Keeping the Travelling Bug in the Box

A Whoa to Go of Packaging, Labelling and Transporting New Organisms

A joint MAF-ERMA workshop was held in Wellington on 16 March, 2006. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss issues concerning, the packaging, labelling, documentation and transport of new organisms There were about 60 participants at the workshop including containment facility operators, IBSC members, and MAF and ERMA New Zealand staff.

Time Topic Presenter
8.50 - 9.00 Coffee & biscuits
9.00 - 9.10 Welcome & Introduction Libby Harrison (Facilitator)
ERMA New Zealand
9.10 - 9.20 ERMA New Zealand Expectations
  • Containment of new organisms arriving in New Zealand, during transportation to, and between, containment facilities.
  • Controls relating to containment en route to containment facilities.
Geoff Ridley
ERMA New Zealand
9.20 - 9.30 MAF Expectations
  • ERMA approvals and MAF permits to import new organisms
  • Enforcement of ERMA New Zealand controls and MAF conditions relating to new organism importation and movement to containment.
  • Inspection of packages containing new organisms at the port of arrival
Barry Wards
Biosecurity New Zealand
9.30 - 9.45 Discussion/Focus Points
  • Clarification of regulatory, legal and enforcement requirements
  • Inspection of packages containing new organisms at transitional facilities
  • Practical issues experienced by approval holders relating to requirements

Group
9.45 - 10.15 MAF Quarantine Service Border Requirements
  • Expectations and inspection of new organisms at the international mail centre
  • Current issues experienced with GMO importations
Laurie Meadows
MAF Quarantine Service
10.15 - 10.30 Discussion/Focus points
  • Clarification of inspection requirements and processes
  • Approval holder experiences and issues with receipt of new organisms from the border

Group

10.30 - 10.50 Morning Tea
10.50 - 11.10 Audit of Containment Facilities
  • Import of new organisms, including transfers
  • Expectations of facility supervisors regarding receipt of new organisms into containment
Mike Aitkenhead
MAF Quarantine Service
11.10 - 11.30 Discussion/Focus Points
  • Practical issues experienced by approval holders with transfer process

Group

11.30 - 11.50 Documentation/Labelling Requirements
  • Permits to import
  • Biosecurity direction
Barry Wards
Biosecurity New Zealand
11.50 - 12.20 Discussion/Focus Points
  • Clarification on documentation and labelling
  • Biosecurity Authorisation Clearance Certificates (BACCs)
  • Practical issues experienced by approval holders with documentation and labelling

Group

12.20 - 1.15 Light Lunch (provided)
1.15 - 2.00 Packaging/Transport of New Organisms
  • Standard, IATA, Other requirements
  • Packaging & Sending invertebrates
  • Practicalities of transporting large GE plants, and other plant material
2.00 - 2.30 Export of New Organisms
  • Cartagena protocol
  • Documentation
  • Transfer forms
Sonia Whiteman
ERMA New Zealand
2.30 - 3.00 Wrap-up - Way forward - incorporating feedback into improving process for packaging, labelling & transport of new organisms

Group