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Code of Practice: Processing of Bee Products

Part 1 - Overview

2 Requirements of the Animal Products Act 1999

Amendment 0

July 2005

The Animal Products Act 1999 is New Zealand’s legal framework for the processing of animal products. It establishes a risk management system that requires all animal products traded and used to be “fit for intended purpose”. The Act sets out the duties of the operator and the requirements related to risk management programmes (RMPs), regulated control schemes, and exporter controls.

2.1 Risk management programmes (Part 2 of the Act)

All secondary processors of bee products for human consumption that need an official assurance to export their products are required to have a documented RMP. Secondary processing includes, but is not limited to, the following operations:

• processing of honey – from receipt of honey supers, to extraction, processing, packing, and storage;

• storage of bulk honey;

• processing of dried pollen – from receipt of pollen, to drying , freezing, packing and storage;

• further processing, packing and storage of honey products (e.g. honey and fruit, honey and velvet) and other edible bee products; extraction of propolis;

• processing of wax for human consumption (e.g. wax used for comb honey foundation, cosmetics, pharmaceutical materials).

Secondary processing starts from the point when raw material (e.g. honey supers, pollen, raw propolis) is received at the premises or facility where it will be processed (e.g. extracted, dried, heated), packed or stored.

All existing bee product processors that require an RMP must operate under a registered programme from 1 July 2006. Application for registration should be made at least three months before this date (i.e. by 1 April 2006 to ensure registration is in place by 1 July 2006).

2.2 Regulated control schemes (Part 3 of the Act)

A regulated control scheme is a scheme developed by the NZFSA and imposed by the

Director-General to manage risks, where:

• RMPs would not be feasible or practicable;

• it is more efficient for the government to run the programme; or

• it is needed to meet the market access requirements of foreign governments.

At present, there are no regulated control schemes for bee product processing.

2.3 Exporter controls (Part 5 of the Act)

Exporters of bee products are required to register with the NZFSA. Exporters are responsible for exporting in accordance with the Act and, where appropriate, may be required to meet specified market access requirements of foreign governments which may be additional to the New Zealand standard.

Export requirements are excluded from this COP, as they are additional to RMP requirements. Operators need to be aware of these requirements and ensure that their documented systems include procedures and records necessary to demonstrate compliance with all relevant requirements notified in:

• General Requirements for Export (GREX); and

• Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR).

The Guide for Exporters and the Bee Products Official Assurances Guide discuss exporter requirements in more detail.

2.4 Imposition of authorisations, duties and responsibilities (Part 8 of the Animal Products Act)

The Act provides for the recognition by the NZFSA of agencies and persons to undertake certain functions and activities (e.g. evaluation and external verification) that are important to the management of RMPs. The NZFSA maintains a public register of all recognised agencies and accredited persons, which is available on the NZFSA website.

The Act imposes duties on these key persons:

• operators of RMPs (section 16 of the Act);

• exporters (section 51 of the Act);

• recognised agencies (section 106 of the Act); and

• accredited persons (section 107 of the Act).

The Act also provides for appropriate penalties to be applied when an offence occurs.