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Developing your risk management programme (RMP)

All farm dairies must have an RMP that covers all harvesting, filtering, cooling, and storage activities. This is a requirement under the Animal Products Act 1999. The RMP must be assessed, verified, and registered with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Find out more about risk management programmes

Using an RMP template

There are 2 templates that you can use for your farm dairy RMP. One is for dairy products intended for the domestic (New Zealand and Australia) market, and the other is for dairy products intended for export.

RMP templates for farm dairies

You can use these as a:

  • template, which you complete
  • model to use as the basis for an RMP that you develop yourself.

Design and operation of farm dairies

Your RMP will need to address requirements related to the design, construction, and equipment of the farm dairy and its operation. Operational code NZCP1 has been developed along with industry. It sets out the things that farm dairy operators will need to address. It’s recommended that NZCP1 is referenced in all farm dairy RMPs and is included in the Farm Dairy RMP templates.

Operational Code: NZCP1 – Design and Operation of Farm Dairies [PDF, 996 KB]

Evaluation

You don't have to have your RMP evaluated if you use one of these templates, as long as you complete it fully and don't change it. However, if you prepare your own RMP or make changes to our template, your RMP must be evaluated before you apply to MPI to have it registered.

Find out more about getting your RMP evaluated

Notices

The requirements you must meet when developing your RMP can be found in the Animal Product Regulations and the Animal Product Notice: Production Supply and Processing.

Water status

Along with your RMP, you need to complete form DPF 201 to assess the water used in your farm dairy.

DPF 201 - Assessment of farm dairy water status [PDF, 223 KB]

Assessment of farm dairies

All farm dairies must have a section in their RMP that describes the system for assessing the farm dairy. You can use the code of practice NZCP2 to meet your farm dairy assessment obligations, or you can develop your own system or protocol. Any self-developed assessment system will need to be evaluated as part of the RMP.

NZCP2: Code of practice for the assessment of farm dairies [PDF, 823 KB]

This code of practice is also relevant if you're a:

  • farm dairy assessor
  • farm dairy RMP verifier
  • farm dairy RMP operator.

Verification of farm dairy RMPs

Your RMP must be verified by an MPI-recognised verifier. This is required to confirm that:

  • the RMP is fit for purpose
  • the measures applied by the RMP are adequate and practical
  • the RMP operator is applying the RMP effectively
  • the farm dairy operators covered by the RMP are meeting their obligations.

See the guidance document Farm dairies RMP verification for more information about:

  • the role of verification
  • aspects of verification that are specific to farm dairies and farm dairy RMPs, and
  • the difference between a farm dairy assessment and an RMP verification.

Farm dairies RMP verification – guidance document [PDF, 512 KB]

Find out more about RMPs

Overview of risk management programmes

Operating your RMP, including changing or cancelling

Who to contact

If you have questions about RMPs for farm dairies, email info@mpi.govt.nz

MPI business units