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Overview

New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) provides assurance to the consumers of New Zealand’s dairy products that those foods are safe and true to label.

NZFSA achieves its aims through the following activities:

• Administering the Animal Products Act 1999, Food Act 1981;

• Setting standards for dairy product safety, wholesomeness, and truth of labelling;

• Approving Risk Management Programmes (RMP),

• Approving Quota Compliance Programmes (QCPs);

• Approving codes of practice;

• Approving recognised agencies and persons to provide independent evaluation and verification services;

• Verifying and enforcing compliance with regulatory requirements;

• Participating in international standard-setting fora;

• Negotiating technical market access agreements with competent authorities in overseas countries for New Zealand products; and

• Providing official assurances about New Zealand dairy products to overseas competent authorities.

NZFSA also applies Government’s regulatory model to deliver these activities. This entails:

• Government setting scientifically-based outcome requirements and maintaining oversight of the programme;

• Operators taking full responsibility for producing food in compliance with the requirements, with the flexibility of innovation in processes; and

• Independent verifiers (Recognised agencies) verifying operators’ compliance.

NZFSA's Compliance and Investigation Group monitor the performance of Recognised Agencies (RAs) and intervene directly, where necessary, to protect public safety or to enforce regulatory requirements.