'Important Expression of Free Trade Principles in Action'

Luxton - United States Decision on New Zealand Meat Safety Programme
The Hon John Luxton, Minister for Food, Fibre, Biosecurity, Border Control and Associate International Trade, today hailed the United States decision to accept a major part of New Zealand?s food safety programme for meat as ?equivalent? to that used in the US, as an important expression of international free trade principles in action.

The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has agreed to accept the ?equivalence? of New Zealand?s National Microbiological Database (NMD) microbiological monitoring programme in relation to the E. coli bacteria testing requirements of the US Pathogen Reduction : Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Final Rule, the so-called ?MegaReg?. New Zealand will make one minor modification to the size of the area to be sampled but all other

?Equivalence? means that one trading partner accepts that the other?s food safety programmes achieve the same (or higher) standard, although the actual methods and systems of achieving that standard may differ. It does not require trading partners to replicate all aspects of each other?s regimes, but rather to demonstrate that they deliver the same food safety outcomes.

The principle of ?equivalence? is one of the important underlying principles in current world trade negotiations and agreements, and the US decision is seen as an important example of this international principle in action.

Hon John Luxton said the FSIS should be congratulated for a decision which is both forward-thinking and technically-sound.

?New Zealand has one of the most comprehensive and effective food safety programmes for meat in the world, and our food safety standards are amongst the highest in the world. This decision recognises that.?

Further information on the New Zealand food safety and related programmes can be obtained by visiting the MAF website at: http://www.maf.govt.nz