23 June 2020
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) provides information to assist Australian exporters of food and edible agricultural products to respond to requests from China for guarantees their exports are safe and free from COVID-19.
Summary of changes and key points
- The department has received advice from exporters that the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) are seeking declarations, in the form of a Letter of Guarantee, that imported food and edible agricultural products comply with China’s laws, regulations and standards including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) advice on ‘COVID-19 and food safety: guidance for food businesses’.
- The Letter of Guarantee requires export establishments to take all necessary measures to eliminate food safety risks and protect consumer health and safety if cases or suspected cases of COVID-19 are detected at the establishment.
- This request is not specific to Australia.
- The department is responding promptly to GACC, consistent with previous assurances, noting the advice of the WHO, that transmission through food is highly unlikely and there is no evidence of this occurring with COVID-19 globally to date.
- The Australian Government has advised GACC that:
- The controls of Australia’s robust food export system ensures food exported from Australia remains safe during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Given Australian food standards and practices are already in alignment with the WHO, the department considers that Australian Government certification provides the necessary assurances of food safety including during the COVID-19 pandemic. This assurance from the competent authority covers facilities that are exporting to the People’s Republic of China.
- On this basis, the department considers that individual facility declarations are not required.
- Where exporters make a commercial decision to provide a statement to facilitate clearance in China, they should draw on the information provided in this IAN to inform the content of their statement.
- The department understands that the situation is subject to change, and therefore urges exporters to work closely with their importers prior to dispatching consignments.
- Further updates will be provided as these become available.
Background
Recent Chinese outbreak and response
- A cluster of COVID-19 infections in Beijing has been associated with the Xinfadi wholesale market. In response to this cluster, and following a run of regulatory measures by GACC since 16 June 2020, GACC has been deployed to carry out risk monitoring of COVID−19 on imported fresh and cold chain products, such as aquatic products, meat, frozen vegetables, aquatic animals and short-time or low-temperature transported industrial products, from high-risk countries and regions.
Australian Government Response to GACC
- The department has responded to GACC, consistent with previous assurances, noting the advice of the WHO, that transmission through food is highly unlikely and there is no evidence of this occurring with COVID-19 globally to date.
- Australia has a strong regulatory system that requires all Australian facilities involved in the processing and export of food to implement appropriate hygiene and contamination control measures to mitigate the risk of the potential spread of COVID-19 within the scope of their activities. The Australian food industry responded quickly by implementing strict processing controls to manage the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. These controls are best practice in terms of personnel and workplace hygiene, social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, health checks and contact tracing and are consistent with guidelines published by the FAO and WHO.
- In the event that a new case/suspected case of COVID-19 is detected in a food enterprise, Australian health and food authorities will follow WHO guidelines to ensure that all necessary measures to eliminate any food safety risks and to protect consumer health will be taken.
Ability of food to transmit COVID-19
- The WHO has confirmed there is currently no evidence COVID-19 may be transferred to humans through food or food packaging and has not advised that imported food or packaging needs to be tested.
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Australian Government statutory authority with responsibility for issuing science-based domestic food safety standards, along with other international regulators have issued statements supporting the conclusion that there is no evidence of transmission of COVID-19 through food and agricultural products.
- FSANZ statement.
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment information on the safety of food exported from Australia.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN, please email the Grain and Seeds Export Program or the Horticulture Export Program.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch