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Animal Products (Export Verification Requirements) Notice 2009

Animal Products Export Verification Programme

Date: 4 May 2009

1 Background

The regulation of animal products under the APA is being rationalised for greater consistency between sectors. Although a basic framework is in place for export assurances, each evolved independently as a result of differing regulatory/industry/trading partner interactions. This situation has presented risks for consistent implementation of standards across sectors and undermines the integrity of certification.

Harmonisation of export verification across all animal product sectors is one of the first stages of the process of rationalisation, specifically directed at the official assurance system.

Export Verification – Animal Products

The notice is the product of substantial consultation with all industries and nominated industry representatives and reflects the principles required to support a credible and consistent official assurance system

2 Summary

The Animal Products (Export Verification Requirements) Notice 2009 establishes a new framework for animal products (dairy) RMP verification. For other animal product sectors, the existing requirements have been elevated from a statement of policy and have been embedded in tertiary legislation. The notice has been issued under section 60 and 167 of the Animal Products Act 1999.

The new requirements represent greater change for the dairy industry and NZFSA dairy recognised verifying agencies. The objective of the new requirements is to provide more regular recognised agency verification at dairy operations, as well as to allow the frequency of verification to be readily adjusted for performance. This will ensure that the recognised agency has greater familiarity with RMP operations, and an enhanced overview of operational compliance with the RMP and export requirements.

NZFSA has provided additional guidance in the Animal Products Export Verification Programme. NZFSA intends the programme to be the day to day operational reference for export verification. The programme has been published to facilitate implementation of the Notice. However the highlighted part (Part 6) is still undergoing substantial review and this part will be updated in due course.

Operators not seeking official assurance eligibility for their product are not affected by this notice or programme.

3 Implementation

Date of implementation:

1 July 2009

4 Revocation

The export component of the Verification 2005 Statement of Policy is superseded by issue of the Export Verification Programme.