Top tips to prepare for your NZFAP audit

It is important for farmers who follow the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) to clearly understand the requirements and any updates to the Standard. This is essential to best prepare for an audit, so you are aware of the expectations and any changes that have been made since your previous audit.

The NZFAP Standard has been updated to Version 7 and became effective on 1 October. If you have an upcoming audit and have not received a copy of the latest Standard in the post, please let the Livestock Quality Assurance (QA) team know and we will ensure you receive a Standard. Our ANZCO Foods Records Book aligns with the latest NZFAP requirements and includes helpful information and approved templates to best prepare for audit. Contact your Livestock Rep or email the Livestock QA team at QAadmin@anzcofoods.com to get a copy. Meanwhile, we’re working hard behind the scenes on making the latest copy of our Records Book electronic for your convenience. We’ll let you know when it’s ready!

We are seeing a trend in the volume of non-conformances at NZFAP audits for dog dosing records and NAIT records for cattle and deer. When farmers don’t sufficiently meet a requirement, they are issued with a Corrective Action Request (CAR) which must be closed out within the required timeframe. To minimise CARs from arising, here are some recommendations on how you can prepare for audit and meet these specific requirements.

NZFAP requirement 4.12.8. Dog dosing

All working and domestic dogs on-farm must be dosed on a four-weekly basis with a suitable product to control tapeworm to prevent sheep measles from spreading. It is important to note that a low incidence detection rate on farm does not provide an exemption, or that a farm is clear. This requirement is put in place to ensure tapeworms cannot reach maturity and that there are no potential windows where dogs could be shedding eggs, which can be transported up to 10km. An ‘All Wormer’ treatment is required every third dose, however, in between these doses a general tapeworm drug is adequate. Refer to the website attached for further information on drugs available for dog dosing to prevent the spread of Ovis: Dogs – Ovis Management (sheepmeasles.co.nz)

You must keep a record of dog dosing to verify with the auditor that you are in fact meeting the requirement. A dog dosing template can be found in our ANZCO Records book, which can be requested through the QA Team. Otherwise, a sufficient record would include the date, dog ID/name, product used, next due date, batch number of product, and any additional comments.

NZFAP requirement 2.1.6. Cattle and deer NAIT records

All cattle and deer must be individually identified with a NAIT tag and movements must be recorded according to the New Zealand NAIT regulations. Refer to the website attached to become familiar with these regulations: Recording animal movements | OSPRI

Your NAIT records must be readily available at your NZFAP audit to verify with the auditor that you are following the NAIT identification and movement records accordingly. These records can be found when you login to your NAIT account on Ospri.

Please contact our Quality Assurance team for any queries: QAadmin@anzcofoods.com