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Proposals to amend the New Zealand (Maximum Residue Levels for Agricultural Compounds) Food Notice

Have your say

New Zealand Food Safety is inviting public comment on proposed changes to the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) Food Notice. The Notice establishes MRLs for agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines (Schedule 1) to manage residues that may occur in food in New Zealand, and lists of agricultural chemicals (Schedule 2) and veterinary medicines (Schedule 3) for which no MRL applies.

We're proposing 4 changes to the Notice:

  • 2 for new or amended maximum residue levels in Schedule 1
  • one new entry to Schedule 2 (agricultural chemicals for which no maximum residue level applies)
  • one new entry to Schedule 3 (veterinary medicines for which no maximum residue level applies).

Full details are in the consultation document. Submissions close at 5pm on 20 February 2023.

Consultation document

Proposals to amend the New Zealand (Maximum Residue Levels for Agricultural Compounds) Food Notice [PDF, 329 KB]

Related document

WTO SPS notification 706 [PDF, 193 KB]

Background information

Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are the maximum legal levels for residues of agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines in food for sale in New Zealand. As new products and uses are registered, new entries for MRLs and compounds for which no MRL applies are established, and existing entries are adjusted as needed. The MRLs are set to ensure that residue levels remain as low as practicable without compromising the ability for the chemical to successfully do what is intended.  

The Food Notice and its entries are established for agricultural compounds to support Good Agricultural Practice in New Zealand, while ensuring risks associated with food safety are effectively managed. MRLs may also be proposed to support the importation of food into New Zealand.

Making a submission

Email your feedback on the consultation document by 5pm on 20 February 2023 to MaximumResidueLevels@mpi.govt.nz

In your submission, answer these questions for any of the compounds for which changes to the Notice are being proposed:

  • On balance, do you oppose any of the details of the proposals, such as setting a MRL for a particular commodity or species?
  • Do you oppose an MRL or Schedule 2 or 3 entry being established at all for this compound or for a commodity? If so, why do you oppose it?
  • If an MRL or Schedule 2 or 3 entry is to be set for this compound for the commodity, do you disagree with the levels or conditions proposed? If so, why do you disagree?

Make sure you include in your submission:

  • the title of the consultation document in the subject line of your email
  • your name and title (if applicable)
  • your organisation's name (if applicable)
  • your address
  • the answers to the questions posed above for each compound you are commenting on.

While we prefer email, you can send your submission by post to:

MRL Amendments
New Zealand Food Safety
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

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