GUIDANCE DOCUMENT   
IMPORT HEALTH STANDARD FOR  
ANIMAL PRODUCTS  
THAT HAVE UNDERGONE  
THIRD COUNTRY PROCESSING 
 
 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
P.O Box 2526 
Wellington 6011 
New Zealand 
Guidance document for import health standard for animal products that have undergone third country processing 1 July 2011
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Issuing Authority 
 
This standard is issued under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act).  
 
 
 
Dated at Wellington 1 July 2011                 
 
 
Deputy Chief Technical Officer 
Animal Impo
rt and Export Group 
Border Standards  
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry New Zealand (Issued under delegated authority)   Version number: 1 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Guidance document for import health standard for animal products that have undergone third country processing April 2011
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Guidance document for animal pr oducts that have undergone third 
country processing  
 
PART A. INTRODUCTION 
 Foreword  
This guidance document has been issued to accompany the MAF Import Health 
Standard for Animal Products that have Undergone Third Country Processing.  It is not a 
legally binding document and, although it can be read independently of the standard, it 
should be read in conjunction with it to ensure that all matters relating to meeting the requirements of the standard are fully understood.  
 
Review and amendment  
This guidance document is subject to review and amendment at any time to ensure that it 
continues to meet its purpose. Reviews and amendments will be notified to stakeholders and 
published on the MAF website.  MAF is committed to ensuring that guidance and advice is sought and considered from 
affected stakeholders prior to amendments being finalised.  
All stakeholders are responsible for ensuring that the most recent version of the guidance document is used. 
 
Importer responsibilities 
The costs to
 MAF in performing functions relating to the importation of animal products that 
have undergone third country processing must be recovered in accordance with the Biosecurity Act and any regulations made under that Act. All costs involved with 
documentation, transport, storage and obtaining a biosecurity clearance must be covered by 
the importer or agent.  
Permit to import  
Where required by the standard or this guidance document, an importer may apply to MAF 
for an import permit. Application forms can be found on our website at 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/imports/animals/forms 
 
Completed applications should be submitted to the contact details below. 
 
Contact details 
For all matters relating to the standard and this guidance document, please contact:  
Animal Imports Group  
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  
PO Box 2526  
WELLINGTON 6011  
Fax: +64 4 894 0733  Email: animalimports@maf.govt.nz 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Guidance document for import health standard for animal products that have undergone third country processing 1 July 2011
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PART B:  DEFINITIONS 
 
 
IHS TERM DEFINITION 
Competent 
Authority  The Veterinary Authority or other Governmental Authority of an OIE Member having the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other 
standards and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code in the 
whole territory 
Headed, gilled and gutted Removal of all tissues comprising the head, the gills and the internal organs. 
Permit to import  A written order issued by the Director-General of MAF authorising the importation of risk goods to a specified facility, or with an equivalence, or for biosecurity clearance. 
OIE World Organisation for Animal Health. 
Salmonids For the purposes of the import health standard, salmonids means fish in the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo and Salvelinus. 
Third country processed animal product An animal product for which there is an existing import health standard for importation to New Zealand that has gone to a third country for processing. An Official Assurance Programme agreed between the third country and New Zealand outlines how 
biosecurity risk is mitigated for the animal product during 
processing.  
Veterinary Authority The Governmental Authority of an OIE Member, comprising veterinarians, other professionals and para-professionals, having the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards and 
recommendations in the Terrestrial Code  in the whole territory. 
 
 
 
PART C:  SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS  
 
Salmon eligible for importation to New Zealand that has undergone further 
processing in Thailand 
 
Documentation accompanying each consignment must include: 
 
Guidance document for import health standard for animal products that have undergone third country processing April 20111. 
A copy of the original veterinary certificate for the salmon (ie veterinary certificate used to 
import the salmon into Thailand), signed and stamped on every page by an official of the Veterinary Authority of the exporting country.  The certificate must be from a country 
where there is an import health standard for salmon to New Zealand, ie from New 
Zealand, Australia, Canada, Norway or the United States. The certificate must meet all requirements of the relevant import health standard, with the exception that the salmon 
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Guidance document for import health standard for animal products that have undergone third country processing 1 July 2011
 Page 5 of 5 can enter Thailand without being headed, gutted and gilled, if this processing is to occur 
in Thailand.  
 
2. Health certification from the Thai Competent Authority that verifies processing and 
packaging has occurred in accordance with the Official Accreditation Programme for processed salmon agreed between Thailand and New Zealand. If the fish entered Thailand before it was headed, gilled and gutted, the certificate must include details of this processing.  
 
PART D: AGREED CERTIFICATES  
 
(Once certificates have been agreed between New Zealand and the countries approved to 
do third country processing, these certificates will be included here.)