2017-34 - Horticulture Exports Program – Pending release of instructional material for horticulture inspections

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Implementation of new horticulture instructional material – what it means for Authorised Officers PDF	2	562 KB

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This factsheet explains how upcoming changes to the instructional material for horticulture export inspections will affect inspection Authorised Officers (AOs) including the department’s Inspection Services Group.

What instructional material is being updated?

The following is a list of the new instructional material:

• Guideline: Inspection of horticulture for export
• Work instruction: Inspecting horticulture for export using end-point sampling
• Work instruction: Inspecting horticulture for export using in-line sampling
• Reference: PE101 Export Compliance Record
• Reference: Plant exports guide - Horticulture inspection techniques
• Reference: Plant exports guide - Equipment
• Reference: Plant exports guide - Specimen collection
• Reference: Plant exports guide - Sampling horticulture

When is the instructional material being published?

The instructional material will be published in the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) in next fortnight and advised via an Industry Advice Notice (IAN). The exact publication date will be in the IAN.

The IAN will identify 34 documents in the PEOM that will be rescinded and replaced by these 8 new documents.

When will the instructional material come into effect for current AOs?

The instructional material will come into effect one month after it is published. From this date AOs:

• must comply with the new instructional material
• will be audited against the new instructional material for inspections conducted from the date of effect.

When will the instructional material come into effect for AO candidates?

The new material will be used for AO candidate training two weeks after it is published and for AO assessments one month after it is published.

What are the key changes?

Documentation

• External AOs are not required to verify the registration status of export establishments or protocol entities such as growers, packhouses or export delegates.
• The new version of the Export Compliance Record PE101 must be used (unless using PEMS).
• A new RFP is required where a failed consignment is re-presented for inspection and the composition has changed from the original RFP. The client must provide the original RFP and inspection record.

Trade description

• Trade description is mandatory.
• Trade description requirements have changed.

Sampling

• Clarity has been given to the definition of a unit for the purpose of sampling.
• Sampling rates for all horticulture have been standardised to 600 units or two percent of packages, unless otherwise specified by the importing country.
• Sampling rates for bulbs, corms and tubers have been expanded to include two percent of packages.
• The sampling rate table for nursery stock and dried fruit has been removed.
• Risk groups for sampling mixed consignments have changed.
• AOs must select the sample using an approved sampling technique.

Flowpath inspection

• AOs must conduct a product flowpath inspection.
• PE101 Export Compliance Record has been updated to include a field for the flowpath inspection. 

Inspection bench

• Inspection bench requirements have changed.

Inspection

• Clients can present Request for Permit (RFP) lines for individual inspection.
• The requirement to inspect every genera of nursery stock has been removed.
• A tolerance of 25g of soil per consignment sample has been added.

Pest identification

• The pest identification policy has changed.

Failure and re-conditioning

• Clarity has been provided around failure of consignments, reconditioning and re-inspection.

AO job functions

• HOR3003 Export inspection of nursery stock, flowers and foliage has been merged into HOR3002 Export inspection of fruit and vegetables and retitled HOR3002 Export inspection of horticulture products. 

Where will I find the new instructional material?

The instructional material will be published in the PEOM on the department’s website and Instructional Material Library for departmental AOs.

How do the changes affect my responsibilities as an AO?

AOs must comply with the policy in the Guideline: Inspection of horticulture for export and related instructional material when they come into effect. In summary, AOs must:

• ensure the inspection takes place on a white surface
• check the commodity flowpath to ensure that there is no risk of the consignment being cross-contaminated or substituted before, during or after inspection.
• ensure a trade description is on every horticulture consignment and that it complies with the new policy
• sample using an approved sampling technique - random, systematic, haphazard or selective sampling
• use an approved sampling rate that is 600 units or two percent of packages, unless otherwise specified by the importing country
• when inspecting mixed genera nursery stock consignments, and the selective sampling technique is chosen, categorise the consignment into different risk groups and sample proportionately from each group
• if a pest is detected during inspection, determine if the client would like a formal identification, and prepare and label the pest as per the instructional material
• use the latest version of the Export Compliance Record PE101 or record their inspection in PEMS.

Who do I contact if I have any questions relating to these changes?

For technical questions: Horticulture Exports Program ACT. For AO training and assessment questions: Plant Export Training

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Implementation of new horticulture inspection policy – what it means for exporters and Registered Establishments PDF	2	780 KB

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This factsheet explains how policy changes to horticulture export inspections will affect exporters and Registered Establishments (REs). All policy will be reflected in instructional material to be published in the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) on the department’s website.

What instructional material is being updated and when?

• The Guideline: Inspection of horticulture for export will replace Volume 9: Commodity inspections – horticulture and be published in the next fortnight.
• There will also be updated work instructions and reference materials for Authorised Officers (AOs) conducting export inspections.
• If you are interested in changes to how your product will be inspected, see the factsheet for AOs.

When will the instructional material come into effect?

• Instructional material will come into effect one month after it is published.
• All inspections done after this date must comply with the new policy.

What are the key changes?

Flowpath inspection

• AOs must inspect the product flowpath in the RE.
• REs must be clean, free of pests and maintain adequate traceability and segregation. This will be verified by AOs prior to each inspection to ensure there are no risks of cross contamination or substitution to the consignment.

Product inspection

• Request for Permit (RFP) lines can be presented for individual inspection.
• A tolerance of 25g of soil per consignment sample has been added.

Trade description

• Trade description is mandatory for all horticulture commodities to enable the AO and the importing country to identify the goods. This can be applied as a pallet card where the product is the same. 
• Trade description requirements have changed.

Inspection benches

• Inspection benches must be white and approved where used for imports and exports. If the RE has a stainless steel bench, the bench must be covered with a suitable white material or white inspection tray.

Sampling

• Sampling rates for all horticulture commodities have been standardised to 600 units or two percent of packages unless otherwise specified by the importing country.

Labeling the consignment post inspection

• Clients must label consignments as ‘passed for export’ or ‘failed for export’ following inspection.

Pest identification

• The pest identification policy has changed. If a live pest is detected a formal pest identification is required in some cases.

Failure and re-conditioning

• Clarity has been provided around failure of consignments, reconditioning and re-inspection.
• A new RFP is required where a failed consignment is represented for inspection and the composition has changed from the original RFP. 
• The client must provide a copy of the original RFP and inspection record to the AO prior to re-inspection.

Delayed consignments

• Clarity has been provided on delayed consignments, export compliance periods and how to apply for an extension to the export compliance period.

Export compliance

• Clients must ensure that all export sea and airfreight containers are clean, free of pests and structurally sound in order to maintain the phytosanitary security of the consignment during transit.
• The client is responsible for maintaining the export compliant status of the consignment that is, keeping it in secure conditions, from the time of inspection until the time the consignment is exported.

How does this affect my responsibilities?

Exporters and REs need to ensure they are complying with the policy in the Guideline: Inspection of horticulture for export from its date of effect. Any identified non-compliance may be subject to a penalty provision under the Export Control Act 1982 or administrative sanctions such as suspension, audits or refusal to issue certification. 

How can I find out more information?

The new instructional material will be available in the next fortnight and will be advised via an Industry Advice Notice.

For technical enquiries contact the Horticulture Exports Program at Horticulture Exports Program ACT

For AO training and assessment enquiries contact the Authorised Officer Program at Plant Export Training

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Plant Export Operations Manual – Types of instructional material PDF	1	568 KB

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This factsheet explains the different types of instructional material available on the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) that direct and assist us to do our jobs.

What are the different types of instructional material?

The following is a list of instructional material available:

• Guideline
• Work instruction
• Reference material.

What is a guideline?

A guideline is a document that specifies:

• the requirements that multiple parties, including exporters, registered establishments, and authorised officers, must meet in order to export compliant goods from Australia.
• which party is responsible for meeting each requirement.

Note: The PEOM volumes are currently being revised into guideline documents under the instructional material review. For more information see Industry Advice Notice (IAN) 2017-27 - Authorised Officer Program – Revised instructional material within the Plant Export Operations Manual.

What is a work instruction?

A work instruction is a document that contains the set of steps or instructions that one person in a specific role is required to perform. These instructions may specify how to complete a task or make a decision in a particular situation.

What is reference material?

A reference is a document that is or contains supporting information that assists a person to perform their role or complete a required task.