Standard for General Transitional Facilities for Uncleared Goods (TF Gen)

The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) issues this new standard in accordance with Section 39 of the Biosecurity Act (1993).

This standard is effective from 1 February 2009.

The standard is divided into two documents.

1. The Standard (PDF version (134 KB), Word version (352 KB)) outlines basic minimum requirements for facilities to follow.

2. The Guidance Document contains information on how to meet the requirements of the Standard to an acceptable level. Facilities may either choose to follow examples provided in the guidance document or develop their own systems of equivalence to meet MAF requirements. However, any systems of equivalence must be first approved by MAF before use. Word (1781 KB). PDF (1813 KB).

As of 1 February 2009 this standard cancels and replaces the following standards

• 152.04.03.F: 1998 - Requirements for holding and processing facilities (Class: Transitional Facilities) for uncleared risk goods;
• BNZ-STD-TFSCO - MAF Standard: Requirements for Transitional Facilities for sea containers;
• PBC-NZ-STD-FACIL-FLIGHT - MAF Biosecurity Authority Facility and Operator Standard: Requirements for flight kitchens (Class: Transitional Facilities);
• PBC-NZ-STD-FACIL-REFUSE - Requirements for incineration/ sterilisation facilities (Class: Transitional Facilities) for quarantine refuse or uncleared risk goods, and;
• 154.02.18 – Transitional Facilities for Animal Products.

To assist facilities with meeting the new requirements for operating manuals templates have been designed

• Template operating manual for risk goods facilities. Word (83 KB). PDF (160 KB).
• Template operating manual for sea container only facilities. Word (67 KB). PDF (145 KB).

To assist facilities with meeting the new requirements for internal self assessments, a template self assessment check sheet has been designed. Word (81 KB). PDF (137 KB).

For all matters relating to the operation of the new standard contact a MAF Inspector in the Operations and Facilities Group on the details below:

• Auckland Biosecurity Centre
  Phone: 09 909 8531
  Fax: 09 909 8558
  Email: facilityapprovals@maf.govt.nz

List of other office contact details.

For all matters relating to the review and amendment of this standard contact a Senior Adviser within the Operations and Facilities Group on the details below:

• MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
  PO Box 2526
  Wellington 6011
  Phone: 04 894 0100
  Fax: 04 894 0733
  Email: standards@maf.govt.nz

Information from the public information sessions

MAFBNZ recently held a series of public information sessions on the new standard for general transitional facilities for uncleared goods. The information sessions covered changes under the new standard, implementation and what facilities will need to do to meet the new regulations.

The hand-outs from these information sessions are available for download

• Changes under the new standard (TF Gen) (63 KB)
• TFGen - Frequently Asked Questions (146 KB)

Page last updated: 12 August 2009