Targeted monitoring, compliance testing and residue prevention

• Overview
• Outputs
• Performance
• Outlook

Overview

Targeted monitoring, compliance testing, and residue prevention projects are designed to meet particular management objectives relating to chemical residues that pose a high or a potential risk to access by Australian products to export and domestic markets. Samples are collected and tested in accordance with industry requirements. Results are released to relevant authorities and to industry for action where necessary.

Outputs

Outputs of this project are results reports and advice on results that are distributed to stakeholders on a regular basis (and as needed) to meet industry objectives. During 2007–2008, NRS coordinated the financial arrangements for the projects, and the collection of 701 samples and
their corresponding 30 942 analyses. NRS coordinates with the relevant authorities in planning, reporting, and communication activities as described for the projects listed below.

National organochlorine residue management project

The national organochlorine residue management (NORM) project focuses on minimising the risks of organochlorine (OC) residues occurring in beef. The beef industry and the state governments jointly fund NORM. Besides testing cattle from at-risk properties at abattoirs for OC residues (compliance testing), the project focuses on supporting owners of properties with identified OC contamination hazards to develop and apply on-farm property management plans to minimise the risk of OC residues occurring in livestock grazing OC-contaminated land. NRS has responsibility for national coordination of the project and manages the financial disbursements to state and territory governments and laboratories.

The SAFEMEAT Targeted Testing Working Group, for which NRS provides secretariat and technical support, has been meeting regularly to formulate an operational overhaul of the NORM project.  Industry and state and territory governments are represented on the committee. Changes to NORM have been implemented progressively from July 2004, with the changes to abattoir testing applying from 1 January 2006. Such changes mean that in the future the project will rely more heavily on industry-based quality assurance arrangements, and the funds budgeted for this project will therefore be lower than in previous years. For example, from 1 July 2006 there have been new arrangements for the verification of property management plans through on-farm audits as part of quality assurance programs.

National antibacterial residue minimisation project

The national antibacterial residue minimisation (NARM) project focuses on the minimisation of antibacterial residues occurring in bobby calves, using advisory, analytical and regulatory techniques. NRS has responsibility for national coordination of the project. The beef industry provides funding for the project through its existing industry equalisation account (IEA) within the NRS Special Account. State governments support the project through activities related to traceback investigation, and the extension and regulatory management of properties found to have consigned bobby calves for slaughter with violative antibacterial residues.

Targeted antibacterial residue testing project

The targeted antibacterial residue testing (TART) project focuses on cattle suspected by veterinary inspectors (at abattoirs) of having received antibacterial treatment within the required holding period. The project combines targeted testing, quality assurance, extension and regulation to minimise antibacterial residues in beef. NRS coordinates the project and manages the financial disbursements to others involved, such as laboratories. Like the NORM and NARM projects, this project has been reviewed by SAFEMEAT. The project will continue to provide AQIS veterinary officers at export abattoirs with the capacity to test samples from suspect cattle for antibacterial residues.

Endosulfan residues in beef

Endosulfan is an insecticide widely used on cotton and other field crops and orchards in relation to pest outbreaks. It has the potential to contaminate cattle when they graze pasture or crops previously sprayed with endosulfan, or if they are fed contaminated feedstuffs. For the past five years, this project has operated on a much smaller scale than previously, because of a much lower defined residue risk. Changes in the approved use of endosulfan, past actions to mitigate risk, and seasonal circumstances have all combined to reduce the risk of residues occurring.

NRS chairs the endosulfan technical group that monitors endosulfan use and residue risks throughout the major chemical usage period associated with the early growing season for cotton and some horticultural crops. NRS continues to have responsibility for national coordination of the project. The group reports regularly to SAFEMEAT between October and February, with decisions on any actions dependent on assessments of contemporary residue risks. The project is reviewed by SAFEMEAT each year, and operational details for 2008–2009 will be similar to those in 2007–2008.

Hormonal growth promotant audit project

The European Union (EU) prohibits the importation of animals treated with hormonal growth promotants (HGPs) and their products. Australia has developed a HGP-free accreditation scheme that allows Australian cattle producers to supply the EU market. On-farm third-party audits (coordinated by AUS-MEAT Limited) are used to monitor compliance with accreditation requirements. NRS manages the testing of samples taken during these audits and disburses industry funds to the industry third-party auditor, state and territory governments, AQIS, and APVMA to pay for verification audits performed on various aspects of the project.

Livestock production assurance scheme

Through the Sheepmeat Council of Australia, the sheepmeat industry funded its participation in the livestock production assurance (LPA) scheme from its funds in the NRS Special Account.

LPA for the sheepmeat industry underpins the sheep National Vendor Declaration (NVD) form by encouraging sheepmeat producers to maintain auditable records to support statements made in the NVD. The NVD helps the industry to manage a range of contaminant risks that can affect the industry, by improving the transfer of information concerning risks along the sheepmeat supply chain. The costs to individual sheepmeat producers of participation in LPA were met from heepmeat funds held in the NRS Special Account under the requirements of the NRS Act. In supporting the sheep NVD, LPA activities are directed at preventing contaminants in sheepmeat products that have the potential to cause loss of confidence by consumers in both domestic and overseas arkets.

Sheep targeted antibacterial residue testing project

The sheep targeted antibacterial residue testing (START) project commenced in May 2007.  It focuses on sheep suspected by veterinary inspectors (at abattoirs) of having received antibacterial treatment within the required holding period. NRS coordinates the project and manages the financial disbursements to others involved, such as laboratories. The project provides AQIS veterinary officers at export abattoirs with the capacity to test samples from suspect sheep for antibacterial residues.

Performance Indicator One

Delivery of projects in accordance with agreements between NRS and participating industries, in consultation with AQIS/regulatory authorities, including annually reviewed agreements, with respect to:

• project design
• turnaround time from sampling to presentation of test results
• reporting of contraventions to regulatory authorities.

Performance Indicator Two

Presentation of high-quality and timely plans and reports on results to industry and government, and where relevant, trading partners.

Performance Indicator Three

Interaction and communication with industry and government participants is direct and effective.

Outlook

Future activities in this program will respond to emerging needs of the relevant industries.