved premises. Since the finishing of products comprises one or more manufacturing steps, the manufacturing site carrying out the finishing must be approved. The omission of manufacturers of plant products from GMP approval would mean that only fully finished plant products would be able to be imported

Manufacturing activities carried out for plant products that will be subject to monitoring for compliance with the ACVM Standard for GMP, will be limited to formulating, filling, packing and testing (of pesticides) where any of these activities occur. No technical active ingredients are produced in New Zealand, so this means that they will be automatically cleared as materials, at the border, when being imported.

MAF is therefore accepting applications for approval from pesticide manufacturers. Application forms and guidelines for their completion may be requested from the ACVM Group

For further information please contact
Brian Pidford
National Manager,
ACVM Verification
PO Box 2526,
WELLINGTON
Phone: 04 460 8762
Fax: 04 460 8771
Email: pidfordb@maf.govt.nz