Draft IHS for Specified Processed Bee Products

The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) must consult with interested parties before amending (other than of minor nature) import health standards in accordance with Section 22 of the Biosecurity Act (1993) and Biosecurity New Zealand’s consultation policy. An import health standard specifies requirements that must be carried out, either in the country of origin or of export, during transit, or in quarantine, before biosecurity clearance can be given for the commodity to enter New Zealand. MAF must ensure that these requirements are technically justified and provide an appropriate level of biosecurity protection.

The following documents are now available for public consultation and comment.

These are the current changes:

1) Section 2.6 has been removed. This section referred importers to the Australian Bee Import Health Standard. This information is now out of date as the Australian standard has been suspended by legislation.

2) Section 7.1, note about didgeridoos has been added;

3) Section 7.3, commercially manufactured and packaged nougat has been removed as a risk product. Therefore the requirement for an import permit has been removed.

4) Section 7.4.4, a cough syrup that is regularly imported contains honey. Therefore a requirement for an import permit has been added.

5) Section 7.8 has been re-worded so that any returning New Zealand honey must be within original sealed packaging.

6) There have been some minor wording changes for plain English.

Here is the current standard:
www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/animals/standards/beeproic.all.htm

Comments on these draft documents should be forwarded to MAF by close of business on 3 July 2009. MAF encourages respondents to forward comments electronically to the email address below. However, should you wish to forward submissions in writing, please send them to this address:

  • Lauren Dunn
    Border Standards Directorate
    MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
    Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
    PO Box 2526
    Wellington
    New Zealand
  • Fax: +64 4 894 0773
    Email: Lauren.Dunn@maf.govt.nz

Page last updated: 16 June 2009