www.mpi.govt.nz

Kathy Lloyd – Market Access Counsellor

New Zealand Government Oversight of

Halal Certification of Animal Products

Exported from New Zealand Auckland University Asia Dialogue July 2012

New Zealand – a Food Producing Nation

• New Zealand’s past and future economic

success, and our reputation, are built on the

production and export of safe food, driven by

the primary agriculture sector.

• Agriculture exports $18 billion in food exports

one quarter of New Zealand’s GDP

• Food sector 35% of workforce

Market Access is Important!

Maintaining access to export markets is vital, not only with

our traditional markets in Europe, the UK and US, but

also our emerging markets in the Indian subcontinent,

the Middle East and the ASEAN region.

• NZ dairy – 30% of global dairy exports

• NZ meat – 8% of global beef trade, 50% of global sheep

meat trade

• Seafood, animal feed materials, hides and skins, plants

and plant products, bee products.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)

..update..

MPI:

– Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,

– New Zealand Food Safety Authority

– Ministry of Fisheries

agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, fisheries, forestry and

food sectors

protection of our primary industries from biological risk.

MPI advises Government across all aspects of the primary

industries, food production and associated trade issues.

MPI Strategy – Growing & Protecting NZ

culture of partnership with primary sectors, enabling

them to achieve success and grow the economy.

• Market Assurances Directorate

• Maximising export opportunities through facilitating access to markets

• Emerging markets

• Working with overseas counterparts

• Trade barriers

Opportunities & Challenges for New Zealand

• Increased demand: meat, seafood, dairy

• Challenges: size, distance, trade barriers

• Growth envisaged through value-added products,

value chain coordination

• Relative importance of markets, and priorities

changing to ensuring exporters can take advantage

of opportunities for new products and in new

markets

MPI – Market Access Strategy

• Assurances that support economic growth and open

up new markets.

• Rules-based trade and WTO SPS Agreement

• Bilateral and multilateral tools to facilitate trade, eg

SPS Chapters in Free Trade Agreements, a

Sanitary Agreement with the EU, and technical

cooperation arrangements and submissions.

MPI Halal Market Access Strategy

• Over 90% of red meat produced in New Zealand is

exported, and virtually all of this is halal slaughtered

in export-approved slaughterhouses

• Global trends –

– Muslim demographics

– Changing consumer behaviours

– Emerging markets

– Halal certification and standardisation

Potential

Top Halal

Markets for

NZ Meat

Where Muslims Live

63%20%

15%

2%

0% Asia Pacific

Middle East and

North Africa

Sub Saharan

Africa

Europe

Americas

Asia/Pacific Indonesia, India, China, Malaysia, Thailand,

Philippines, Sri Lanka.

Middle East Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Egypt,

North Africa Algeria, Nigeria

Europe Germany, France, Netherlands

Ten Top Muslim Markets for NZ Halal Exports

ASIA Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand,

Philippines, India, Sri Lanka

Middle East Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt

Europe France, Germany, Netherlands

MPI Halal Market Access Strategy

• We expect demand in halal food to grow

• Halal standards – IHIA, GSO, Malaysia, Indonesia

• New Zealand’s reputation as a trusted supplier of

safe food needs to incorporate halal assurances

• Meat and meat products; animal slaughter;

processed food and dairy products; food

ingredients; certification; transport and logistics….

MPI Halal Market Access Strategy

• Potentially NZ$2.85 billion in meat and dairy exports

at risk of restrictions based on halal

• $600 million – meat and dairy – exports to

Indonesia

• $30 - $50 million revenue from red meat exports to

Malaysia lost per annum 2005-2011 due to halal

issues

MPI Halal Market Access Strategy

• MPI (formerly NZFSA) is New Zealand’s competent

authority for food safety regulation

• MPI has international credibility and expertise in

– Risk Management Systems

– Identification, Traceability and Segregation Systems

– Controls on Non-Conforming Products

– Export Official Assurance (Certification) Systems

– Electronic Export Health Certification

• overseas market access requirements

Industry

Set standards for consumer protection

Provide assurance(s) Regulator

Accredited

Verifiers Independent Audit of how

govt requirements are met

Meet standards using

Risk Based Management Plans

Consumers Truthfully labeled,

safe and wholesome

food

MPI Regulatory Model – Animal Products

Regulatory Model Components

• HACCP Principles

• Risk Management Programmes

• Competency Standards for individuals & agencies

performing critical functions

• Third party independent agencies

• Export controls

• MPI verification and official export certification

MPI Regulatory Controls on Exports.1

• Risk Management Programmes

• Regulated Control Schemes

• Identification & segregation of non-conforming

products

• Identification, official control and disposition of non-

complying product where required by importing

country, including removal from food chain if

necessary

MPI Regulatory Controls on Exports. 2

• Official assurance safeguards – protecting New

Zealand’s credibility:

– Exporter registration

– Official export certificates (E-cert)

MPI Oversight of Halal Certification

• Consultation with NZ meat and dairy industries, wider government, halal certifiers and Islamic organisations, Islamic food scientists, training providers and Islamic scholars in NZ

• Research on importing country halal requirements and standards

• Engagement with international halal bodies and religious authorities

Halal export notice issued in 2010

MPI – Approvals & Requirements on

Organisations & Personnel

• Slaughterhouses to be approved by MPI and operate under documented halal programmes approved by an AHO

• halal organisations (AHOs) performing certification & audit to be approved by MPI and accredited to ISO17020

• Competency standards for AHO halal certifiers, personnel approving programmes and assessing businesses

MPI – Requirements for Approved Halal

Organisations (AHOs)

• ISO17020 Accreditation

• Training programmes for personnel approving programmes, assessing businesses and certifying product

• NZQA competency standards in auditing and certification of halal meat production

• Approval/acceptance by: – Importing country national Islamic authority

– NZ mosque

– NZ Halal Standards Advisory Council

– MPI – “fit and proper person”

• Audit by MPI

Halal Slaughter Persons Competency Criteria

• NZ Qualifications Authority halal module standards

• Industry training organisations with Islamic tutors

• MPI register of competent halal slaughter persons

• AHO ongoing assessment of suitability

• NZ animal welfare law applies

Halal Certification into the Future

• NZ government is building a replacement

information system - Joint Border Management

System (JBMS) to meet our current and future

border management needs.

• First stage currently underway - Trade Single

Window is one element of this.

• Electronic certification and collection of data

• Electronic halal export certificate

Halal Standards Advisory Council

• Focal point for high level consultation

• Leadership, analysis and advice on halal issues

• Contribute to development of effective, sustainable

standards and risk-mitigating strategies that place

the New Zealand animal products export systems at

the forefront of international best halal practice

What Does This Mean for Importing Country?

• MPI is competent authority to negotiate halal standards to apply in NZ, where there are halal requirements for access into overseas markets.

• Robust framework for competency and ongoing performance of organisations and personnel involved in production of halal meat and meat products

• NZ ongoing commitment to engage with overseas religious authorities on matters related to halal standards

• NZ halal products continue to be safe and suitable for intended purpose – trust and confidence

Thank you