Vote Food Safety
Food Safety Policy Advice
Policy advice contributes to many of MAF's intermediate outcomes.
This includes purchasing policy advice and decision-making support for the Minister and the Government on food safety and related issues. It includes analysis and advice on legislation and policy to be applied to all aspects of food administration ensuring a robust, modern, comprehensive legislative base, implementation tools, and mechanisms to measure its effectiveness. Services to assist the Minister are also included.
Performance Measures
- All policy advice conforms to the criteria set out in Schedule A as assessed by one or more of the methods identified in Schedule B.
- Priority work is completed as agreed with the Minister in the 2007/08 output plan (including any subsequent agreed amendments).
- All policy advice meets or exceeds the following Ministerial quality thresholds:
- less than five percent of Ministerial letters rejected (for content);
- less than five percent of Ministerial letters submitted to Minister's office more than 15 days after receipt;
- no Ministerial letters submitted to Minister's office more than 20 days after receipt; and
- less than one percent of Cabinet papers submitted to Cabinet Committee after due date.
- 100 percent of input into key international forums meets Ministerial expectations, consultation requirements of international organisations and is informed by consultation with relevant affected stakeholders.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $3.126 million. The appropriation is funded by $3.105 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.021 million.
Regulatory Standards
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- Safe and suitable food for New Zealanders.
- A business environment for the agriculture, food and forestry sectors that supports innovation, enterprise and high performance.
- New Zealand's reputation for consistent and principled application of international trade and sanitary and phytosanitary rules and regulations is maintained and enhanced.
- Market access (technical or non-tariff related) for New Zealand's animal and plant products is maintained and enhanced.
This covers the setting of technical standards for food production. It ensures that food and food-related products are produced in accordance with New Zealand legislation and, where appropriate, meet the requirements negotiated with countries importing New Zealand products to enable official assurances necessary for market access and to otherwise meet “agreed levels of consumer protection”. It includes standards for ancillary legislation associated with controls on inputs into food protection. It also covers the setting of operational standards, the development of monitoring and review mechanisms to measure performance and to support reports to the Minister as well as providing official assurances.
Performance Measures
- 100 percent of all standards are reviewed according to a schedule agreed with the accountable Director.
- 100 percent of approvals comply with the Charter agreed with the accountable Director.
- The public health and other outcomes of regulatory standards (and other regulatory activities) are monitored according to programme parameters agreed with the accountable Director and reviewed accordingly.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $40.310 million. The appropriation is funded by $18.217 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $22.093 million.
Response to Food Safety Emergencies
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- Safe and suitable food for New Zealanders.
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
- New Zealand's reputation for consistent and principled application of international trade and sanitary and phytosanitary rules and regulations is maintained and enhanced.
This covers food safety emergencies; these are to be expected and need to be handled in a systematic manner. The setting of standards for this purpose is covered in this output expense. It covers food safety emergencies where there is a need to be prepared for such emergencies and to handle events in a systematic manner to reduce threats to human health and/or impacts on the integrity of the programme. It includes the co-ordination of routine food recalls and communication with affected parties and those at risk, as well as responses to food safety emergencies. Responses are demand driven and budgeted for on a case-by-case basis.
Performance Measures
- Systems and measures to limit the impact of events that pose a threat to human health or to the integrity of the New Zealand Food Safety programmes are maintained in accordance with standards.
- Emergency responses are managed in an effective manner (limiting adverse impacts on health and the integrity of New Zealand food safety programmes) as measured by internal review.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $0.383 million. The appropriation is fully funded by revenue Crown.
Systems Audit and Enforcement
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- A business environment for the agriculture, food and forestry sectors that supports innovation, enterprise and high performance.
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
- Safe and suitable food for New Zealanders.
- New Zealand's reputation for consistent and principled application of international trade and sanitary and phytosanitary rules and regulations is maintained and enhanced.
- Market access (technical or non-tariff related) for New Zealand's animal and plant products is maintained and enhanced.
This covers the audit of component systems and specific areas within the regulatory programme, as well as investigations of problems, complaints and suspected breaches of legislation. It covers obtaining the necessary evidence that the programme is effective in meeting public objectives and is being enforced.
Performance Measures
- 100 percent of audits undertaken are completed so their outcomes are managed and reports are produced according to agreed procedures and by competent assessors.
- 100 percent of audit results are analysed by an external reviewer to substantiate assurances provided by NZFSA that delivery is in accordance with relevant standards.
- 100 percent of complaints are investigated in accordance with strategies and legal powers.
- 95 percent of investigation files prepared for prosecution meet prima facie requirements (sufficient evidence to initiate criminal proceedings).
- At least 90 percent of prosecutions successfully meet outcomes agreed with the accountable Director.
- Less than five percent of cases lodged with the Court incur adverse judicial comment (to allow for the pursuit of precedent setting by the Court).
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $4.292 million. The appropriation is funded by $2.792 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $1.500 million.
Consultation and Food Safety Information
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
- A business environment for the agriculture, food, forestry and related sectors that supports innovation, enterprise and high performance.
- Enhanced prosperity for Māori engaged in the agriculture, food, forestry and related sectors.
- Safe and suitable food for New Zealanders.
This covers consultation with stakeholders (including the public) and involves the Food Safety Advisory Board, the Consumers' Forum and the Officials' Committee on Food Safety. It covers communication of food safety information including all regulatory and other relevant matters to stakeholders and managing issues from a communication perspective.
Performance Measure
- Consultation and food safety information provided meets the needs of the majority of stakeholders as assessed by stakeholder feedback.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $3.432 million. The appropriation is funded by $2.749 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.683 million.
Regulatory Programmes
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- New Zealand's reputation for consistent and principled treatment of exports and imports according to international rules is maintained and enhanced.
- Market access (technical or non-tariff related) for New Zealand's animal and plant products is maintained and enhanced.
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
- A business environment for the agriculture, food, forestry and related sectors that supports innovation, enterprise and high performance.
- Safe and suitable food for New Zealanders.
This covers primary components of the regulatory programmes where arrangements exist to contract out regulatory services. District Health Boards are jointly contracted with the Ministry of Health to provide a range of functions across the public health continuum. District Health Boards provide NZFSA with oversight of parts of the programme at a local level, investigate possible cases of food-borne illness and provide a link to wider public health areas. The NZFSA Verification Agency provides verification functions to the meat and seafood industries.
Performance Measures
- District Health Boards' technical compliance with relevant standards and food legislation are confirmed by NZFSA assessment.
- Verification services delivered by NZFSA's Verification Agency meet pre-set effectiveness standards as determined by independent assessment.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $37.759 million. The appropriation is funded by $2.165 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $35.594 million.
Contact for Enquiries
Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738
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