Imported Food Consultative Committee IFCC

The Imported Food Consultative Committee (IFCC) is a consultative forum for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and the food and beverage importing industry.

The objective of the IFCC is to be an effective consultative forum, involving other relevant stakeholders, that

• assists DAFF to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its controls on food and beverage imports.
• promotes the coordination of the activities of DAFF and industry to facilitate the clearance of food and beverage imports.
• provides technical input into policy development and regulatory changes that considers the recommendations of the National Competition Policy on the Imported Food Control Act 1992.

The scope of the IFCC is:

• technical and operational issues arising out of the administration of the Imported Food Control Act 1992
• technical and operational issues arising out of the application of quarantine legislation to food commodities
• matters related to the issuing of import permits for food commodities.

Some specific subjects that the Committee may consider are:

• proposed developments in, and proposed changes to, legislation, policy and operational procedures.
• key performance issues and priorities for resource allocation.
• food safety and quarantine matters that relate to, or affect, imported food or beverages.
• the development, implementation and maintenance of inspection schemes, including profiling, certification, documentation, rates of inspection, test selection and operational procedures.
• the development of alternative food safety measures to end-point inspection
• procedures relating to the issuing of import permits.
• other matters that the Committee regards as relevant to its scope.

The IFCC notes that it is part of a wider consultative framework between DAFF and industry, in which the DAFF Cargo Consultative Committee (DCCC) is the principal advisory forum for DAFF and the cargo handling and importing industry to consult on all issues arising from the management of Australia’s Import Quarantine strategy. Another industry consultative committee of relevance to the IFCC is the Biologicals Working Group.

Membership

IFCC membership consists of representatives from the following government bodies and industry categories:

Government

• DAFF
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

Industry

• Imported food for retail sale
• Imported food for further processing
• Local processor
• Imports of emerging production countries (such as Asian foods)
• High value, low volume imported food (i.e. speciality products)
• Seafood imports
• Fruit and vegetable imports
• General
• DAFF Appointed Analysts

Observers 

• DAFF Cargo Consultative Committee

IFCC is chaired by an industry representative (currently Mr Tony Beaver, Secretary, Food & Beverage Importers Association), with DAFF providing the secretariat.

Meetings

IFCC normally meets biannually in Canberra.

Contacts

For further information about IFCC contact the Secretariat.

Imported Food Program
Tel: 02 6272 5488
Fax: 02 6272 5423
Email: IFCC

IFCC Chair
Tel: 03 9639 3644
Fax: 03 9639 0638
Email: tony.beaver@fbia.org.au

Related external websites:

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
• National Measurement Institute
• DAFF Cargo Consultative Committee