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Fundraisers at risk?

30 June 2005

Media reports that the New Zealand Food Safety Authority intends to legislate against fundraising food sales have been labeled “misinformed” by NZFSA Executive Director, Andrew McKenzie.

“As is clear from the seven Domestic Food Review (DFR) discussion papers released so far, all food for sale (including that sold to raise funds) has been covered since 1974 by the Food Hygiene Regulations, since 1981 by the Food Act, and from various dates by the relevant local authority’s bylaws. All of these regulations place requirements on the people preparing and selling food – even at fundraisers – and in many cases one of those requirements is a permit from the local authority.

“It is also clear in both the discussion papers and the many media releases and other materials in the Domestic Food Review section of the NZFSA website (www.nzfsa.govt.nz) that there is not - and never has been - any intention to regulate cake stalls and sausage sizzles out of existence.

“The DFR is a long-overdue review of New Zealand’s food regulations, and an opportunity for the New Zealand public and industry to have their say on how things should be. In order to do that, we have proposed a number of options for comment and input, and are looking forward to hearing other options that may be proposed.

“As a society, we have three options in dealing with risk or potential risk. We can regulate, educate or ignore the issue. These are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but in relation to many of these fund-raising events, our preferred option would be to focus on education. However that is for the community to decide, and that is why we are publicly reviewing the existing regulations over a period of years rather than months. We are also working hard to make sure as many people as possible have an opportunity to be well informed about what is being done and to have an opportunity to provide input.

"In a regulated system, the buyer has a degree of protection and the backing of the government when things go wrong. Government can step in and enforce minimum requirements, for example, and ensure both that those unfit to sell food do not do so,a nd that unfit food is not sold.

“If our Review shows that it is clear that the New Zealand public believes that regulation is not needed, it is then up to the individual purchaser to decide for themselves whether the food is safe and government would not have the ability to act if it wasn’t. In any situation where food is sold, it is the person buying the food who is taking the risk, not those making the food, whether that sale of food is for charity or for profit. Further, the person buying food at a fundraiser generally has no knowledge of the conditions it was prepared under. While the jam or scones could possibly have been made in a kitchen of the same standard as their own, it could equally have come from kitchens they would personally prefer not to eat food from.

“What we are asking for in the Domestic Food Review is: What do New Zealander consumers want to see put in place for our future? Bearing in mind that protecting New Zealand's reputation as a producer of safe food is vital to our economic future as well.”

Dr McKenzie says that the Review is underpinned by seven proposed principles (all fully explained in the first discussion paper). These are:

• Government involvement and imposed compliance costs to the food sector will be minimised, consistent with Government policies and the need for food to be safe and suitable.

• The New Zealand food regulatory programme will be based on application of the current ‘Regulatory Model’.

• Any government involvement and regulatory controls will be risk-based and science-based as far as possible.

• ‘Persons’ (individuals and organizations) will take responsibility for producing safe and suitable food.

• Regulatory requirements will be applied consistently and equitably across sectors and groups.

• The food regulatory programme will be seamless and coherent.

• Trade and commerce in food and food-related products will be facilitated.

Papers 6 and 7 (covering Compliance and Sanctions, and Criteria and Processes for Various Approvals) in the Domestic Food Review are open for consultation, and are available on the NZFSA website at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/domestic-food-review/index.htm or in hardcopy by calling freephone 0800 693 721.

Further Information

Domestic Food Review papers and background information is available at:

http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/domestic-food-review/index.htm

A further statement on the issue of fundraisers is available at:

http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/publications/media-releases/2005-01-27DFR4weekstogo.htm

Ends

For further comment contact: Andrew McKenzie, Executive Director.

Tel: (04) 463 2652 or (021) 430 187

For further information contact: Gary Bowering, Manager (Communications).

Tel (04) 463 2502 or (027) 443 2550