Requirements for managing Salmonella Enteritidis
The Animal Products Order: Emergency Control Scheme – Managing Salmonella Enteritidis in Commercial Chicken Flocks expired on 5 October 2022. We're now using a regulatory framework to manage long-term risks to public health and international trade from Salmonella Enteritidis (SE).
To manage the risk of Salmonella Enteritidis, under the Animal Products Regulations 2021, chicken producers involved in the commercial chicken supply chain must have a registered Risk Management Programme (RMP) no later than 1 November 2023. Before this occurs, interim requirements have been established that continue the SE controls from 6 October 2022 until 31 October 2023. These include you being a listed chicken producer with MPI.
In July 2023, we published a new and updated template RMPs for chicken producers to use to help you meet these new requirements.
Do these rules apply to you?
Under the definition of chicken producer in the Animal Product Regulations 2021, The new rules apply to chicken producers who produce:
- breeder chickens
- day-old chicks (hatcheries)
- fertile eggs (from breeder chickens)
- layer chickens
- rearer laying chickens
- broiler (meat) chickens.
Animal Products Regulations 2021 – NZ Legislation
If you are a chicken producer with less than 100 chickens that sell chickens or fertile-eggs direct to the consumer or end user only, then you do not need to meet the rules.
Between 6 October 2022 and 31 October 2023, if you are a chicken producer who does not yet operate under an RMP, Chapter FB of the Animal Product Notice: Production, Supply and Processing applies. This chapter sets requirements for the management of SE, biosecurity controls on farm, and verification requirements.
Once you begin operating under an RMP, no later than 1 November 2023, Chapter FA of the Notice applies. Additional requirements for chicken producers also apply in the general parts of the Notice, including:
- Chapter B – Risk Management Programmes
- Chapter C – Good Operating Practices
- Chapter M – Verification
Animal Product Notice: Production, Supply and Processing [PDF, 2.6 MB]
In July 2023, we published a new RMP chicken producer template and an update to the original egg producers' template to help you develop an RMP.
Our FAQ document may help you understand the new requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Chicken Producers Operating Under Risk Management Programmes (RMPs) [PDF, 331 KB]
If you're unsure or have questions, email animal.products@mpi.govt.nz
Arrange a verifier
You must have a recognised verifier organised to confirm you are meeting the requirements of the Notice.
The frequency of verification is set out in FB1.8 of the Notice.
You must provide MPI with a letter from a recognised verification agency agreeing to oversee your verifications when you send in your AP13. Note that egg layer producers with an RMP do not need to include this letter.
Find a verifier on our register
What your verifier will do
Your verifier will check that you are managing Salmonella Enteritidis in accordance with the Notice. The focus will be on good operating practice, flock movement records, and sampling techniques. They can help you meet the requirements of the Notice. Ask them if you have questions or concerns.
Find out more about operating under an RMP
Egg production and processing food safety requirements
Find a recognised laboratory to do testing for you
Get confirmation from your chosen laboratory that they can undertake the testing of your samples for Salmonella Enteritidis as required.
Register of MPI-recognised laboratories [PDF, 126 KB]
Arrange with the lab to get any sampling supplies needed – for example, swabs, courier address labels or sample submission forms.
If your lab doesn’t provide sample submission forms for sending samples to the lab, you may use the ones below.
SE sample submission form for hatcheries [PDF, 206 KB]
SE sample submission form for farms [PDF, 210 KB]
What you must do under the rules
- You must meet certain good operating practice, record keeping, and sampling requirements. Your verifier will check that you have met your requirements at your verification visit.
- All records must be kept for 4 years.
You must sample your flocks and you must act if your samples test positive for Salmonella Enteritidis. If you get a positive result, you must follow the rules of the Production, Supply and Processing Notice in Part 3 of FA or FB. This includes identifying affected chickens and production areas, undertaking additional sampling, notifying your verifier within 24 hours of receiving the positive test result and sending a report of the incident within 48 hours to your verifier and MPI.
The report can be sent to MPI at Animal.Products@mpi.govt.nz.
Who to contact
If you have questions about information regarding the rules or the long-term regulatory framework, email animal.products@mpi.govt.nz
