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Product Safety and Integrity Committee
What is the Product Safety and integrity Committee?
PSIC is a committee of the Primary Industries Ministerial Council (PIMC). Its role is to provide advice on issues relating to the safety and integrity of agricultural [primary] produce before it leaves the farm, including the safety and sustainability of agricultural [primary] production systems.
The Committee coordinates national approaches for managing potential risks to food safety, public and occupational health, trade and the environment from:
- agricultural and veterinary chemicals (pesticides and veterinary medicines)
- fertilisers and animal feedstuffs
- environmental contaminants and residues in primary production systems.
Download 'An Overview of Australia's National System for Managing Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals' 
PDF [164kb].
The Committee advises PIMC in relation to policy direction for the National Registration Scheme for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRS) and for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) which administers the scheme.
For information about chemicals used in Australia, visit the National Chemical Information Gateway website
Council of Australian Governments
Terms of Reference
- To provide policy advice to PIHC/PISC on issues in relation to those farm inputs which have the potential to affect the safety and integrity of primary production commodities and food and the sustainability of primary production systems. These include agricultural and veterinary chemicals, fertilisers, environmental contaminants/residues and animal feeds.
- In doing so, PSIC will, in consultation with stakeholders:
- consider the implications for public health, occupational health and safety, environmental impact, efficacy, trade and the competitiveness and sustainability of primary industries
- develop strategies for implementing policy initiatives
- consider the effectiveness of legislation governing the National Registration Scheme for agricultural and veterinary chemicals and the need for reform
- identify, analyse and monitor product safety and integrity issues in Australia and overseas and initiate strategic planning on emerging key issues
- provide timely responses to requests from PIHC/PISC for advice on specific issues and priority areas.
Membership
PSIC’s membership comprises representatives from:
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
- Australian state and territory departments responsible for agriculture
- New Zealand Food Safety Authority
- CSIRO
- APVMA
- Environment Protection and Heritage Council
- Workplace Relations Ministerial Council
- Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council
Stakeholder Participation
PSIC encourages organisations representing the following industries, groups and institutions to be involved in its work:
- agricultural industries
- the agricultural and veterinary chemical, fertiliser and animal feed industries
- community health, consumer and environmental interest groups, and
- research and professional institutions.
It does this through:
- an annual stakeholder workshop
- canvassing stakeholder views out of session and
- stakeholder participation in PSIC working groups.
The Committee held its most recent stakeholder workshop on 17 May 2007. The next workshop will be held in April/May 2008.
If your organisation is interested in becoming involved in the work of the Committee, please contact the PSIC Secretariat.
Workplan
PISC’s workplan for 2005/06 – 2007/08 will focus on:
- Performance measurement – developing a system to continuously improve Australia’s agricultural and veterinary chemical management system.
- Data collection – developing a system to inform stakeholders, regulators and policy development about agricultural and veterinary chemicals used in Australia and to identify areas where improved management systems may be required.
- User training – developing a national training and accreditation scheme for higher risk agricultural and veterinary chemicals users and a consistent, basic national training approach for all users.
- Scope of Products Regulated by the APVMA - determining which kinds of products should or should not be regulated by the APVMA and the appropriate level of regulation for them.
- Aerial spraying licensing – developing a national lecensing scheme to ensure aerial spraying businesses and operators conduct their operations safety and cost effectively.
- Agriculture and veterinary chemical regulation - identifying and addressing regulatory reforms.
- Minor Use - developing and implementing cost-effective arrangements for farmers to access agricultural and veterinary chemicals for minor use.
- Fertilisers - developing a national standard for chemical contaminants in fertilisers and soil conditioners to manage the potential risks of their accumulation in the food chain, agricultural systems and the environment.
- Cadmium minimisation - developing and implementing strategies to minimise the effect of cadmium on food safety, sustainable agriculture and the environment.
- Laboratory capacity - addressing issues affecting Australia's ability to meet future admands for analytical laboratory capacity and developing policy proposals on issues for which PSIC has responsibility.
- Issues monitoring - participating in and monitoring issues relevant to PSIC.
PSIC has established working groups for projects in which it has a direct role. In other areas where it has an interest but no direct involvement, the Committee provides advice and monitors developments provides as necessary.
Progress Reports
Actions and timeframes for each of the above project areas, and progress during the period April to June 2007 Progress Report 
[222kb].
Relevant International Agricultural & Veterinary Chemicals Activities
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Joint Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology:
Working Group on Pesticides (DAFF)
- Risk Reduction Steering Group (APVMA)
- Registration Steering Group (APVMA)
- BioPesticides Steering Group (DAFF)
- Pesticide Residue Expert Group (APVMA)
- Test Guidelines (DEW)
- Harmonisation of Classification and Labelling (DEWR)
- Task Force on Biocides (DEW)
- Task Force on Environmental Exposure Assessment (DEW)
- Working Group for the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (OGTR)
- Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
- Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food
- Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems
- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
- Basel Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste
- International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships
- World Summit on Sustainable Development
- Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management
- Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management
- Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (DEWR)
Chemical Weapons Convention (DFAT)
