NSFS Ref 43
Date of Effect: 1 January 2011
Date of Expiry: 31 December 2011
Contact Officers
Albert Cobb
Meat Export
0417 046 476
Surjit Kang
Meat Export
02 6272 4924
Distribution Categories
- Central and Regional Office
- OIC Inspection Staff Export Establishments
- Managers, Export Game Meat Establishments
- State Food Authorities
Implementation Schedule
(To be completed by the On Plant Supervisor on the AQIS file copy)
- Date received:
- Date discussed with management:
- Initial implementation date:
- Date completed:
- Management representative initials:
- AQIS OPS initials:
1. Purpose
To inform management of export wild game processing establishments of changes to the place of harvest information required on game harvester approved tags. These requirements are different to those outlined in AMN 2009/18. The requirements will be included in the Approved Arrangement Guideline for Wild Game Meat.
2. Scope
This notice applies to all export registered establishments processing wild game for human consumption.
3. Background
AMN 2009/18 (sub-clause 4.1, b) required that wild game animal carcases to be processed for human consumption must have an attached approved tag that identifies the place of harvest by name of property, or property owner, or quota management authority property identification number.
Since this time, game processors, State Food Authorities and AQIS have experienced difficulties and delays in tracing carcases to the place of harvest due to issues such as incomplete or abbreviated property names, use of old quota management authority property numbers, use of private codes etc. The tracing was further complicated by the over-reliance on having to contact harvesters, field depot operators, and/or quota management authorities to determine the place of harvest.
Following significant consultation involving industry, State Food Authorities, State Agricultural Authorities and AQIS, it has been decided to use the existing national property identification system as the primary means of identifying the place of harvest on the approved tag. Under this system properties used for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are assigned a Property Identification Code (PIC). Examples of PIC layout are WAAY1234, SA841234, QJBK1234, and NK381234 for Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Queensland (Qld) and New South Wales (NSW) respectively.
The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) runs a database of PICs which allows traceability to specific properties. Access to the NLIS database allows game processing establishments to readily determine the PIC validity, the property name, the owner name, the location (usually the nearest town and in some cases a road address), and the post code. To do this, game processing establishments need to open an account with NLIS. The information provided by the NLIS database removes the current frequent need to contact harvesters, field depot operators, and/or quota management authorities in an attempt to obtain clarity on the actual place of harvest.
A small percentage of properties where wild game is harvested will not have an allocated PIC because they are not used for animal production, such as some cropping properties. In these cases, the harvester can continue to use the property name but it must be complete.
4. Actions
4.1 Wild Game harvesters:
- must record the place of harvest on the approved tag by using the PIC for the property. PICs can be obtained from the property owners or managers who use this information on approved livestock identifiers and on records of stock movement or
- for those properties where a PIC has not been assigned, the harvester must use the complete property name.
4.2 Wild Game Field Depot Operators must:
- monitor approved tags to ensure they are in compliance with 4.1 (a) or (b).
4.3 Wild Game Processing Management must:
- amend their Approved Arrangement to address the changed requirement relating to recording the place of harvest on the approved tag and the verification activities used to confirm compliance with the changed requirement
- verify compliance with the changed requirement at the pre-dressing inspection
- open an NLIS account. To open an account with NLIS go to NLIS web page and click on “Create a new account” and apply on line providing the required information. Account type will be “Abattoir/Processor” and will be verified by the relevant state registering authority
- verify that the supplied PICs are valid using the NLIS database (it is expected that a much higher level of verification will be needed initially than on an ongoing basis)
- utilising the NLIS database, conduct regular tracing exercises to determine the location of harvest using the supplied PICs
- keep records of all the verification and tracing exercises.
4.4 AQIS On Plant Supervisor (OPS) must:
- verify the Approved Arrangement adequately addresses the requirements of this AMN
- monitor implementation and on-going compliance with the changed requirement
- open an NLIS account if not opened yet. To open an account with NLIS, follow the same instructions as outlined in 4.3 (c) above but the account type will be “AQIS Plant” for all AQIS staff and verified by AQIS Central Office
- conduct weekly independent verification checks on a minimum of 10 PICs through the NLIS database for the validity of PICs and to determine the place of the harvest
- keep records of all the verification checks in the National Establishment Verification System (NEVS).
4.5 Area Technical Manager (ATM)
- approve amendments to the establishment’s Approved Arrangement
- verify establishment and AQIS on-going compliance with this AMN
Carol Sheridan
National Manager
Export Meat
NOTE: For more information on location of properties in WA and Qld, it is recommended to access their freely available database websites as given below:
- Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
- QLD Government, Agricultural Property System Search