Hi there 

Below is a recent communication from MAFBNZ, which was sent last week, requiring that IVA’s review and increase the level of detail in their clients' existing systems.

MAFBNZ have been strongly encouraging IVA’s to do this for the last 18 months; and as you are aware IVS has been working with you for some time to ensure your export organization system meets this requirement.  We believe that our clients will be largely exempt from this process thanks to work already done. We will know for sure when we meet with MAFBNZ over the next month, but we predict only a few (if any) small matters may pop up and hope you will remain largely unaffected.

We appreciate that updating your systems has been a challenge and thank you for your efforts in this area.

It is hoped that you won't hear any more from us on this matter, but we'll keep you up to date if there is any implication for your business.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Kind regards,
Peter Webb, IVS Chief Executive

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TO: | MAF Approved Organisations | 20 May 2011

Some of you may have been advised by your IVA that they will be reassessing existing organisation systems to ensure that they meet the current MAF plant export standards. MAF have recently been examining the quality of existing systems, and while some are very good, we are concerned there may be some that do not meet the standards expected. With the increasingly challenging audits that MAF is being subjected to by importing countries, as well as a number of issues that we are seeing when we investigate interceptions, we have identified some weaknesses in the implementation of MAF standards. Please note that the standards have not changed.

Over the next couple of months MAF will be working with the IVAs to ensure that we all have the same understanding of what is acceptable re the content of systems. In the interim IVAs will be looking closely at existing systems during systems audits. They will be giving non-compliances where the systems fail to meet the existing standards, however if they are not critical issues they will be giving the organisation time (e.g. up to a year) to fix their systems. The use of non-compliances in this context is to enable input into a continuous improvement process for organisations and to allow IVAs to keep track of the issues identified.

MAF will also be preparing guidance material and improved templates to feed into this process over the next twelve months. We will keep in touch as this work continues through the year.

Regards
Karen Sparrow | Plant Exports Manager,
Import & Exports Standards | Standards