New Food Act in effect

NEW FOOD ACT EXPECTED TO AFFECT LARGE NUMBER OF RUAPEHU BUSINESSES

A large number of Ruapehu businesses are expected to be impacted by the new Food Act 2014 (the Act) which comes into effect today (1 March 16).

The new Act will apply to anyone involved in the selling, making or transportation of food.

Ruapehu District Council (RDC) is urging anyone involved with a business that involves food to check how the new Act will apply to them.

RDC Environmental Health Officer Phoebe Harrison said that the new Act will affect a lot of Ruapehu businesses due to our large hospitality and producer sectors.

Although the new Act will apply to a lot of businesses it is not a one-size-fits-all approach and aims to regulate businesses according to risk, she said.

Businesses involved in lower risk activities like vegetable growers and transporters or people who only sell prepackaged food the regulation requirements are at the lower end of the scale.

This should help to keep compliance and other costs down.

The new law also introduces other measures to help businesses keep time and costs down. For example, those who manage food safety well will need less frequent checks.

Ms Harrison said that the new Act has been designed to allow more flexibility.

People can sell food they have made at home, for example, but must meet the same food safety standards as other businesses.

From 1 March anyone starting a business that involves food will need to comply with the new Act however existing businesses have a transitional period which varies according to the type of business they are in.

To help local businesses understand their responsibilities council will be running information workshops starting in April.

The workshops will be structured to mirror the different sectors within the food industry and their timing around transitioning to come under the new Act.

Council will be advertising and writing to existing businesses about these education workshops in due course.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has also developed an on-line tool to help businesses what they need to do which can be found on their website www.mpi.govt.nz/foodact

If people have any concerns or questions around the new Act and how it will affect them they can call the RDC Environmental Health Team via their local council office.

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