New rules ensure raw milk suppliers verified for hygiene
New rules regulating the production and sale of raw milk would ensure suppliers are verified for food hygiene and safety.
The rules are on target to be in place by March next year following consultation meetings between the Ministry for Primary Industries and raw milk suppliers.
Three meetings were held with suppliers of raw milk in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch last month on details of the new requirements to ensure they were practical and workable.
Marlborough raw milk supplier Tim Jopson said the meeting in Christchurch had been ‘‘positive.’’
‘‘We are optimistic the two parties can achieve the goals set,’’ he said.
Jopson, of Tuamarina, had previously told of his concern about the new proposals and the possible extra costs with producing raw milk under the new rules.
New policies were previously announced in June on the production and sale of raw milk, from any milking animal, to consumers.
Under the new rules suppliers will join other food producers selling high risk foods and be bound to meet the same criteria around food safety.
The rules come into effect on March, 2016 to allow raw milk to be sold directly from the farmer to consumers either at the farm gate, or by home deliveries once suppliers meet the criteria, a Primary Industries Ministry spokeswoman said.
The new policy focused on how to best manage the risks associated with raw milk as well as recognising the strong demand for raw milk from both rural and urban consumers.
‘‘Managing food safety risks is important particularly when dealing with high-risk foods, such as raw milk,’’ the spokeswoman said.
‘‘The revised policy looks to manage these risks as much as possible by ensuring that all farmers who sell raw milk meet the appropriate requirements and that consumers are aware of the risks and how to best manage them so they can make informed decisions.
‘‘Under the new policy all farmers selling raw milk to consumers will be required to meet certain requirements to ensure they are following all the correct hygiene and safety practices to limit contamination of raw milk as much as possible.
‘‘Requirements for farmers that sell raw milk to consumers will include keeping records, testing raw milk, and being verified.’’
How often a farmer will need to be verified will depend on how well they are managing the food safety risks, she said.
‘‘Good performers will be verified less, and poor performers will be verified more frequently.’’
The requirements will put producers who sell raw milk to consumers on par with other food producers who sell high-risk foods, such as shellfish, and meet hygiene and safety requirements relevant to the risks their food presents.
Ministry staff were now receiving feedback from the industry as part of the process in drafting the regulations which should be finalised late this year.
Tuamarina raw milk supplier