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Code of Practice: Processing of Bee Products

3 Guidelines for Completing the RMP Template

June 2006

Amendment 1

Disclaimer Considerable effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in the RMP Template for the Processing of Honey and Dried Pollen, and the RMP Template for the Storage of Bulk Honey is accurate, up to date, and otherwise adequate in all respects. Nevertheless, these Templates are approved STRICTLY on the basis that the Crown, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, its statutory officers, employees, agents, and all other persons involved with the writing, editing, approval or publication of, or any other kind of work in connection with these Templates: a. disclaim any and all responsibility for any inaccuracy, error, omission, or any other kind of inadequacy, deficiency, or flaw in, or in relation to, the RMP Template for the Processing of Honey and Dried Pollen, and the RMP Template for the Storage of Bulk Honey; and b. without limiting a) above, fully exclude any and all liability of any kind, on the part of any and all of them, to any person or entity that applies the RMP Template for the Processing of Honey and Dried Pollen, and the RMP Template for the Storage of Bulk Honey.

3.1 General instructions

The RMP template must be completed by a person or people who have full knowledge of the whole operation covered by the RMP. The person completing the template should:

a. read this guideline for each section of the template before completing it;

b. provide the required information by:

• entering information into the empty boxes or blank lines, or

• ticking the appropriate answer or information, e.g. [√ ]

c. ensure that all information provided is legible; and

d. ensure that everything written down accurately reflects or applies to their operation and that they will be able to comply with them.

3.2 Components of the RMP template

Section 1: Business/RMP identification

Business ID: Choose a unique business identifier. It must be a number or number/letter combination of at least 3 and not more than 10 characters with at least one character as a number and no leading zeros. The business identifier cannot be the same as an exporter registration identifier. It must also be different to any existing NZFSA Bee Products Premises listing identifier. This is because of technical constraints within the database.

Operators who have previously completed an AP35 form and are currently listed as a bee product premises with NZFSA will need to choose a new business identifier when making an application for registration of an RMP.

For those premises that are currently EU listed, the same business identifier must be used for the RMP registration and for EU listing of the premises.

When an existing EU listed premises registers their RMP, NZFSA will automatically change the EU listing identifier for that premises to the new RMP business identifier.

Operators that are not currently listed for the EU but who wish to be listed for EU market access need to complete an AP32 form per the instructions on that form.

RMP No: Please assign a sequential two digit number (01-99) to each new RMP you have. Enter 01 if this is your first RMP.

Section 2: Operator name, business address and contact details

Full legal name: If the business is a company, then the full legal name must match the details given at the Companies Office exactly. If the business is a partnership or a sole trader operation then the name(s) of the business owner(s) must be provided.

Trading Name: This is the name that you trade under, i.e. the name that you use on your shop sign or letterhead, which may be different to the legal name given above.

Physical address: Give the street address of the premises covered by the RMP. The address of any off-site building where an activity covered by your RMP occurs and is under your control (e.g. storage shed) should also be given.

Postal address: Give the address where you want any correspondence sent to.

Phone / Fax / Email: Give the contact details for the business.

Tick the box to indicate that you agree to correspondence about your RMP being sent to you by email. This is recommended, whenever possible, as it speeds up communication from the NZFSA significantly.

Section 3: Responsible person

The day-to-day manager is the person responsible for the implementation of the RMP and for ensuring that it is kept up to date. He/she is the contact person for the NZFSA and the verification agency when dealing with matters related to the RMP.

Give the name, position or designation, and contact details (phone no., fax no., email address) of the day-to-day manager.

Section 4: Scope of the RMP

Physical boundaries: Tick the box to confirm that you have attached a basic site plan showing the buildings, facilities and external surroundings included under your RMP. Any off-site building where an activity covered by your RMP occurs and is under your control (e.g. storage shed) should be included as part of the physical boundaries of your RMP. The physical boundary of the RMP must be clearly marked on the site plan with a dark marking pen.

Areas and facilities within the boundary that are excluded in the RMP (e.g. retail shop that you wish to keep under the Food Act regime) should also be clearly indicated in the site plan.

Attach the site plan to the completed RMP template.

RMP coverage: Indicate the types of operation that are covered under your RMP by ticking the relevant boxes. If you have other operations that should be covered by the RMP, specify this under “other”. If this “other” operation is not adequately covered by this template and the code of practice, you must add more details as required for these operations throughout the RMP.

Activities excluded from the RMP: Specify any activity that occurs within the physical boundaries of your RMP that you want to exclude because it is covered under a different RMP or under the Food Act regime.

Examples of activities that you may wish to keep under the Food Act regime are: retail shop, packing of honey only for the domestic market.

Section 5: Product description

Products: Consider all of the bee products that leave your RMP. If necessary, change the products listed to agree with what you produce. Delete or cross out the column of any product that you do not produce. If you produce other products that are not included in the table, add the required information into a new column or another page.

Intended consumer: Indicate whether the product is for human and/or animal consumption.

Intended uses: Indicate the uses for each product.

Regulatory limits: The NZFSA has not set any regulatory limits for honey or other bee products. Do not change or add anything to this row.

Other legal requirements: Specific legal requirements for each product are given. Do not change or add anything to these rows.

Labelling: Legal requirements for labelling are given. Do not change this information.

Indicate any label claims made for any product (e.g. organic).

(Note: All label claims must be truthful and evidence must be available to justify them).

Section 6: Process description

Process steps: Indicate all the key process steps included in your RMP by ticking the relevant boxes. Delete or cross out those steps that are not applicable to your process. If your process has other steps aside from those listed, specify them under the relevant product column.

Section 7: External verification

This section states that you authorize the contracted verifier to have the freedom and access to carry out verification activities. Do not change or add anything to this section.

Confirm, by ticking the box at the bottom of the section, that a letter has been received from the verification agency confirming that they will verify the RMP.

Section 8: RMP document list, responsibilities for and authorisation of RMP

Column 1: Document

This gives the list of all the documents, including the GMP supporting systems, that form part of your RMP. Ensure that all the documents are applicable to your RMP.

Columns 2 and 3: Documents from the COP

Instead of writing your own documents, the following RMP components can be incorporated into your RMP by reference in this document list:

• GMP supporting systems from Part 2 of the COP

• HACCP application from Part 3 of the COP

• Identification of other risk factors from Part 4 of the COP

Write the particular section of the COP that applies to your RMP under the “reference” column, and the date on the document referred to. The date indicates the version of the document. Ensure that all documents are applicable to your product, process, and premises (follow the instructions in the box given below).

The GMP supporting systems in Part 2 of the COP describe the hygienic practices and procedures that you will comply with. The external verifier will confirm the effectiveness of the RMP against these procedures and requirements. Read each GMP supporting sytem or programme thoroughly. Ensure that all the written procedures apply to your operation and that you will be able to comply with them. Some GMP supporting systems require that you provide information specific to your operation (e.g. Schedule 1 for water). Ensure that any additional documents are listed in the RMP Document List. Initial the bottom of every page of any additional document and put a date to indicate the version.

Columns 4 and 5: Operator’s own documents based on the COP

Write the title and date of any of your own written procedures for products, processes, and GMP programmes that are covered in the COP. Examples of this type of documents are: cleaning schedules, pest control schedule, and operating procedures that are specific to your premises and personnel but still comply with the COP. Ensure that they are clearly identified, with a version number (e.g. date), as part of the RMP.

Columns 6 and 7: Operator’s own documents for additional products, processes and procedures

Write the title and date of any of your own written procedures for products, processes, and GMP procedures that are not covered in the COP. Examples of this type of documents are: operating procedures for products other than honey and dried pollen, HACCP application and identification of other risk factors (wholesomeness and labelling) for other products . Ensure that they are clearly identified, with a version number (e.g. date), as part of the RMP.

Note: The RMP Template for the Storage of Bulk Honey does not have these columns since it is expected that all the products and activities under the RMP will be fully covered by the code of practice and the template.

Column 8: Person responsible for implementation

For each GMP supporting system, give the name or position of the person responsible for its implementation. For small operations, the same person may be responsible for all or most of the systems.

Section 9: Confirmation

Tick the 4 boxes to confirm that you agree to these statements.

Signature: The operator or the day-to-day manager of the RMP must sign and date the completed template.