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Animal Products (Dairy) Approved Criteria for Recognition of Agencies and Persons

7 Verification

Verification of the approved criteria contained in this document will be performed by accreditation and recognition bodies when assessing an agency or person and NZFSA when it receives information to support certification.

If all approved criteria are complied with then the accreditation or recognition body provides a recommendation to NZFSA for recognition.

If all approved criteria are not complied with by an agency or person then no recommendation should be provided.

NZFSA Compliance and Investigation Group will also assess compliance with approved criteria outlined in this document as part of any allocated systems audits which are part of scheduled activities.

If a critical non-compliance is identified by a recognition or accreditation body or as part of an NZFSA Compliance and Investigation Group audit then recognition of an agency or person may be reviewed by NZFSA.

7.1 Recognition of Laboratories, Including Approved Tests

NZFSA maintains a register of recognised laboratories and recognised persons for test results. This register is available on the NZFSA website at www.nzfsa.govt.nz/Dairy. This register is used to verify that:

• the laboratory displaying a recognition certificate is currently recognised (that is, recognition has not expired),

• the laboratory is currently recognised for the tests it is reporting, and

• persons signing the test reports are authorised to do so, that is, they are recognised persons.

7.2 Categories of Laboratories

The accreditation/recognition body issues a certificate to the laboratory specifying its accreditation or recognition status.

• Category 1 dairy laboratories must be accredited by an accreditation body under the dairy testing programme.

• Category 2 dairy laboratories must be recognised by an NZFSA-approved recognition body under the dairy testing programme.

7.3 Accreditation Status and Approved Signatories

Accredited Category 1 laboratories are issued with a certificate by the accreditation body, stating that they comply with requirements. This is accompanied by a schedule detailing the tests, test methods and products for which they are accredited, and listing the authorised signatories for those tests. This schedule is updated following the assessments.

7.4 Recognition Status

Recognised Category 2 laboratories are issued with a certificate of recognition by the accreditation/recognition body, stating that they comply with requirements. This is accompanied by a schedule detailing the tests, test methods and products for which they are recognised. This schedule is updated following the assessments.

7.5 Laboratories

The criteria for assessing compliance are as follows:

• The laboratory has documented procedures that address regulatory requirements.

• The procedures documented to meet regulatory requirements are being followed.

• The laboratory is currently accredited to ISO Standard 17025 by an accreditation body, or recognised to requirements outlined in section 5.1 and 5.2 of this document by an NZFSA-approved body, to perform specified tests on specified products.

• Recognised laboratories that perform tests, use test methods or test products which do not comply with their recognition criteria, notify NZFSA, in writing, before the event.

• For recognition to continue, laboratories must:

• demonstrate to the accreditation/recognition body that they are continually following requirements, and

• address non-compliances issued by their accreditation/recognition body within the agreed time.

If an accreditation/recognition body withdraws, suspends or changes the accreditation/recognition status of a recognised laboratory, the accreditation/recognition body advises NZFSA Compliance and Investigation Group of the change in status, and NZFSA may:

• cancel recognition,

• vary any conditions subject to which a laboratory is recognised, or

• impose any new or additional conditions subject to which a laboratory is recognised.

The recognition of a laboratory may be cancelled or amended if:

• the occupier of the laboratory concerned asks the Director-General to do so;

• the Director-General is satisfied that the laboratory no longer has the premises, equipment, procedures and staff necessary to ensure that the testing carried out there for the purposes of these regulations will be carried out properly and competently;

• the Director-General is satisfied during the past 6 months there has been a breach of any conditions subject to which the laboratory was recognised; or

• the Director-General is satisfied that the occupier has failed to comply with any order under the Act.

7.6 Test Methods

The laboratory is compliant with the outcomes described in this document if:

• NZFSA-approved test methods are used for testing dairy material to verify conformance of dairy material with regulatory requirements; and/or with attestations provided by NZFSA in official assurances.

• NZFSA’s written approval to use an unapproved test method, has been obtained prior to the testing commencing and that the testing and test reporting has been done in accordance with the scope and restrictions specified in the approval.

Laboratories operating in compliance with the outcomes described in this document are entitled to:

• Test dairy material for the purposes of verifying conformance with regulatory requirements; and/or with attestations provided by NZFSA in official assurances.

If a dairy laboratory does not operate in accordance with the requirements in this document:

• A Compliance Order or Direction may be issued by an Animal Products Officer or to remedy any defects;

• Use of test results for export certification and/or use of any NZFSA marks may be suspended;

• Recognition of the laboratory may be cancelled or conditions varied or imposed; and/or

• Prosecution for offences may occur.