23 February 2021
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise that the New Zealand Export Plan will replace the Bilateral Quarantine Agreement – System Operations Manual (BQA-SOM) on 25 February 2021.
Summary of changes and key points
- The new Export Plan for fresh produce from Australia to New Zealand (Export Plan) is now available in the ‘Documents’ section of Micor and comes into effect on 25 February 2021.
- The BQA-SOM will be rescinded and removed from Micor on 25 February 2021.
- The Export Plan sets the operational requirements for certain fresh fruit and vegetables exported to New Zealand.
- Changes will affect the following entities involved in the export of fresh fruit and vegetables listed in the Export Plan
- Exporters
- Exporter delegates
- Freight forwarders
- Registered establishments
- Treatment facilities
- Accredited properties (farms and packhouses)
- Crop monitors
- Authorised Officers (AOs)
- Departmental staff
- A factsheet has been developed covering the different industry groups. Please review this to prepare for the changes.
- Queensland citrus farms and packhouses need to submit a manual accredited property farm and/or packhouse application form for New Zealand if they would like approval for this coming citrus season. The forms are located on the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) under Accredited Properties and are due by 22 March 2021.
Note: This is in addition to the application you may have lodged for other markets through the Citrus Australia system. Complete all applicable fields on the manual form but only list New Zealand as the required markets in Section D.
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Background
The BQA-SOM has set the operational requirements for the export of fruit fly host commodities to New Zealand since the early 1990s. The document is outdated and no longer aligns with Australia’s export certification system.
Whilst reviewing the BQA-SOM, New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) reviewed their Import Health Standard (IHS) which is due out in late-2021. The new IHS will replace BQAs with Export Plans for commodities that have pests requiring a Targeted Measure (risk group 2 pests) or MPI-Specified Measure (risk group 3 pests – namely fruit flies). The department has been able to negotiate recognition of our existing systems to streamline requirements for industry and department staff.
Industry responsibilities
- From 25 February 2021, ensure that fresh fruit and vegetables comply with the requirements of the Export Plan prior to export from Australia.
- Submit the correct supporting documents that will be listed in the ‘Documents’ section of Micor from 25 February 2021.
- Approved establishments and their industry inspectors must comply with the following instructional material which will be available on the PEOM under Establishments
- Work instruction: Inspecting horticulture for New Zealand using industry inspectors
- Reference: New Zealand industry inspection record
- Reference: Performance standards – New Zealand industry inspectors
- Reference: Performance standards – Inspections of horticulture for New Zealand
Authorised officer responsibilities
- Ensure a 600-unit inspection has been done per farm lot either by an industry inspector or by the AO.
- Note on the inspection record when a consignment has had an industry inspection.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email Horticulture Exports.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch