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Consultation on Organic Export Requirement: Organic Production Rules

Update – 29 November 2019

Revised requirements issued

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is publishing the final versions of the Organic Export Requirements under the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP).

The 2 revised documents are:

These requirements will enter into force on 2 December 2019. Operators will have a transition period of 21 months to comply with the new requirements. This includes a 6-month transition period for Recognised Agencies. The OER: RAP will take full effect on 2 June 2020. The OER: OPR will take full effect on 2 September 2021. The requirements will include ‘stock in trade’ provisions, allowing product that was produced under the current standards to be exported or supplied for export until stocks are exhausted.

The follow documents will no longer apply after 2 September 2021.

  • Expand OOAP Standard OP1 – Accreditation, Recognition, and Performance Measurement Criteria for Third Party Agencies and their Personnel
  • Expand OOAP Standard OP2 – Third Party Agency Responsibilities
  • Expand OOAP Standard OP3 – Registration and Performance Measurement Criteria for Operators
  • Expand OOAP Standard OP3 appendix 2 – Technical Rules for Organic Production
  • Expand OOAP Standard OP3 appendix 2 chapter 8a – Technical Rules for Organic Wine

MPI has also released a summary of key differences between the current OOAP standards, and the revised OOAP requirements:

Have your say

MPI wants your feedback on the proposed requirements for organic production under the MPI Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP), for exporting. We are interested to know if:

  • the requirements are easy to follow and understand
  • there is anything that needs more detail, or is missing.

Consultation documents

Related documents

What's being proposed?

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is reviewing the requirements for organic operators under the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP). MPI is replacing the current standards with a single document called Organic Export Requirement: Operator Requirements. The major changes from the previous standards include:

  • major review of the language used, to make clear the difference between requirements (something that must or must not be done) and guidance (advice, interpretative assistance)
  • major restructure of the way information is presented, making it clearer what must be included in an Organic Management Plan, and what records must be kept for each type of operation
  • simplifying or removing the requirements for new input assessment rules, labelling, and imported products and ingredients (these requirements will be included in other documents)
  • introducing technical rules for aquaculture (bivalve species), algae, and non-wine alcoholic beverages.

This current draft will replace:

  • the 2005 version of the administrative rules for operators
  • the 2011 version of the technical rules of production
  • the 2014 technical rules for organic wine.

This consultation should be read together with the February 2018 consultation on Organic Export Requirement: Recognised Agencies and Persons.

Note: This consultation on new OOAP requirements is independent from work on a new regulatory regime for organics. In December 2018, Government announced that they will progress a national organic standard and associated compliance regime. The new regime will apply to imports, products produced and sold domestically, and exports. These new requirements will be subject to separate consultation. Updates on this work are available here:

Making your submission

Email your feedback on the consultation document by 5pm on 10 May 2019 to organics@mpi.govt.nz

Make sure you include in your submission:

  • the title of the consultation document
  • the document section numbers for any specific comments or queries you make
  • your name and title
  • your organisation’s name (if you submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
  • your contact details (such as phone number, address and email).

While we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:

OOAP: Organic Production Rules Consultation
Plant, Wine and Organic Assurance
Assurance Directorate
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.

Submissions are public information

Any submission you make becomes public information. Anyone can ask for copies of all submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the information available unless we have a good reason for withholding it. You can find those grounds in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA. Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include, it’s commercially sensitive or it’s personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may require the information to be released.

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