Changing a WSMP | NZ Government

WSMP changes might be minor or significant

If you want to make a change to your WSMP, you need to decide whether the change is a significant or minor amendment. We explain the differences on this web page.

For significant amendments, you must apply to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to register the change.
For minor amendments, you must notify MPI.

Both types of changes require you to complete and submit relevant forms.

If after reading the guidance below you are unsure whether the amendment to your WSMP is significant or minor, contact your verifier for advice.

Significant amendments to WSMPs

An amendment is significant if the change means that your plan:

is no longer appropriate to the wine, processes, premises, or place covered by the plan
impacts on whether the wine is fit for its intended purpose
affects the content of the WSMP.

You must apply to MPI to register a significant amendment to your WSMP using form WA6 if you want to make changes that include:

a change of premises (for example, your winery site address)
an extension of boundaries (new buildings or adjacent land) from existing WSMP site plan – unless you can give a hazard-based justification as to why the extension should be considered minor
adding a new site to a WSMP
adding a new business to a WSMP that covers multiple businesses
changing from following an approved model to an alternative programme, which requires independent evaluation.

A change to processes as registered in your plan may also be significant. Such changes include:

receipt of grapes or fruit – owned or purchased
receipt of juice, wine, fruit wine, concentrate, cider, or mead – owned or purchased
winemaking
bottling or packing
labelling
storage.

Application form WA6: Registration of significant amendment to a WSMP [PDF, 885 KB]

Minor amendments to WSMPs

Minor amendments include changing:

postal address, contact details, or registered company address
WSMP trading name (not change of operator)
WSMP manager name
changing one type of pre-approved WSMP template or model to another
types of wine or product made – for example, from still wine to sparkling wine, fortified wine, wine product, or wine-based liqueur.

Other types of minor amendments are:

a change to the scope of your WSMP, for example adding new products to your WSMP
removing a site from a WSMP that covers multiple sites
removing a business from a WSMP that covers multiple businesses
reduction in the boundary of your site.

If you make a minor amendment to a registered WSMP, you must: