Importing Forestry and Agricultural Equipment from any Country

18 March 1998

152-07-04i

Table of Contents

Definitions
1. General Conditions
2. New Forestry or Agricultural Equipment
3. Used Forestry or Agriculture Equipment
4. Inspection on Arrival in New Zealand
5. Contingency
6. Use of Certification
7. Inspection Overseas
8. Biosecurity Clearance
9. Costs
10. Enquiries

Definitions:

Forestry and Agricultural Equipment
Includes rubber tyred or tracked equipment such as skidders, logging trucks, feller bunchers, harvesters, tractors, ploughs, balers, concrete mixers, freezer vehicles, road construction machinery etc, whether self propelled, drawn, pushed or fixed in position. In addition this standard includes equipment used in housing livestock, processing animals and animal products and plants and plant products.

Contaminant
Those items listed in 3.3(ii).

1. General Conditions

1.1 It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure that any used forestry or agricultural equipment complies with the conditions in this standard. Used forestry or agricultural equipment that does not comply with the conditions of this standard will be decontaminated prior to release from the wharf area or may be reshipped or destroyed.

2. New Forestry or Agricultural Equipment

2.1 There are no conditions on the importation of new forestry or agricultural equipment into New Zealand unless, upon arrival, an inspector considers that the forestry or agricultural equipment has been contaminated in transit. In such a circumstance the forestry or agricultural equipment will be treated as used forestry or agricultural equipment.

3. Used Forestry or Agricultural Equipment

3.1 All used forestry or agricultural equipment is prohibited entry into New Zealand unless it complies with the conditions given below:

3.2 May only be landed at ports/airports that have decontamination facilities capable of handling such equipment.

3.3 Must be dismantled and cleaned free of all contaminants prior to shipping and stored and carried in a manner that precludes recontamination.

1. In addition each item of used forestry or agricultural equipment shall have documentation available stating:
   1. identification;
   2. origin;
   3. shipment details;
   4. consignor; and
   5. consignee.

   Note: This requirement is usually met by the ships manifest or presentation of the bill of lading.

2. Every item of used forestry or agricultural equipment (including dunnage and packaging) shall be free of contamination by any of the following:
   1. animals, insects or other invertebrates (in any life cycle stage), eggs, egg casings or rafts, or any organic material of animal origin (including blood, bones, fibre, meat, secretions, excretions, etc);
   2. plants or plant products (including fruit, seeds, leaves, twigs, roots, bark, saw dust, or other organic material); or
   3. soil or water.
3. All parts and surfaces of the used forestry or agricultural equipment must be free of contamination including the chassis, tray, under-carriage, wheels, tyres/tracks, suspension, drive shaft, exhaust, the cab or passenger compartment, winches, pulleys, booms, baggage/tool compartment, engine compartment, and any other interior or exterior compartment.
4. In the case of used forestry equipment with winches, wire or fibre ropes or cables shall have been:
   • removed from winches and treated by heating to 121°C for 15 minutes, or
   • removed and not replaced, or
   • replaced with new ropes or cables after the winches have been thoroughly cleaned and all ropes and cables shall be accompanied by a certificate that they are new or that they have been treated according to the above specification.

3.4 The importer of used forestry equipment/agricultural must notify the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, at the address below, of his/her intent to import forestry equipment prior to shipment:

The National Advisor
Plant Quarantine and Risk Analysis
MAF Regulatory Authority
P O Box 2526
WELLINGTON

The intent of the notification is to allow the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to consider if any special requirements are needed for specific items of machinery.

4. Inspection on Arrival in New Zealand

4.1 All used forestry or agricultural equipment arriving by sea and which is imported as bulk cargo (i.e. not in a container or crated) will be initially inspected aboard the vessel where practical to do so. Where gross contamination of the consignment is observed aboard the vessel discharge may be prohibited.

4.2 Used forestry or agricultural equipment shall be inspected on a sealed area at the wharf or airport area at which they have arrived. Machinery that is likely to contain or have contained water e.g. bowl of a concrete mixer, bucket of a ditch digger is to be inspected within 24 hours of discharge for mosquitoes.

4.3 Used forestry or agricultural equipment may not be taken off that area until they have been inspected. Used forestry or agricultural equipment within a container may be taken direct to an approved transitional facility within the metropolitan area for inspection only with the permission of an inspector.

4.4 All used forestry or agricultural equipment (including wire ropes) will be inspected on arrival in New Zealand to the extent necessary to ensure they meet the conditions of 3. This may include the partial or complete disassembly of the used forestry or agricultural equipment.

4.5 The onshore inspection shall be carried out under daylight conditions. Inspections inside or at night may only take place where artificial lighting provides the equivalent of daylight.

4.6 Every compartment and surface is to be inspected. If any compartments or structural areas cannot be readily opened by an inspector, because of accident damage or any other reason, the inspector will require those areas to be opened by the importer or his/her agent.

4.7 All parts and surfaces of the used forestry or agricultural equipment must be free of contamination including the chassis, tray, under-carriage, wheels, tyres/tracks, suspension, drive shaft, exhaust, the cab or passenger compartment, winches, pulleys, booms, baggage/tool compartment, engine compartment, and any other interior or exterior compartment. Dismantling, partial or complete, may be required to conduct the inspection.

4.8 All wood/timber associated with imports (e.g. floor boards, decking) shall be inspected for fungal decay and/or insect attack.

5. Contingency

5.1 If in the opinion of an inspector the contamination found on the initial inspection is such that there is a risk of dispersal prior to decontamination then steps, as necessary shall be undertaken to address the risk. Options may include, prohibiting discharge, tenting the equipment, fogging, spraying etc.

5.2 Should any contamination be found on the subsequent inspection and the inspector is not able to deal with the contamination at the time and place of the inspection, the importer shall be given the options of either having the used forestry or agricultural equipment decontaminated at a transitional facility approved for decontamination or reshipped. In either case the action will be at the importer's expense.

5.3 Transport to an approved transitional facility for decontamination shall be in a manner directed by an inspector that will minimise the biosecurity risk from the contamination.

5.4 The decontamination direction shall clearly describe the actions to be undertaken to decontaminate the used forestry or agricultural equipment. Decontamination must be carried out under the supervision (but not necessarily direct) of an inspector.

5.5 Where the contamination is with an animal product then the equipment (after cleaning) will be disinfected using a disinfectant approved by MAFRA for that purpose.

5.6 Once decontamination is carried out, the used forestry or agricultural equipment shall be re-inspected.

6. Use of Certification

6.1 An importer must present documented evidence that the used forestry or agricultural equipment has undergone a cleaning process or otherwise meets the requirements of 3. An inspector may judge that a certificate of cleanliness (or a certificate that the vehicle has been cleaned, including a description of the cleaning process used) is sufficient to limit the degree of inspection to only what is necessary, in the opinion of that inspector, to confirm the veracity of the certificate.

6.2 Regular importers who have proved the veracity of their certification may apply to the Ministry of Agriculture for a reduced inspection regime for any future consignments.

7. Inspection Overseas

7.1 In order to reduce delays at the port/airport of arrival in New Zealand importers may request the inspection of used forestry or agricultural equipment at the point of export.

7.2 Any preshipment inspections shall take place according to MAF Regulatory Authority requirements.

8. Biosecurity Clearance

8.1 Biosecurity clearance will be given when the requirements of this standard have been complied with.

8.2 Biosecurity clearance shall be in writing and clearly identify the shipment.

9. Costs

9.1 The costs of inspection (including reinspection), cleaning, fumigation, reshipment or destruction and any demurrage relating to delays in clearance due to any used forestry or agricultural equipment not meeting the requirements of this standard are the responsibility of the importer.

9.2 The charges will be in accordance with the Biosecurity (Costs) Regulations 1993. Any third party charges for activities such as transport to an approved transitional facility for decontamination or decontamination itself shall also be met by the importer. The charges for such services shall be at commercial rates and not subject to regulatory control. Importers shall be advised of the approved transitional facilities. The importer may choose which of the approved facilities will be used.

10. Enquiries

10.1 Unless indicated to the contrary all communications concerning this import health standard should be addressed to:

Chief Plants Officer
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
P O Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND

Fax: 64-4-474 4240
Email: plantihs@maf.govt.nz