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Official Grade Assurance Standard for Fresh Plant Products

Prelims

Amendment 1

January 2009

Table of Contents

Official Grade Assurance Standard for Fresh Plant Products 1

1. Introduction 5

2. Preliminary Provisions 6

2.1 Application 6

2.2 Definitions 6

2.3 Additional resources 8

3. Quality Grade Management Plan Requirements 9

3.1 Scope of quality grade management plan 9

3.2 Process pathway 9

3.3 Identification and control of risk factors 10

3.4 Documented procedures 10

3.5 Staff competency 11

3.6 External suppliers 11

3.7 Internal audit 12

3.8 Document control 12

3.9 Records 13

3.10 Recognised agency’s freedom and access to carry out evaluation and verification functions 13

3.11 Reporting 14

4. Registration of Quality Grade Management Plans 15

4.1 Confirmation of validity of the quality grade management plan by the operator 15

4.2 Evaluation of a quality grade management plan 15

4.3 Registration of a quality grade management plan 15

4.4 Amendments to registered quality grade management plans 15

4.5 Re-registration of grade management plans 16

4.6 Verification 16

4.7 De-registration 16

5. Recognition of Agencies 17

5.1 Application for recognition 17

5.2 Withdrawal of recognition 17

6. Technical Criteria 18

6.1 Overseas market access quality grade criteria 18

6.2 Approval of alternative criteria 18

Appendix 1 – Overseas Market Access Requirements 19

Sampling and inspection 19

Technical quality grade specifications 19

Appendix 2 – Operator Registration Process 20

Steps to attain/maintain registration 20

Disclaimer

Important Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this report is accurate.

NZFSA does not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be present, however it may have occurred.

Further copies

Requests for further copies should be directed to:

New Zealand Food Safety Authority
P O Box 2835
WELLINGTON

Telephone : (04) 894 2500
Fax : (04) 894 2566

Website
A copy of this document can be found at: http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/plant/subject/horticulture/index.htm

1. Introduction

This standard describes the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s requirements for the registration of industry quality grade management plans. The standard enables industry bodies, packhouses, or other industry operators to establish quality grade management plans that, if registered with NZFSA, can be the basis for provision of official quality grade assurances for fresh plant produce. Such assurances may be provided where these are required by importing country authorities to facilitate market access. The approach provides considerable flexibility to the operators in both the scope and the manner in which quality grade management plans are operated.

Operators are required to manage quality grade risks and document these within the quality grade management plan. The completed plan is independently evaluated by a NZFSA recognised agency, and subject to ongoing verification through independent audit. This enables NZFSA to provide official quality grade assurances to importing country authorities for fresh plant products if such assurances are required for market access. The form of the assurance is dependent on the requirements of the importing country.

This standard has been produced in consultation with the Plants Market Access Council.

This standard comes into effect on 01 / 02 / 2008.