FAQs related to Exporting

We agree that these time-periods need to be defined. The compliance programme has been modified to specify the time periods as follows:

1. Pre-planting - no more than 6 weeks prior to intended planting date

2. Pre-harvest - A minimum of 12 weeks after planting or, for early plantings, 12 weeks after the mean soil temperature reaches 12^oC.

3. Pots-harvest - no more than 5 days after harvest.

Yes, at the grower’s risk. If PCN is found the production site will be removed from the programme.

If two blocks of land with separate property valuation numbers are to be considered one property (for example so that several paddocks on the two blocks can be registered as one production site) they must be contiguous - touching or adjoining. The boundaries of the properties must touch. If there is a farm track running down the boundary and the boundaries touch it is adjoining.

If there is a road between the boundaries (as owned by the local council or transit New Zealand) then they are not adjoining.

This space on the registration form is for the ROP number that many South Island growers use. We have changed the form to indicate “Farm ROP number (if known)”.

In most cases the costs of taking samples or fork sampling will be the same, as 100 soil cores/4 Ha are required. However a separate laboratory test for PCN is required for each production site. Growers need to balance costs against the consequences of PCN being found on a production site (and it being rejected from the programme).

In the diagram in Question 1 (above), a grower could register paddocks 4,6, and 7 as one production site. If PCN is found in paddock 7 all three paddocks are removed from the programme (and may not be re-entered in subsequent years). If they are registered as 3 production sites, only paddock 7 would be removed.

The registration form has now been updated to allow operators to indicate that they are registering for Taiwan.

Yes. The intention of this section is that potatoes not cleared for Taiwan are not packed at the same time as those that are cleared for Taiwan. The wording of this section has been changed.

We have checked the Taiwan requirements. These state that the potatoes must be segregated in storage. We have therefore removed the word “packed” from section 4.2.2.1 and now say to “segregate potatoes for Taiwan from others in the storage facility”. we have also reduced the segregation distance to 100mm.

The normal 600 unit phytosanitary inspection applies, with no detections of live pests in the sample.

The registration form has been updated to allow the category of seed to be stated for each production site.

The grower decides what surveys are needed. We have now updated the registration form to allow the grower to nominate the type of survey required for each production being registered.

Sites 4 and 6 are still eligible for export, but cleaning procedures must be put into immediate effect for any machinery moving from site 7. The reason for this is that PCN cysts are stimulated to hatch by young root growth. Any cysts transferred by clods of soil to sites 4 & 6 would be unlikely to emerge and present a significant risk in the current export season. If 4 &6 are registered for Taiwan, all machinery will have been cleaned between sites.

If a container is identified as high risk MAFBNZ requires your agent to contact us immediately.

MAFBNZ will then undertake the inspection (generally an external inspection if it is being done on the wharf) as quickly as possible. In certain circumstances, the external inspections may be carried out at your transitional facility under MAFBNZ supervision. Internal inspections of high risk containers also need to be arranged by your agent. Instructions are outlined on the Biosecurity Authority Clearance Certificate, a copy should be forwarded to you by the agent.

While MAFBNZ will conduct inspections as soon as possible there are occasions when, because of other workloads, it might take us a few days to get to your container.

Yes, you can arrange for a facility to unload the container for you. List of facilities .

Alternatively, if the facility is approved but there is currently no Accredited Person on-site, you may use another Accredited Person. List of Accredited Persons and Expiry Dates.

Data from the BACC Application form and electronic / scanned copies of supporting documentation will be sent electronically via ECN to MAFBNZ.

A levy of $20 per loaded container and $10 per empty container applies to all containers cover the monitoring and verification of shipping containers.

If a container is considered high risk or is non-compliant any additional work undertaken by MAFBNZ will be charged for. MAFBNZ inspections on and off wharf are charged at a rate of $100.00 per hour (1/4 hour minimum) and we also charge for travel to the inspection site.

All sea containers arriving in New Zealand must be accompanied by a Quarantine Declaration.

This must be filled in by the exporter before the container leaves the country of origin. If containers do not have a Quarantine Declaration they will be considered high risk and may be subject to delays and additional inspection and treatment costs.

A course will cost approximately $150 per person. This should be confirmed with individual training providers.

• List of accredited person training providers

The approved operator must be able to retrieve, at the request of a MAFBNZ Inspector, records (for 2 years) covering:

• All imported sea containers brought into the facility, including all of the following information where relevant to the particular containers or goods received:
  • date of arrival at the facility
  • container number
  • ship & voyage number
  • product and quantity unpacked
  • country of export
  • date of container devanning
  • confirmation that internal and external checks were conducted
  • name of the accredited person(s) who undertook the above checks
  • record of contaminants found and whether MAFBNZ was notified
  • any remedial action taken
• Operational procedures to ensure the requirements of all relevant MAFBNZ standards are followed.
• A copy of the transitional facility approval certificate.
• A copy of the operator's approval certificate.
• A list of accredited persons available to conduct container checks.
• A copy of the current standard (Requirements of Transitional Facilities for Sea Containers Standard).
• A copy of the current Import Health Standard for Sea Containers From all Countries.

Charges apply for the initial and ongoing audit of facilities. The charge is made up of administrative, on-site inspection and travel expenses. All MAFBNZ charges, except travel, will be recovered on an hourly basis.

In general registration and approval will cost about $200-$300. Please note this will vary according to the proposed facility location, sites with additional requirements, and how long our Inspectors require to conduct the audit.

To receive sea containers to your premises you must apply for your premises to become a MAFBNZ approved Transitional Facility for sea containers.

There is an Import Health Standard (IHS) for importing sea containers. This standard describes the conditions that need to be met by sea containers imported into New Zealand.

If you find something in or on a container (including cargo or wood packaging) immediately call 0800 80 99 66; be sure to note this on your log sheet.

You must complete and fax to MAFBNZ a Notice of Change to Destination Transitional Facility for Sea Containers (184 KB) form. For more information see Mandatory Declaration of the ATF Code and the ESCRIP Process (64 KB).

If the BACC Authority/Custom Delivery Order for your container is "To be opened by a Nominated Accredited Person" you may open your container. You will need to wait to submit your log sheet electronically or by fax until your number comes through.

If you have not received your number or certificate six weeks after sitting your course, please contact your Training Provider or MAFBNZ (Nicola Olson) on 07 927 5712.

No, containers should not be opened without confirmation the container has been cleared by MAFBNZ.

You should have received a Customs Delivery Order (CDO) and/or Biosecurity Authority Clearance Certificate (BACC) from your broker/agent. You will need to refer to the CDO under the "Delivery Instructions" that "MAF clearance has been given to move from wharf to ATF (approved transitional facility)". If any other MAF message appears in this section (e.g. "MAF HOLD"), then you will need to refer to the BACC for further instructions.

Unless MAFBNZ has stated otherwise, once the Accredited Person has completed their container check, without finding any contamination that would need to be immediately reported, then you may let your container go.

Once you have software capable of sending eBACCa entries to MAF, you can register to receive MAF eBACCa system alerts from http://www.biosecurity.m1.co.nz/webforms/join/

Yes - The Inbound Messaging system will identify each Electronic BACC Application with a unique number, so that any associated documentation can be identified using that same number.

Yes - You can specify the MAFBNZ worksite that you wish the Electronic BACC Application (eBACCa) to be addressed to. However, the Inbound Messaging queue also allows MAFBNZ staff to view all eBACCas on a national basis where required.

Note - The system provides MAF with flexibility on resourcing and allows MAFBNZ staff to improve turn around time and consistently meet service delivery targets.

Yes - Where the current process uses the BACC Application coversheet method to allow the containers to be moved.