2 October 2015
Purpose
To advise that the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has released a new opportunity for external authorised officers to inspect goods exported under protocol market access arrangements. This new opportunity, within the Authorised Officer model, is known as the job function titled HEP4001 Export Horticulture Protocol.
Background
Until recently only departmental authorised officers were permitted to undertake inspections of goods for protocol markets. Refer to Industry Advice Notice 2015/45 advising of changes that now allow external authorised officers to inspect goods for protocol markets.
A Table of horticulture protocol markets detailing protocol markets is available in the Plant Exports Operations Manual under the Product inspection - Horticulture heading. This table clearly defines which markets external authorised officers can inspect goods under established protocol market access arrangements.
Please note that previous communication from the department has referred to HOR3005 protocol market job function. This job function has been renamed to HEP4001 Export Horticulture Protocol.
Key points
- HEP4001 will enable external authorised officers to be appointed to inspect fresh fruit and vegetables for markets that have been designated by the department as protocol markets.
- External authorised officers will be required to apply to the department to be trained and competency assessed in HEP4001. See below for information on how to apply.
- Mandatory pre-requisite competency exists for all inspection authorised officers who wish to become appointed in HEP4001. This competency is for the existing horticulture job function, HOR3002 Inspection of Fruit and Vegetables.
- As HOR3002 has nine commodity groups, HEP4001 will correspond to this pre-requisite competency and group.
- Often protocol markets require treatments, such as in-transit cold treatments, to be supervised by an authorised officer. Until recently external authorised officers could not supervise treatments for these protocol markets.
- However, as external authorised officers can now inspect goods under protocol market access arrangements, external authorised officers can now also supervise treatments of these goods.
- For external authorised officers to supervise treatments, competency in the existing job function, TRE3001:1 In-transit cold treatment, is required in addition to HEP4001.
Implementation
- HEP4001 will be implemented over a 12 month period, following commodity seasonality, commencing 1 October 2015.
- Initially HEP4001 is only available for cherries being exported to China, Korea and Taiwan under protocol market access arrangements. Refer Table of horticulture protocol markets.
- As HEP4001 is made available for other commodities, an IAN will be published. The next commodities are likely to be mangoes and table grapes.
Updated Instructional, Training and Reference Materials
All authorised officers inspecting goods under protocol market access arrangements must refer to the following updated materials.
- Micor Cases
- Cherries to China
- Cherry to Korea
- Cherry to Taiwan
- Work plans
- Australian cherry exports to the People’s Republic of China V2.0
- Tasmanian cherry exports to the Republic of Korea V3.0
The following material has been published:
- Work instructions, including a mandatory checklist - available through MICoR Plants in the Documents\Workplans section
- Inspecting cherry exports to the People’s Republic of China V2.0
- Inspecting Tasmanian cherry exports to the Republic of Korea V2.0
- Inspecting cherry exports to Taiwan V2.0
As instructional, training and reference materials are amended from time to time, the department will publish an Industry Advice Notice informing authorised officers of the changes and where to find the materials. All authorised officers must use the latest instructional, training and reference materials by referring to the electronic versions of these documents within the Plant Export Operations Manual or the MICoR database.
How to apply
To apply for the HEP4001 job function:
- existing external authorised officers will need to complete and return an Authorised Officer change of job function/s form.
- new external authorised officers will need to complete and return an Authorised Officer application form.
Training and Competency Assessments
On the job training with a Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Plant Export Assessor is mandatory before assessment for competency for HEP4001 can be undertaken. Please note that this differs to existing voluntary training for all other job functions within the Authorised Officer model.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email: plant export training.
Dr Chris Parker
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch