Australian Beef

Safe, Healthy and Delicious

INTEGRITY

On-Farm

Livestock Production Assurance (food safety and quality assurance)

• LivestockProductionAssurance(LPA)isanon-farmfoodsafetyandqualityassurancecertificationprogram,providingstandardstoassistlivestockproducerstodeclarefoodsafetyandqualityassurancestatusoflivestockincludingchemicaluseandanimalfeeding.

• TheLPAprogramrequireslivestockproducerstouseNationalVendorDeclaration(NVD),withdetailsofthevendor,includingPropertyIdentificationCode(PIC)informationpre-printedontheNVD.

• Vendorsprovidingfalseinformationfaceseverepenalties.

• TheLPAfoodsafetystandardisauditedatrandomthroughouttheyear.FarmsintheQualityAssuranceprogramareauditedannually.

Feedlot

National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS)

• GrainfedbeefforexportisproducedinindependentlyauditedNFASaccreditedfeedlots.

• Theschemecontrolshealthandproductionandinvolvesstrictchecksforfeedandwatersafety.

• Recordsmustbekepttoallowthehealthandfeedinghistoryofeachindividualanimaltobetraceable.

Transport and Saleyard

TruckCare

• Appliedtolivestocktransportationbasedonmaximisinganimalwelfare,meatqualityandmeatsafety.

National Saleyards Quality Assurance (NSQA) program

• Addressesthekeyqualityissues/hazardswithinthesaleyardsector.

Processing Plant

Australian Standard

• UnderpinnedbytheAustralianGovernmentlegislation.AllexportingplantsmustcomplywiththeStandardtoensuremeatisprocessedhygienically.

• Basedonworld’sbestpractice,itisconsistentwithISO9002:1994andHACCP.

• TheAustralianGovernmentauthority-AustralianQuarantineInspectionService(AQIS)verifiesthelegislationisbeingcorrectlyimplemented.

AQIS Health Certificate

• Certifiesthatthemeatproducedbytheexportmeatprocessorhasreceivedanante-mortemandpost-mortemveterinaryinspectionandissuitableforhumanconsumption.

Monitoring Programs

• MicrobiologicalAssessment-tocomplywiththeAustralianStandard,exportingprocessingplantsmustmonitorE.coliandSalmonella.

• TheNationalResidueSurveyisanAustralianGovernmentprogramthatmonitorsmeatforresiduesofagricultural,veterinary,environmentalandindustrialcontaminants.

Transport and Shipping

Allshippingcontainersdestinedforexportareinspectedandsea-freightedcontainerssealedunderAQISsupervision.

• Thecontainercannotbeopeneduntilitreachesitsfinaldestination.

TRACEABILITY

On-Farm

• TheNationalLivestockIdentificationSystem(NLIS)isanelectronictagsystemofcattleandformspartofAustralia’sbeeftraceabilitysystems.

• NLIShasbeenmandatoryinAustraliafrom2005.

• NLISprovidestheassuranceoflivestocktrace-backtothepropertyofbirthandtrace-forwardfromthepropertyofbirth.

• Individuallivestockpropertiesareidentifiedbyaneight-digitpropertyidentificationcode(PIC)issuedbyStateGovernmentsandunderpintheNLISsystem.

• ThePICisprintedonindividualNLIStagswhichmustbeappliedtotheanimalbeforeitleavesthepropertyofbirth.

• ThePICissenttoacentraldatabasewheretheresiduestatusischecked.

Feedlot

• Themovementofcattle,includingthosefromthefarmtothefeedlotmustberecordedintheNLISdatabase.

• Recordsmustbekepttoallowthehealthandfeedinghistoryofeachindividualanimaltobetraceable.

• EachfeedlothasitsownPIC.

Saleyard

• Whencattlepassthoughthesaleyard,transactionsarerecordedusingNLIS.

Processing plant

• Underpinnedbygovernmentlegislationandoperatinginallexportprocessingplants.

• Processingplantsmustensureprecisetracebackthroughouttheprocessingplant

• BeefcarcasesmustbecorrelatedtothePICnumbers,whicharestoredonadatabase.

Shipping

• ThecontainerandsealnumbersforallbeefexportsarestoredinacentraldatabasebyAQIS.

Australia’s Beef Safety Program Integrity and Traceability Systems Summary

Supplyingover100marketsglobally,Australiaisoneoftheworld’slargestbeefexportersandweareproudofthisachievement.TheAustralianlivestockandmeatindustryiscommittedtofoodsafety,integrity,traceabilityandourproductqualitycomplementsourfocusonresponsibilityinmeetingthedemandsofourinternationalcustomers.

Australiahasaninternationallyrecognisedstatusofbeingfreeofallmajorepidemicdiseasesofcattle,includingBovineSpongiformEncephalopathy(BSE)andFootandMouthDisease(FMD).

TomaintainAustralia’shighproductstandards,theAustralianbeefindustryandalllevelsofgovernmenthaveworkedtogethertodevelopstringentstandardsandsystems,designedtoensuretheintegrityandtraceabilityoftheproduct.Thesestandardsandsystemsarebasedonanassessmentofriskandsoundsciencetomeettherequirementsofourinternationalcustomers.

TheAustralianGovernmentandindustryhaveestablishedSAFEMEAT,acommitteeconsistingofrepresentativesfromgovernmentandindustry.SAFEMEAT’sroleistoensurethatallbeefproductsachievethehighestsafetyandhygienestandardsfromthefarmtotheconsumer.

WhencustomerspurchasebeefproductsfromAustraliatheyarereceivingproductfromoneofthemoststringentlycontrolledmeatindustriesintheworld,withindependentlyauditedsystemsforanimalproductionthroughoutthechain,includingthetransport,processingandexportsectors.

AUSTRALIA’S ANIMAL DISEASE FREEDOM

AustraliahasawidelyaccepteddiseasefreestatusandisrecognisedashavingthehighestattainablelevelofBSEandFMDfreedom.

BSE,aTransmissibleSpongiformEncephalopathy(TSE)thataffectscattle,isanincurablecentralnervoussystemillness.AustraliahasstrictquarantinemeasuresandsurveillanceprogramsinplacetomeetinternationalstandardsforthedetectionofTSEs.

• 1966–abanwasplacedontheimportationofmeatandbonemealfromallcountrieswiththeexceptionofNewZealand.

• 1988–abanwasimplementedonimportationofcattlefromBSEaffectedcountries,includingtheUK.

• 1990–commencedtargetedtestingforBSEinAustraliancattle.

• 1991–abanwasappliedontheimportationofcattlefromFranceandSwitzerland.

• 1996–implementedavoluntarybanonfeedingofruminantmaterialtoruminantsfollowingaWorldHealthOrganizationrecommendation.

• 1997–acompulsorybanonfeedingofruminantmaterialtoruminantswasadoptedinallstatesandterritoriesofAustraliathroughlegislation.

• 1998–adoptedOIEguidelinesforsurveillanceforBSE–thesurveillanceprogramappliestobothcattleandsheep.

• 1999–thecompulsoryfeedingbanwasextendedtoincludefeedingspecificmammalianmaterialtoruminants.

• 2000–AustraliawasrecognisedbytheEuropeanUnionScientificSteeringCommitteetohavethelowestpossibleriskofBSEdetection(Level1).

• 2001–Australia’sAgriculturalMinistersagreedtolegislateabanonthefeedingofallvertebratematerialstoruminants–aworldfirst.

• 2004–AustraliawasrecognisedbytheEuropeanFoodSafetyAuthoritytohavethelowestpossibleriskofBSEdetection(Level1).

• 2006–AustraliawasrecognisedbytheWorldOrganisationforAnimalHealth(OIE)asacountryfreeofBSE.

Australia’s Beef safety systems

In1997,Australiaenactedlegislationprohibitingtheuseofmeatandbonemeal(MBM)asaruminantfeed.Theseregulationswerefurtherenhancedin2001withabanonthefeedingofanymammalianmaterialtoruminants.FeedingMBMtoanimalshasbeenlinkedtothetransmissionofTSEsinanimals.

Australia’sTSEstatusisfurtherenhancedbytheimplementationoftheNationalTransmissibleSpongiformEncephalopathySurveillanceProgram(NTSESP)in1998.ThisprogramwasdevelopedtomeettheOfficeInternationaldesEpizooties(OIE)InternationalAnimalHealthCodeforthesurveillanceofBSEincattleandScrapieinsheep.NTSESPisanintegratednationalprogram,fundedbyindustryandgovernment,whichinvolvesidentifyingandtestingcattleandsheepwithclinicalsymptomsthatcouldbemistakenforTSE.

TheAustralianredmeatindustryrecognisesthatitisvitaltoundertakemonitoringandsurveillancemeasuresinordertoprotectAustralia’sTSEstatus.ThesemeasuresaredesignedtoensurethatAustralia’stradingpartnerscontinuetobeconfidentaboutAustralia’sTSE-freestatus.

Asaresultoftheseprogramsandstrictquarantinemeasures,AustraliaisrecognisedbytheWorldOrganisationforAnimalHealth(OIE)asacountryfreeofBSE.Australiaisoneofonlyafewcountriestohavethisstatusintheworld.

INTEGRITY AND TRACEABILITY SYSTEMS

AllsectorsofAustralia’sbeefindustryfromthefarm,throughtofeedlots,transport,saleyards,andprocessingplantsareabletoimplementintegrityandtraceabilitysystemsthatoperateunderindependentlyauditedQualityAssurance(QA)programsdevelopedinpartnershipbytheAustralianindustry,governmentandotherrelevantorganisations.

ON-FARMANDFEEDLOT–INTEGRITY

Livestock Production Assurance – On-Farm Food Safety & Quality Assurance

TheAustraliancattleindustryhasdevelopedintegritysystemstoverifyandassurethefoodsafetystatusandotherqualityattributesoflivestock.LivestockProductionAssurance(LPA)isanon-farmfoodsafetyandqualityassurance(QA)certificationprogram.Thesestandardsaredesignedtostrengthensystemscurrentlyinplaceforthegrass-fedproductionsector.

TheLPAprogramwasdevelopedinaccordancewithISO9002:1994andHACCPprinciplesastheproductionbasedfoodsafetyandqualityassuranceprogramforgrass-fedbeef.Independentaudits,bothrandomandtargeted,areconductedtoensuretheprogram’sintegrityismaintained.

TheLPAon-farmfoodsafetystandardconsistsofamodule,FoodSafetyManagement.Thismoduleismadeupoffiveelements,whichare:

1. Propertyriskassessment.

2. Safeandresponsibleanimaltreatments.

3. Foddercrop,grainandpasturetreatmentsandstockfoods.

4. Preparationfordispatchoflivestock.

5. Livestocktransactionsandmovements.

TheLPAon-farmqualityassurance(QA)standard,incorporatingtheCATTLECAREprogram,consistsofthemoduleFoodSafetyManagement,plusanextratwomodules,SystemsManagementandLivestockManagement.Bothofthesemodulesareeachmadeoffiveelements,whichare:

SYSTEMSMANAGEMENT LIVESTOCKMANAGEMENT

1.Training 1.LivestockHusbandryandpreparation

2. Internalauditinganddocumentcontrol

2.Livestockhandlingfacilities

3.QualityRecords 3.LivestockTransport

4.DocumentControl 4.AnimalWelfare

5.ChemicalInventory 5.AccreditedLivestock

National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS)

TheNationalFeedlotAccreditationScheme(NFAS)isamandataryQAintegritysystemforfeedlotsproducinggrainfedbeeffortheAustraliandomesticmarketandallexportmarkets.Afeedlotisanintensiveproductionsystemwherethecattlearefedapreparedfeedrationforaspecificlengthoftimedependingonthefinalcustomer.

UndertheNFAS,themovementofcattlefromthefarmtothefeedlotmustberecordedintheNLISdatabase.Inadditionasoutlinedinamanual,healthandproductioncontrolsforgrainfedcattleareappliedthroughstrictchecksforfeedandwatersafety,strictregulationsareadheredto,withmonitoringforveterinarytreatmentsandinspectionforpesticidesortracemetals.

Recordsmustbekepttoallowthehealthandfeedinghistoryofeachindividualanimaltobetraceable.

National Vendor Declaration (NVD) for Cattle

UnderpinningtheLPAandNFASintegrityprogramsistheNationalVendorDeclaration(NVD)forcattle;thislinksthetraceabilityofthelivestockfromthefarm,throughtofeedlots,saleyards,transportandprocessing.TheNVDcontainsinformationaboutthelocationoftheproperty,contactdetailsofthevendor,thepropertyidentificationcode(PIC),exposureofthelivestocktoagriculturalandveterinarychemicals,grazinghistoryandsupplementaryfeeding.TheNVDdeclaresthatthevendorhasmettherequirementsofLPAFoodSafety,LPAQAorNFASdependingonwhatprogramtheyareinvolved.

BelowisthedeclarationvendorsprovideaftertheyhaveansweredthequestionswithintheNVD.

Asthepersonresponsibleforthehusbandryofthecattle,IalsodeclarethatalltheinformationinpartAofthisdocumentistrueandcorrect,thatIhavereadandunderstoodallthequestionsthatIhaveanswered,thatIhavereadandunderstoodtheexplanatorynotes,andthat,whileundermycontrol,thecattlewerenotfedrestrictedanimalmaterial(includingmeatandbonemeal)inbreachofStateorTerritorylegislation.

Signed:____________________________Date:___________

Phone:(_____)_____________________________________

*Onlythepersonwhosenameappearsabovemaysignthis declaration,ormakeamendmentswhichmustbeinitialled.

Commodity Vendor Declaration

TheCommodityVendorDeclaration(CVD)isapartofAustralia’sredmeat,grainandfodderindustry’scommitmenttodeliversafeproducts.Ifacommoditysuppliertoafarmorfeedlothasusedchemicalsinproductionofthecommodity,itmustbedeclaredontheCVD.LPAandNFASregulationsrequireaCVDorasystemtoindependentlyensurethefeedisresiduefree.

ON-FARMANDFEEDLOT–TRACEABILITY

National Livestock Identification System (Cattle)

ThecorebasisofAustralia’slivestocktraceabilitysystemisthePropertyIdentificationCode(PIC),whichunderpinsAustralia’sNVDandtheNationalLivestockIdentificationSystem(NLIS)programs.ThePICsystemwasintroducedinthelate1960sandidentifieseachpropertywithaneightdigitalphanumericcode.ThecodeisissuedbyStateGovernmentsandidentifiesthestate,regionandlocationoftheproperty.

NLISistheAustraliantraceabilitysystemforgrass-fedandgrain-fedcattle.ItwasdevelopedbytheAustralianGovernmentandtheredmeatindustry.TheNLISisbasedona‘wholeoflife’electronictagonindividualcattle,whichutilisesradiofrequencytechnologyandenablesindividualanimaltransactions,includingPICinformation,toberecordedandtransmittedelectronicallybytheproducerorprocessor.Thisinformationistransferredtoacentraldatabase,allowingthetracingofcattlefromthefarmtothepointofslaughtertooccurswiftlyandefficiently–thisisoneattributethatdistinguishestheNLISfromothertraceabilitysystemsaroundtheworld.

AllgrainfedcattleinAustraliadestinedforexportmarketsarerequiredbytheNFAStobeindividuallyidentifiedwithauniqueidentificationnumberwhentheyenterafeedlot.

TRANSPORTANDSALEYARD–INTEGRITY

TruckCare

TruckCareisavoluntaryqualityassuranceprogramappliedtolivestocktransportationandiscentredonmaximisinganimalwelfare,meatqualityandmeatsafety.

National Saleyards Quality Assurance (NSQA) program

TheNationalStandardfortheConstructionandOperationofAustralianSaleyardsformsthebasisoftheNationalSaleyardQualityAssurance(NSQA)program.TheStandardaddressesthekeyqualityissues/hazardswithinthesaleyardsectorincludingfoodsafety,productquality,stockidentificationandtraceability.

TRANSPORTANDSALEYARD–TRACEABILITY

National Livestock Identification System (Cattle)

TheprimaryresponsibilityofsaleyardsparticipatingintheNLISisreadingandthenrecordingintheNLISdatabasecattletransactionsthatoccurinthesaleyard.LegislationrequiressaleyardssellingNLISidentifiedstore/breedingcattletoup-loadcattlemovementstotheNLISdatabase.

PROCESSINGPLANT

Acomprehensivelevelofactivitiestoensureintegrityandtraceabilityarecarriedoutinprocessingplants.TheAustralianFederalandStateGovernmentorganisationsandindustryconductauditingandverificationprocessesthatformanintegralpartofAustraliancontrolsystems.ElementsofthesesystemsaresubjecttoAustralianGovernmentlegislation.

PROCESSINGPLANT–INTEGRITY

The Australian Standard

AllexportlicensedprocessingplantsoperateundertheAustralianStandardforhygienicproductionandtransportationofmeatandmeatproductsforhumanconsumption(AS4696:2002)whichisbasedonworld’sbestpracticeandisconsistentwiththeISO9002:1994standard.Additionally,theAustralianFederalgovernmentmandatedHACCP-basedqualityassuranceprogramstobeadoptedforallAustralianexportabattoirssince1997.

Allregisteredabattoirsarerequiredtohavequalifiedveterinarypersonnelandinspectorsstationedineachexportmeatabattoirto:

• Carryoutdailyhygieneinspectionsbeforeoperationsbegineachday;

• monitorqualityassuranceandmeatsafetythroughouttheproductionprocess;and

• conductante-mortemandpost-mortemhealthinspectionstoensurethesafetyandsuitabilityofproductsforhumanconsumption.

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)

LicensedexportmeatprocessingplantsinAustraliaarerequiredtooperateundertheExportControlAct1982.UnderthisAct,ExportMeatOrders(EMOs)providetheframeworkformeetingthedetailedlegislativerequirementsthatapplytoexportmeatplants.

ThisActgovernsallaspectsofhowmeatishandledduringprocessing.EachexportmeatabattoirhasaveterinaryofficerfromAQIS–theAustralianGovernmentagencyresponsibleformeathygiene,safetyregulationandcertification–toverifythatthelegislationisbeingcorrectlyimplemented.

AQIS Health Certificate

Oncethemeatisreadyforexporting,theprocessingplantwillelectronicallyrequestanAQISHealthCertificate.TheAQISHealthCertificatestatesthatbeefproducedwasprocessedinanhygienicmannerandwasderivedfromanimalswhichhavebeenfoundbyante-mortemandpost-mortemveterinaryinspectiontobefreefromdiseasesdesignatedbythelawsoftheimportingcountryandsuitableineverywayforhumanconsumption.

TheAQISHealthCertificateincludesinformationontheexporter,importer,processingplant,boningroom,adescriptionoftheproductincludingquantities,containermarks/numbers,vesseloraircraftandtheportofloadinganddischarge.TheinformationobtainedfromtheHealthCertificateisstoredbyAQISinacentraldatabase.

PROCESSINGPLANT–TRACEABILITY

National Livestock Identification System (Cattle)

TheprimaryresponsibilityofprocessorsparticipatingintheNLIStraceabilityprogramisreadingandthenrecordingintheNLISdatabasecattletransactionsthatoccurattheprocessingplant.LegislationrequiresabattoirsprocessingNLISidentifiedcattletoup-loadinformationtotheNLISdatabase.

On-Plant Product Traceability

GovernmentlegislationunderpinsthetraceabilitysystemsinallAustralianbeefexportprocessingplants.ProvisionsundertheEMOsrequireprocessorstoimplementtraceabilitysystemsbyaccuratelycorrelatingthebeefcarcaseswiththePICnumbersforidentification.

TheinformationcorrelatingthecarcaseandthePICisstoredonadatabasebytheprocessingplantandensuresprecisetracebackthroughtheprocessingplantfromwhentheliveanimalarrivestowhenthefinalbeefproductsareexported.

TRANSPORTANDSHIPPING–TRACEABILITY

Cartonsofbeefareloadedintorefrigeratedcontainers,whicharetheninspectedandsealedunderthesupervisionofAQIS.Thecontainerisnotreopeneduntilitreachesitsfinaldestination.Tomaintaintheoptimalshelf-lifeandqualityofthebeefproductduringtransport,thetemperatureofchilledbeefshouldbemaintainedat0°C(±1°C)andbelow-18°Cforfrozenproduct.

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MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING PROGRAMS

Inordertoverifytheperformance-basedmonitoringsystems,whichunderpintheAustralianStandards,theAustralianredmeatindustryandAQISconductregularassessmentandmonitoringprograms–

• thegenericE.coliandSalmonellaMonitoringProgram–anationalprogramofmicrobiologicalmonitoringofcarcasesurfaces.Undertheprogram,carcasesurfacesofallspeciesoflivestockslaughteredinAustraliaforexportaretestedforgenericE.coliandSalmonella.

• TheNationalResidueSurvey(NRS)isanAustralianGovernmentprogramthatmonitorsagriculturalproductsandmeatproducinganimalsforresiduesofagriculturalandveterinarychemicals,aswellassomeenvironmentalandindustrialcontaminants.Testingiscarriedoutforarangeofchemicalcompounds.Thepurposeofresiduemonitoringistoquantifytheoccurrenceofresiduesinproductsandtoverifythatresiduesinproductsarewithininternationallyacceptedlimits.Appropriateauthoritiesarecontactedwhenlimitsareexceededsothatcorrectiveactioncanbetakenandaffectedproductremovedfromthefoodchain.Currentanalyticaltechnologycandetectchemicalsatverylowconcentrations.

FOOD SAFETY WEB SITES

www.safemeat.com.au

ADDITIONALWEBSITESwww.australian-beef.comwww.aussiebeef.jpwww.ilovebeef.co.krwww.meatlivestockaustralia.com

©Meat&LivestockAustralia2006.Allrightsreserved

PublishedbyMeat&LivestockAustralia(MLA)ABN39081678364

September2006

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