Have your say on the M. bovis consultation, NZFAP change in audit provider from 1 October 2023, and NZFAP and NZFAP Plus Standard changes
This page contains this week’s e-diary national notices.
If there’s something you want to know specific to your region, contact your local extension manager – find their details here.
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See elsewhere on our website for other e-diary info:
This week’s notices:
Have your say on M. bovis consultation
Consultation on proposals to change the approach to eradicating Mycoplasma bovis is underway. The proposals include moving the management of eradicating M. bovis from the Ministry for Primary Industries to OSPRI, establishing a National Pest Management Plan, and decreasing farmer levies to finance the programme. Now that there are no known cases of infection, it is appropriate to begin focusing on surveillance to provide confidence that the disease is absent from NZ, while ensuring capability is there to respond to and control any future cases of infection that currently remain undetected. You can have your say by visiting the MPI website. Consultation has now been extended. Submissions close on Monday 23 October 2023.
NZFAP change in audit provider from 1 October 2023
Following a review of NZFAI’s on-farm audit provider for NZFAP and NZFAP Plus, Quality Consultants New Zealand (QCONZ) will undertake all on-farm audits – since 1 April they have audited NZFAP Plus and from 1 October will administer NZFAP programme audits, replacing AsureQuality. From 1 October, farmers will notice changes to who completes their audit and potentially to the audit itself due to changes in how requirements within the standard are rated (as part of protecting programme integrity and maintaining standards for market access and social licence). QCONZ have started contacting suppliers to book audits in October for certifications expiring in November. If you have any questions, contact your meat processor.
NZFAP and NZFAP Plus Standard changes
Every October, NZFAI releases updated Standards and the Handbook for NZFAP and NZFAP Plus, with any changes coming into effect from 1 January the following year. This is to ensure the Standards continue to be relevant and meet market expectations. It’s important you keep up-to-date with the latest changes. The latest version of NZFAP (v6) and NZFAP Plus (v4) available from 1 October 2023. A copy of the Standards for both programmes can be requested on the NZFAP website (www.nzfap.com) or from your processor representative. NZFAP and NZFAP Plus are owned and managed by NZFAI.