Importing Bee Products from Australia

2 August 2006

beeproic.aus

Issued pursuant to Section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993

USER GUIDE

The information in MAF animal and animal product import health standards is presented in numerically ordered sections with descriptive titles. Sections are grouped into one of four parts, designated alphabetically.

Part A. GENERAL INFORMATION contains sections of general interest, including those relating to the legal basis for MAF import health standards and the general responsibilities of every importer of animals and animal products.

Part B. IMPORTATION PROCEDURE contains sections which outline the requirements to be met prior to and during importation. Whether a permit to import is required to be obtained prior to importation is noted, as are conditions of eligibility, and general conditions relating to documentation accompanying the consignment.

Part C. CLEARANCE PROCEDURE contains sections describing the requirements to be met at the New Zealand border and, if necessary, in a transitional facility in New Zealand prior to any consignment being given biosecurity clearance.

Part D. ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION contains model health certification which must be completed by the appropriate personnel as indicated in the certification and accompany the consignment to New Zealand.

PART A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1 IMPORT HEALTH STANDARD

1.1 Pursuant to section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, this document is the import health standard for the importation of specified bee products from Australia into New Zealand.

1.2 Obtaining biosecurity clearance for each consignment of specified bee products imported into New Zealand from Australia is dependant upon the consignment meeting the requirements of this import health standard.

1.3 This import health standard may be reviewed, amended or revoked if there are changes in New Zealand's import policy or the animal health status of the originating country, or for any other lawful reason, at the discretion of the Biosecurity Standards Group Manager.

2 IMPORTER'S RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1 Commercial consignments of products imported into New Zealand for human consumption must comply with the Food Act 1981. These requirements are independent of the import health standard requirements and are managed by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA). Importers are advised to consult the NZFSA website: www.nzfsa.govt.nz/imported-food/index.htm or contact the NZFSA.

2.2 Once the consignment has been given biosecurity clearance into New Zealand, it is the importer’s responsibility to ensure (where relevant) that the consignment complies with the Animal Products Act 1999, especially if it is returned New Zealand product, product entering operations also used for the export of animal products, or if it is to be re-exported. Information about these requirements can be obtained from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) website at www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/publications/omar/01-172.htm or by contacting the local NZFSA Verification Agency office. Certification and other official assurance requirements which may be applicable are accessible at www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/publications/manualsguides/oap/index.htm

2.3 The costs to MAF in performing functions relating to the importation of bee products shall be recovered in accordance with the Biosecurity Act and any regulations made under that Act.

2.4 All costs involved with documentation, transport, storage and obtaining a biosecurity direction and/or biosecurity clearance shall be borne by the importer or agent.

3 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Biosecurity clearance

As defined by the Biosecurity Act 1993. Products given biosecurity clearance are free from all restrictions.

Biosecurity Standards Group Manager

The Biosecurity Standards Group Manager, New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, or any person who for the time being may lawfully exercise and perform the power and functions of the Biosecurity Standards Group Manager.

Equivalence

Acceptance by the Biosecurity Standards Group Manager that the circumstances relating to the importation of a consignment are such that the health status of the consignment is equivalent to the health status of a consignment that complies with the requirements of the import health standard.

Inspector

A person appointed as an inspector under the Biosecurity Act 1993 by the Director General, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

MAF

The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

4 EQUIVALENCE

4.1 It is expected that the animal product will meet the conditions of this import health standard in every respect. If the products do not comply with the requirements, an application for equivalence may be submitted to the Animal Imports Team, Biosecurity Standards Group, Pre-clearance Directorate, Biosecurity New Zealand, MAF, PO Box 2526, Wellington for consideration. This application should include detailed information to support the application.

4.2 Decisions about equivalence must be based on the MAF publication, Biosecurity New Zealand Import Risk Analysis: Honey Bee Products. This analysis is available on the MAF website at http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/imports/risk/ira-bee-products.pdf (2003 KB)

PART B. IMPORTATION PROCEDURE

5 PERMIT TO IMPORT

5.1 No permit is required.

6 DOCUMENTATION ACCOMPANYING THE CONSIGNMENT

6.1 The consignment shall be accompanied by appropriately completed health certification which meets the requirements of PART D. ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION.

6.2 Documentation shall be in English, but may be bilingual (language of exporting country/English).

6.3 It is the importer’s responsibility to ensure that any documentation presented in accordance with the requirements of this import health standard is original (unless otherwise specified) and clearly legible. Failure to do so may result in delays in obtaining biosecurity direction and/or clearance or rejection of consignments.

7 ELIGIBILITY

7.1 This import health standard covers the importation from Australia of the following bee products:

7.1.1 foundation beeswax (a patterned sheet of wax which is given to the bees as a guide for construction of their combs);

7.1.2 raw beeswax (wax that has not been processed or refined in any way which may contain traces of honey, pollen, propolis and hive debris);

7.1.3 honey (which includes all types of honey, fruits and nuts preserved in honey, honey mixed with other ingredients, and honey products where the honey ingredients make up more than 50% of the product by weight or volume);

7.1.4 pollen (any product that contains more than 50% pollen by weight or volume);

7.1.5 raw propolis (flakes or discs of propolis that have not been processed or refined in any way which may contain traces of honey, pollen, and hive debris); and

7.1.6 royal jelly (any product that contains more than 50% royal jelly by weight or volume).

7.2 The bee products listed in clause 7.1 above are eligible for importation as long as the consignment meets the following labelling requirements:

7.2.1 For honey which has not been subject to the heat treatment listed in clause 1.1.2 of PART D. ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION of this import health standard, the honey shall be clearly identifiable as being a product of Western Australia.

7.2.2 For honey which has been subject to the heat treatment listed in clause 1.1.2 of PART D. ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION of this import health standard, the honey must be clearly identifiable as being a product of Australia.

7.2.3 For all other bee products, the products must be clearly identifiable as either having been irradiated in Australia or being a product of Australia.

Note: The country, state, or territory of origin is the country, state or territory in which the apiaries of the honey bees that produced the bee product were situated during the season of production (i.e. season of beeswax production, honey production, pollen production, propolis production or royal jelly production).

7.3 The bee products must be commercially packed in original unopened packaging.

7.4 Raw beeswax and raw propolis must be kept in a frozen state during shipment.

7.5 This import health standard does not cover the importation of the following bee products from Australia, which are included in the import health standard for the importation into New Zealand of specified bee products from all countries, available on the MAF website at http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/animals/standards/beeproic.all.htm :

7.5.1 bee venom products;

7.5.2 medicines containing honey, pollen or royal jelly;

7.5.3 processed composite products containing up to 50% honey, pollen or royal jelly;

7.5.4 refined beeswax products;

7.5.5 refined propolis products;

7.5.6 trade samples of honey; and

7.5.7 returned New Zealand honey.

Note: Irradiated foods intended for human consumption are not eligible for import into New Zealand unless they have been through a pre-market safety assessment process conducted by the Food Safety Association of New Zealand. Further information is available from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority website at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/consumers/food-safety-topics/food-processing-labelling/food-irradiation/index.htm .

PART C. CLEARANCE PROCEDURE

8 BIOSECURITY CLEARANCE

8.1 An inspector at the port of arrival shall inspect either the consignment or samples of the consignment.

8.2 Providing that the consignment meets the conditions of ELIGIBILITY and PART D. ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION, the consignment may, subject to sections 27 and 28 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, be given a biosecurity clearance pursuant to section 26 of the Biosecurity Act 1993.

8.3 Consignments that do not meet all requirements of this import health standard may be reshipped or destroyed at the cost of the importer.

PART D. ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION

9 NEGOTIATED EXPORT CERTIFICATION

9.1 The following Model Zoosanitary Certificate contains the information required by MAF to accompany imports of consignments of specified bee products into New Zealand from Australia.

10 MODEL ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION

Commodity: BEE PRODUCTS

To: NEW ZEALAND

Exporting Country: AUSTRALIA

Certifying Authority: AUSTRALIAN QUARANTINE AND INSPECTION SERVICE

I. ORIGIN OF THE CONSIGNMENT

(i). Origin of apiaries (list country, state or territory):

(ii). Name/s and address/es of processing premises:

(iii). Processing premises registration number:

II. CONSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION

(i). The commodity contained in this consignment is (describe form and packaging):

(ii). Amount (in kgs) of the consignment:

III. DESTINATION OF THE CONSIGNMENT

(i). Name and address of New Zealand importer:

IV. VETERINARY CERTIFICATE

I, being an Official Veterinarian or Official Certifying Officer authorised by AQIS certify to after due enquiry with respect to the honey bee products identified in this Zoosanitary Certificate, that:

1 FOR ALL BEE PRODUCTS:

1.1 The bee products have been subject to one of following risk management measures for European Foulbrood (Melissococcus pluton) and Nosemosis (Nosema ceranae):

EITHER 1.1.1the bee products originate from apiaries in Western Australia, and neither Melissococcus pluton nor Nosema ceranae have been isolated or reported from bees in the state of origin;

OR 1.1.2 the bee products originate in apiaries in an Australian state or territory other than Western Australia and have been heated to one of the following minimum core temperatures for the corresponding period of time:

• 50°C for 54 hours; OR
• 55°C for 22 hours, 41 minutes; OR
• 60ºC for 10 hours; OR
• 65°C for 4 hours, 7 minutes; OR
• 70ºC for 1 hour, 48 minutes; OR
• 75°C for 48 minutes; OR
• 80ºC for 22 minutes; OR
• 85°C for 11 minutes; OR
• 90°C for 6 minutes;

OR 1.1.3 the bee products have been irradiated with at least 15 kGy.

(delete options as appropriate)

1.2 The bee products have been subject to one of the following risk management measures for American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae larvae):

EITHER 1.2.1 originate from Australian hives that have been inspected within the previous 12 months by an Apiary Inspector approved by the state Department of Agriculture and found not to be clinically infected or suspected to be clinically infected with Paenibacillus larvae larvae;

OR 1.2.2 have been subjected to the test specified as Culture of P .l. l. from bulk honey for detection of American foulbrood in Appendix 2 of the Australia and New Zealand Standard Diagnostic Procedures – Honey Bee Diseases (2003) in an official laboratory, and found to have a Paenibacillus larvae larvae spore count of less than 500,000 per litre;

OR 1.2.3 subject to heat treatment where the core temperature has reached at least 120°C for a minimum of 24 hours;

OR 1.2.4 irradiated with at least 10 kGy.

(delete options not used)

2 FOR BULK EXTRACTED HONEY:

Additional origin of product or treatment requirement

2.1 The honey has been subject to one of the following risk management measures for small hive beetle (Aethina tumida):

EITHER 2.1.1 the honey originates from the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territories, South Australia, Tasmania, or Western Australia and Aethina tumida has not been reported in this state or territory of origin;

OR 2.1.2 the honey has been removed from the original drum, heated to at least 50°C for a minimum of 24 hours, repackaged into a new bulk honey container, the outside of which has been cleaned and inspected to ensure that it is clean and free of honey.

(delete option as appropriate)

3 FOR RAW BEESWAX OR RAW PROPOLIS:

Additional treatment requirement

3.1 The raw beeswax or raw propolis has been subject to the following risk management measures for hitchhiker organisms:

3.1.1 freezing at -18 ⁰C or below for at least 7 days.

(delete clause if product is not raw beeswax or raw propolis)

Signature of Official Veterinarian or Certifying Officer Date

Name and address of office:

N.B. Official stamp of the Australian government must be applied to all pages of zoosanitary certification.