Notifications for New Zealand (373 notifications)

Adoption date of regulation: 5 November 2018

Correction: The web link to the document New Zealand (Maximum Residue Levels for Agricultural Compounds) Food Notice listed in section 2.1 of the document, page 3, was incorrect. It should have read https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/19550-maximum-residue-levels-for-agricultural-compoundsThe link has now been corrected. All other content in the document is as previously received.

Description of content: The document contains technical details on proposals to amend the current Notice issued under the Food Act 2014 that lists the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for agricultural compounds in New Zealand.MPI proposes the following amendments to the Notice:a)    The amendment of terminology in the Notice, to refer to ‘exemptions' from compliance with a MRL rather than ‘exceptions'.b)    The addition of new MRL entries for the following compounds:·         Dicamba: 0.05 mg/kg in mammalian fat (except milk fat); 0.5 mg/kg in mammalian kidney; 0.1 mg/kg in mammalian liver; 0.02 mg/kg in mammalian meat; and 0.1 mg/kg in milk.c)    The amendment of existing MRL entries for the following compounds and commodities:·         Clethodim: 0.2 mg/kg in mammalian meat; 0.2 mg/kg in mammalian offal; and 0.05 mg/kg in milk.·         Fludioxonil: 7 mg/kg in pineapples for import to New Zealand.·         Halauxifen-methyl: 0.01 mg/kg (*) in mammalian meat; 0.01 mg/kg (*) in mammalian offal; and 0.01 mg/kg (*) in milk.·         Lambda-cyhalothrin: 0.5 mg/kg in mammalian fat; 0.02 mg/kg in mammalian offal; 0.01 mg/kg in mammalian meat; and 0.05 mg/kg in mammalian milk.·         Metamitron: 0.01 mg/kg (*) in pears.Note: (*) indicates that the maximum residue level has been set at or about the limit of analytical quantification.d)    The addition of an exemption from compliance with a MRL for paraffin oils, when used as an agricultural compound.e)    The amendment of existing exemptions from compliance with a MRL for the following compounds:·         Formic acid, to move it from the list of agricultural compounds in Schedule 2 (for agricultural chemicals) to Schedule 3 (for veterinary medicines) of the Food Notice, and to revise the condition of exemption to be more specific to the control of Varroa mite.·         Oxalic acid, to move it from the list of agricultural compounds in Schedule 2 (for agricultural chemicals) to Schedule 3 (for veterinary medicines) of the Food Notice, and to revise the condition of exemption to be more specific to the control of Varroa mite. ·         Thymol, to broaden the substance definition to extracts of Thymus vulgaris (thyme) containing thymol, and to revise the condition of exemption to specify that use as an agricultural compound is for control of Varroa mite where the mode of action derives from the presence of thymol. f)     The amendment of the residue definition for lignocaine.The amendment of the residue definition for xylazine.

The Emergency Measures manage the biosecurity risk of containerized cargo and containers arriving to New Zealand from Italy during the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) aggregating season (1 September until 30 April) until 30 April 2020. These require all sea containers from Italy, excluding those containing vehicles, machinery and equipment, to be treated for BMSB, either offshore or at the port in New Zealand. Vehicles, machinery and equipment are excluded because these commodities must already be treated offshore.

Import Health Standards (IHS) 152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand; Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) from Australia; Melon (Cucumis melo) from Australia; Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) from Australia; and Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) from Australia, describe the import requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables imported into New Zealand. This notification concerns the urgent amendment of standards that facilitate the import of fresh produce that are hosts for Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus from Australia into New Zealand.

The adoption date of the Import Health Standard is 1 September 2018 except for Sections 3.1 and 3.3 (for used machinery and used wire cables) that will be enforced from 1 December 2018.

This is an amendment to the existing "Import Health Standard for Processed Tilapia and Catfish for Human Consumption" published in February 2011 (available at: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/1777-processed-tilapia-and-catfish-for-human-consumption-from-specified-countries-import-health-standardCurrently, the above Import Health Standard allows pangasid catfish products to be imported only from Malaysia and Vietnam. The amendment is for including Thailand, in addition to Malaysia and Vietnam, to import the commodity to New Zealand.The draft of the amended Import Health Standard is available at: https://mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/29927

The Import Health Standard (IHS) 152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand describes the import requirements for fresh fruit and vegetable imported into New Zealand. This notification concerns the emergency measures for citrus canker on fresh Citrus fruit from Australia.

Draft Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery and Equipment from Japan.

In the WTO notification G/SPS/N/NZL/572 the wrong regulation was attached. This notification includes the correct Import Health Standard and Guidance Document that is being consulted on.

MPI is proposing the following options for management of myrtle rust in Myrtaceae seed lots:  Seed sourced from a country free from Austropuccinia psidii (formerly Puccinia psidii or Uredo rangelii), or Seed must be treated with one of the approved chemical treatments as per MPI Standard MPI-STD-ATBRT Approved Biosecurity Treatments. MPI recommends one of the following fungicides: Azoxystrobin, Triadimenol, Mancozeb, Triforine and Tebuconazole at maximum label rate.

Measures listed in the previous version of the Import Health Standard 155.02.06: Importation of Nursery Stock may not effectively manage biosecurity risk associated with three species of Phytophthora, namely P. capsiciP. palmivora and P. tentaculata. New measures have been added to the standard to manage risk associated with these species of Phytophthora on whole plants, cuttings and bulbs of known host species as follows: The following import schedules have been amended to include options for production in a "Country", "Pest free area" or "Pest free place of production", free from capsiciP. palmivora and/or P. tentaculataAbies, Acacia (specified genera), Acer (specified genera), Acrocomia (specified genera), Aesculus (specified genera), AlliumAnthuriumAraucaria (specified genera), Arbutus (specified genera), ArtocarpusCalanthe (specified genera), CaricaChicoriumChrysanthemum (specified genera), Crataegus (specified genera), Dahlia, Delphinium (specified genera), Dianthus, Dianthus caryophyllus, Diospyros, Dracaena, Epipremnum, Eugenia (specified genera), Ficus, Gerbera, Hebe (specified genera), Lilium, Mangifera, Metrosideros (specified genera), Olea, Paulownia, Petunia, Phalaenopsis, Phoenix, Verbena and Yucca.P. capsici and/or P. palmivora have been added to pest lists for the Citrus, FragariaMalusPrunusSolanum tuberosum schedules. For these genera, risk associated with P. capsici and P. palmivora will be managed either in post entry quarantine in New Zealand and/or during production at MPI approved offshore facilities.

The import health standard: Fresh Pumpkin, Squash and Butternutfor Human Consumption or Decorative Purposes allows the importation of fresh pumpkin, squash and butternut into New Zealand from recognised countries.

This standard describes the import specifications and entry conditions for nursery stock imported into New Zealand.

The import health standard contains specific import requirements. These are the rules to manage the biosecurity risk associated with regulated pests that may be imported into New Zealand in association with Actinidia plants for planting.

The amended IHS clarifies import requirements and will facilitate future trade. The IHS enables the import of NZ animal products that have been further processed overseas. Importation is under strict food safety and biosecurity measures. There are currently five requests - Australia, Fiji, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and Thailand to trade the commodity. One of which requires agreement under this amended IHS in the next two months.

The Import Health Standard has been updated to include the following clause:Canine influenza(1)        For at least 21 days prior to shipment: a) The cat or dog was not kept in a place where there were cats or dogs showing clinical signs of infectious respiratory disease; and b) The cat or dog showed no clinical signs of infectious respiratory disease.

CTO Direction 20180004: Extension in period of application of the emergency requirements issued 23 December 2017 in the Import Health Standard for Sea Containers, to manage the risk of BMSB for consignments exported from Italy. New Application period: 23 December 2017 until 30 April 2018.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has issued an amendment to the import health standard (IHS) 155.02.05: Seeds for sowing. The IHS, dated 22 February 2018, replaces the earlier version of the standard dated 14 December 2017. The following changes have been applied: All approved seed treatments from the IHS 155.02.05: Seeds for sowing were migrated to the technical standard MPI-STD-ABTRT Approved Biosecurity Treatments. All lots of pea seed imported into New Zealand are now required mandatory fumigation with phosphine or methyl bromide according to the specifications listed in the technical standard MPI-STD-ABTRT Approved Biosecurity Treatments.