Meat Notice 2017-04 - China - Enhanced verification and audit procedures

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NSFS reference: 13.2

Issue date: 06 October 2017

Date of effect: Immediate

Review date: October 2018

Contact Officers:

Ed Dunn
Field Operations Manager, Meat Exports Branch
08 8201 6110

Angela O'Sullivan
Director, Export Meat Program
02 6272 3933

Category: Legal requirements including market access requirements

Date of Effect: Immediate

Date of Review: October 2018

Distribution Categories

Central and regional office
Department on-plant officer(s)
Managers, export meat establishments

Purpose

To advise export registered establishments and departmental staff about enhanced verification procedures at establishments listed to export meat to China.

The enhanced verification and audit procedures outlined in this notice are intended to provide increased assurance that China’s importing country requirements are met, particularly around accuracy of certification and consistency in labelling.

Scope

All abattoirs that are export registered and listed for China for meat or meat products.

Responsibilities

Establishment Management must:

• Review their Approved Arrangement to ensure that Chinese requirements for labelling and trade description are clearly documented, including the system of controls used to ensure compliance.
• Review the Management Review component of their Approved Arrangement to ensure that:
  • the inputs include feedback received from AQSIQ, exporters, Chinese importers and/or customers; and
  • outputs include records of any decisions and actions taken to correct non-compliances.
• Notify the department, through the weekly meeting with the On Plant Veterinary Officer (OPV), of any point of entry notifications about non-compliance, that have been received from any of the following:
  • China’s AQSIQ
  • the exporter
  • the importer
  • other customers.
• Conduct regular internal audits of Chinese importing country requirements, relating to production and labelling, and notify the OPV of findings, including non-conformances at the weekly meeting.

Departmental OPVs will:

• Notify the Field Operations Manager (FOM) and Area Technical Manager (ATM) about notifications of non-compliance received from establishment management.
• Ensure Chinese labelling requirements are included in the weekly product integrity verification and, as part of the Meat Establishment Verification (MEVS) activities, in the scope of the monthly check the checker of:
  • boning room process monitoring
  • load-out load-in
  • chiller freezer store process monitoring
  • monitoring of offal and other China-destined products
• Issue a Corrective Action Request to the establishment for any non-compliance found during MEVS activities.
• Monitor corrective and preventive action taken by the establishment management in response to any non-compliance.
• Include the results of the check the checker verification of Chinese labelling requirements in the weekly report to the ATM.

Area Technical Managers will:

• Escalate any reports of non-compliances to the FOM.
• Verify that corrective and preventive action is taken by the establishment management in response to any non-compliance.
• Verify compliance with China’s importing country requirements for certification, labelling and trade description requirements.

Field Operations Manager will:

• Conduct a Critical Incident Response Audit (CIRA) for notifications of non-compliance on a case by case determination, in accordance with the Department’s Critical Incident Response Guidelines.
• Verify that corrective and preventive actions are implemented by the establishment.
• Note: Where a suspension is applied by Chinese authorities the departmental Critical Incident Response Procedures apply.

The department will:

• Monitor the AQSIQ website for reports of non-compliances with China’s Importing Country Requirements.
• Report any instances of non-compliances notified by AQSIQ to the relevant FOM.
• Monitor and report any potential market access issues.
• Legislation

Relevant export legislation includes:

• Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders 2005
  • Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders, Part 3, Division II, Order 34 specifies the legislative requirement to meet importing country requirements.
  • Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders, Schedule 2, Part 2, Division I, Sub-Orders 11.1(c) and (d) specify the requirements for registered establishments to document in their Approved Arrangement the applicable importing country requirements and the system of controls used to ensure compliance with those requirements.

Angela O’Sullivan
Director
Export Meat Program