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Guideline for Industry on the New Zealand Food Safety Authority Verification Agency

5 VA systems and procedures

The VA follows systems and procedures which are aimed at delivering high quality services. This high quality is imperative because of the vital role that the VA plays in the food safety Regulatory Model, as a deliverer of verification services that enable the provision of credible assurances and have the confidence of all stakeholders.

The results of verification activities undertaken by the VA are subject to frequent, stringent reviews and audits by overseas trading partners. The VA is also subject to assessments by the accreditation body, International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), and by the NZFSA Compliance & Investigation Group.

To achieve its goal of high quality service, the VA gives priority to:

• maintaining accreditation to ISO 17020 – the international standard for inspection bodies;

• building the capability of the VA. This is achieved through, for example:

o policies which require VA staff to either hold a relevant tertiary qualification or to be working towards one;

o comprehensive training programmes which aim to calibrate staff and provide them with appropriate technical support;

o innovative recruitment strategies; and

o giving emphasis to planning and governance procedures.

• operating transparent, equitable and sustainable cost recovery models which give certainty to industry;

• maintaining rigorous independence, impartiality and integrity policies, also confidentiality and conflict of interest policies³;

• assisting industry operators to increase their understanding of risk-based management practices. This is done by, for example:

o providing presentations or assistance with calibration and correlation relevant to generic areas of interest, such as good hygiene practices; or

o when asked by an operator for information to help resolve non-compliance issues, VA staff may outline various options that they have observed in practice and identify experts that the operator could approach for further assistance.

(To preserve its independent status, the VA does not, however, participate in activities that relate to final decision making by operators, or that would involve giving instructions or providing solutions to resolve non-compliance issues relating to a specific risk-based management plan);

• adopting a “no surprises” approach which involves early communication with operators with potential performance issues; and

• operating a complaints and appeals process.

When undertaking work for any sector, the VA recovers all of its operating costs from industry operators. The VA receives no government funding.

For example, when working with animal (non-dairy) products, the VA recovers it costs from industry at the rates prescribed by Part 7 of the Animal Products (Fees, Charges & Levies) Regulations 2007. On an annual basis, the VA sets separate hourly rates for the verification work that it performs at establishment premises and circuit premises. These rates allow for full cost recovery of the VA’s related functions. The VA’s cost recovery policy and framework for establishment premises and circuit premises have been developed over a period of time.

Consultation has been, and remains, extensive with all industry groups with which the VA (and NZFSA) has dealings around the application of the cost recovery policy and framework and the rates themselves.

³ The VA Quality Manual details these policies.