Recognised Agency Services

the role of MPI

MPI, under the Animal Products Act, is responsible for setting and ensuring compliance with standards for the dairy processing and export of dairy material and products.

The Animal Products Act (Dairy) replaced the Dairy Industry Act of 1952. Dairy materials and products are now regulated under the Animal products Amendment Act 2005, which came into effect on 1 June 2005.

The introduction of dairy into the Animal Products Act (APA) requires all farms, manufacturers, transporters and storage facilities of export dairy products to have a registered Risk Management Programme (RMP). Domestic only dairy processors (Australia & New Zealand) have the option of registering a RMP or a Food Safety Programme.

For more information about the RMP process, please refer to the MPI website.
 

AsureQuality Recognised Agency services

Under the Animal Products Act (APA), AsureQuality is approved as a Recognised Agency (RA) to evaluate and verify Dairy RMPs, Heat Treatment Plans and Premises Approval (new and alterations, plans and physical work).

• Risk Management Programme (RMP) evaluation
• RMP verification
• Heat treatment evaluation
• Premises Approval / Engineering evaluations
• Reporting - Exceptions & Product Dispositions
• European Union (EU) load out verifications and e-cert approvals 

RMP evaluation

An RMP evaluation ensures that the RMP, associated procedures and export requirements are complete and will deliver the outcomes in the Animal Products Act, Regulations, MPI Specifications and Approved Criteria if it is complied to fully and that the RMP adequately covers the scope of the operation. Read more...

RMP verification

The purpose of a verification audit is to observe evidence that the RMP procedures and export requirements (where applicable) have been implemented and are delivering the documented outcomes and that the Operator is in compliance with the APA, Regulations, Specifications, Approved Criteria and OMARs relevant to their RMP. Heat Treatment verification is incorporated with the RMP Verification. Read more...

Heat treatment evaluation

AsureQuality can provide MPI approved Heat Treatment Evaluators to carry out evaluations for new or significantly changed heat treatment equipment.

Heat treatment plans are not required for companies that use pre-heat treated product and the heat treatment is not a CCP, provided all activities are covered by a MPI approved RMP, though they may opt to contract in expertise for an operational check (refer Certification Services) routinely if they have heat treatment equipment.

Premises approval / engineering evaluations

We provide MPI approved Premises Evaluators for premises evaluation requirements for new or significant changes effecting dairy buildings, plant and equipment for the purposes of attaining MPI approval or as determined by the Operator, and RMP requirements.

With new premises, this assessment is linked in with a full RMP evaluation. Both evaluations are completed prior to the RMP Operator submitting the RMP to MPI for registration.

Changes to existing premises may or may not constitute a significant amendment to the RMP

A significant amendment with respect to an existing premises, which may require the RMP to be registered, or changes registered if:

• There is a new production line, process or product added to the site
• There are new hazards introduced
• Product permanently removed from the site.

Examples of other significant changes, which need to be notified and evaluated by a RP Premises Evaluator but do not require the RMP or changes to be registered include:

• Addition of new membrane modules to a UF plant to increase capacity
• Replacing / upgrading tanker reception or CIP area
• Modifications to existing and addition of new road tankers to a fleet
• Re-skinning the inside of a spray drier
• Alterations to pipework or valving that could compromise product integrity (eg separation of CIP from product).
• Upgrade/replacement of HVAC (ventilation) system
• Replacement/Major repairs to ceiling/wall inside a packing/processing/storage environment.
• Replacement of a roof for a packing/processing plant building and store
• Changes that impact on food safety.

Reporting - exceptions and dispositions

Exceptions

RMP Operators must make contact with their Recognised Agency within 24 hours of identifying an exception (non-conforming dairy material or dairy product and/or occurrence of a critical non-compliance).  AsureQuality will acknowledge the receipt of any exceptions either by phone or email. AsureQuality, as the a Recognised Agency, is required to forward all exception reports to the MPI within 24 hours following notification.

Exception reports will include the following (extracted from DPC1: Section 8):

• a detailed description of the exception
• the extent of any contamination or potential contamination, eg. date since last acceptable result, the product lines affected, etc
• description, quantity and location of all non-conforming dairy material or dairy product and whether it is isolated. Where dairy material or dairy product is not isolated, the methods being used to secure it against use.
• the name, title and contact details  of the person responsible for managing the exception
• the date the traceback will be completed and
• the corrective actions that are planned, in progress or completed and the schedule for commencement and completion.

Product Dispositions

When an exception involves product being placed on hold a disposition must be raised by the company and submitted to the Recognised Agency with evidence supporting decision.

EU load out verifications and e-cert approvals

In addition to the normal RA functions MPI require additional procedures to be carried out on production destined for the EU.  Product eligible for EU must be processed from dairy material processed in EU listed premises, or from EU listed countries if imported.  MPI CIG conducts initial EU audits for premises requesting EU listing. The premises can only produce EU destined product once published in this list.

Stores are required to be EU listed as well. Currently they are internally approved by MPI

EU E-cert Approval

Companies exporting product to the EU raise electronic certificates (E-certs) on the MPI E-cert website. Each certificate requires three approvals by the following sectors:

• Vets – approval based on the NZ/EU veterinary agreement
• RA – approval based on audit and exception status of the premises/product
• WDO – MPI Warranted Dairy Officer – they have final approval (PAC & SOR)

EU Loadout Verification

Companies are required to notify their RA no less than 2 days before the loadout is planned. Written notification is required as per details in the reference. Larger exporters will be verified at approximately 2% notifications year to date. Companies that export fewer than 50 consignments per year will be checked approximately every 50 consignments. EU loadout checking rates maybe increased if major issues are identified during routine verifications.
Notification is not required for sample shipments. 

Forms

If you wish to request any of the dairy services listed in Recognised Agency services, (which may fall outside of your RA service agreement) please complete one of the following forms and return to the email address on the form.

AQD1 – Dairy Services Request Form
This form to be used to request dairy services. Please use AQD2 for building of new dairy premises or significant changes to exisiting dairy premises.

AQD2 – Advice of Changes to Dairy Premises 
This form to be used for building of new dairy premises or significant changes to existing dairy premises including stores.

NZFSA Forms

AP4 – Registration of Risk Management Programme
This application form is for use when registering a RMP with MPI.

AP5 – Registration of Risk Management Programme under New Operator
This form is for use where the change in operator is the only change to the risk management programme.  This form cannot be used in circumstances of death, bankruptcy, receivership, or liquidation of an operator.  In such circumstances a new registration of the risk management programme must be made using application form AP4: Registration of Risk Management Programme.

AP6 – Registration of Amendment to Risk Management Programme
This application form is for use when registering a significant amendment to a registered RMP.

AP50 – Update to Risk Management Programme Details
This form is to be used to inform MPI of any changes to your RMP that do not require registration under section 25 of the APA 1999, but are required to be notified or are of a nature that impact on registration details that are to be shown on the public register of RMPs (eg. Surrender of RMP, Change in contact details, Change in trading name, Change of responsible person, etc).

AP60 – Change of Recognised Agency for Verification Purposes
This form is for use where an operator elects to change the Recognised Agency responsible for verification activities under section 19(g) of the APA 1999 or where the contract between the operator and the Recognised Agency has been terminated.

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