General Information for Importing Germplasm

27 June 2011

general-info-germplasm

You are viewing an import health standard. It outlines the requirements that must be met before risk goods can be imported into New Zealand.

FOREWORD

This general information is provided to assist importers. It should be read in conjunction with the import health standard (the “standard”) and the specific guidance document for the germplasm being imported, to ensure that all requirements of the standard are fully understood. Importers are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with this general information, the guidance document and the associated standard prior to importation and to seek MAF guidance if they are unclear on any part.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO IMPORT

Where a permit to import is required application forms can be obtained from: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/imports/animals/forms

For permit processing please allow a minimum of 10 working days for permit processing once all required documents have been sent.

Submit your application by email, post or fax. Permits will be sent to you electronically.

MAF Animal Imports
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Phone +64 4 894 0100 from overseas
Or 0800 008 333 in New Zealand
Fax +64 4 894 0733
animalimports@maf.govt.nz

DOCUMENTATION ACCOMPANYING THE CONSIGNMENT

It is the importer’s responsibility to ensure that any documentation presented is original (unless otherwise specified) and clearly legible. Failure to do so may result in delays in obtaining biosecurity authorisation and/or clearance or cause the rejection of consignments.

Documentation must be in English, but may be bilingual (language of exporting country/English) and must consist of:

  • an original veterinary certificate, signed and stamped on every page by an official of the competent veterinary authority of the exporting country;
    AND
  • a copy of the import permit issued under section 22(2) of the Act;
    AND EITHER
  • a tabulated summary of laboratory tests for each donor completed in accordance with the specific requirements in the veterinary certificate (indicating donor identification consistent with the veterinary certificate, dates of germplasm collection, and for each relevant disease the date/s samples were drawn, the test undertaken and the reported result);
    OR
  • copies of laboratory reports for all tests. Results on laboratory reports that are not relevant to the consignment should be lined out.

APPLYING FOR EQUIVALENCE

The exporting country’s Competent Authority may request MAF to approve a method, system or process that can be shown to achieve the biosecurity requirements of the standard.

Equivalence requests must be lodged on an equivalence request form. This form is available by contacting animalimports@maf.govt.nz

IMPORTERS RESPONSIBILITIES

  • The costs to MAF in performing functions relating to the importation of germplasm must be recovered in accordance with the Biosecurity Act and any regulations made under that Act. All costs involved with documentation, transport, storage and obtaining a biosecurity clearance must be covered by the importer or agent.
  • It is the importer’s or agent’s responsibility to ensure that they comply with the current version of the negotiated veterinary certificate at the time of importation into New Zealand. Current versions of veterinary certificates are available online at: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ihs/search
  • It is to be noted that an import health standard prescribes measures for risk organisms that are deemed to be a hazard in the commodity – those that are exotic to New Zealand and those that are present but because of the nature of the imports are likely to significantly increase existing hazards associated with them. It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure that imported germplasm is free of other endemic organisms that may be of concern.
  • The Biosecurity (Imported Animals, Embryo and Semen Information) Regulations 1999 place obligations on owners (including any subsequent owners) or persons in charge of imported sheep, goats, cattle and deer and imported genetic material (semen and embryos) of these species. These involve records relating to the storage, dispatch, distribution, and destruction of imported germplasm. A copy of the Regulations can be obtained from the website: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/ (offsite link to www.legislation.govt.nz)
  • It is the importer’s responsibility to notify MAF via animalimports@maf.govt.nz if, during unloading of the canister:
    • there is any variance in the actual germplasm received as compared to that listed on the veterinary certificate; OR
    • any germplasm is received that is inadequately labelled so it is not possible to identify the germplasm with that listed on the veterinary certificate.

OIE LINKS

COUNTRY APPROVAL PROCESS

MAF and the Veterinary Authority of the exporting country will negotiate the content of the veterinary certificate to determine how the level of risk management specified by the commodity’s import health standard will be achieved, taking into account:

  • The verifiable health status of the exporting country/zone/compartment; and
  • The national systems, legislation and standards in the exporting country for regulatory oversight of the industry; AND
  • The capabilities and preferences of the exporting country's Competent Authority.

Upon conclusion of negotiations, country-specific veterinary certificate templates will be included in the guidance document for specific commodity’s import health standard.

If a country is not on the approved country list, the germplasm will not be eligible for direct import to New Zealand. The option available is to submit a request for inclusion of a country or territory in a veterinary certificate for your germplasm. Requests will be prioritised quarterly subject to resource availability. Information provided by the Competent Authority regarding official assurance programs for veterinary certification and diagnostic laboratories, and controls on germplasm movement will be assessed. Contact animalimports@maf.govt.nz for further information.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions used in standards, guidance documents and general information are as per the Biosecurity Act unless explicitly stated below.

Import Health Standard TermDefinition
Animal Imports/Exports Group Manager The Animal Imports/Exports Group Manager, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Biosecurity New Zealand, or any person who for the time being may lawfully exercise and perform the delegated power and functions of the Animal Imports/Exports Group Manager.
Approved countries Countries from which New Zealand enables imports of a particular commodity must be specifically approved by MAF.
Biosecurity clearance A clearance under Section 26 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 for the entry of goods into New Zealand. (Explanatory Note: Goods given a biosecurity clearance by an inspector are released to the importer without restriction).
Biosecurity authority Written authority from an inspector, given under Section 25 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, to move uncleared goods from a transitional facility or biosecurity control area to another transitional facility, containment facility or biosecurity control area, or to export those goods from New Zealand.
Chief Technical Officer A person appointed a chief technical officer under section 101 of the Biosecurity Act 1993
Commodity Live animals, products of animal origin, animal genetic material, biological products and pathological material.
Competent Authority The Veterinary authority or other Governmental Authority of an OIE Member having the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code in the whole territory.
Director-General The chief executive of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Equivalence Acceptance by the Imports 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 who is appointed an inspector under Section 103 of the Biosecurity Act 1993. (Explanatory Note: An inspector is appointed to undertake administering and enforcing the provisions of the Biosecurity Act 1993 and controls imposed under the Hazardous Substances and New Organism Act 1996).
MAF The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Notifiable A disease listed by the Veterinary authority, and that, as soon as detected or suspected, must be brought to the attention of this Authority, in accordance with national regulations.
Official Veterinarian A veterinarian authorised by the Veterinary Administration of the country to perform certain designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and inspections of commodities and, when appropriate, to certify in conformity with the provisions of the Section 5.2 of the Terrestrial Code pertaining to principles of certification.
OIE Code The World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Any reference in this standard to the OIE Code is to the most current as found on the OIE website.
Permit to import A permit issued by the Director General of MAF pursuant to section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 upon an importer’s demonstration that certain requirements of the import health standard have been met in advance of an importation being made, such that a transitional facility is available to accept the consignment/s and a method and route of transport from the port of arrival to the transitional facility has been approved. The procedure for application and the information required for a permit to import are detailed within the import health standard.
Prescribed diagnostic test Means the diagnostic test(s) which can be used for international trade when the OIE Code recommends a testing procedure for international trade in a commodity.
Risk organism Means any organism capable or potentially capable of causing unwanted harm to any human or animal health as determined by an import risk analysis.
Veterinary certificate A certificate, issued in conformity with the provisions of Chapter 5.2. of the OIE Code, describing the animal health and/or public health requirements which are fulfilled by the exported commodities.
Zone A clearly defined part of a territory containing an animal subpopulation with a distinct health status with respect to a specific disease for which required surveillance, control and biosecurity measures have been applied for the purpose of international trade.

CONTACT DETAILS

For all matters relating to the interpretation, review and amendment of this guidance document, please contact:

Animal Imports Group
MAF
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6011
Fax: +64 4 894 0733
Phone +64 4 894 0100 from overseas
Or 0800 008 333 in New Zealand
Email: animalimports@maf.govt.nz