Our NVD communications campaign for producers focused on full market access for their red meat upon completion of accurate paperwork.
To bolster our food safety record 281 manufacturers attended a workshop on controlling Listeria and we distributed 300 books and DVDs on the subject.
Meat safety/ issues management
| PROGRAM OBJECTIVE | KPIs | OUTCOMES | BENEFITS | FUTURE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure integrity and safety of beef and sheepmeat |
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NLIS delivers traceability outcomes
The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database underwent a vast number of audits this year, including reviews by the European Union and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and performed well. Most recently Animal Health Australia, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, conducted a cattle tracing simulation exercise (Cow Catcher II) to independently audit NLIS against the National Traceability Performance Standards.
The exercise proved that the NLIS database has the capacity to cope well under the load of a simulated disease outbreak. The results of the simulation shored up confidence in the system – should a foot and mouth disease outbreak or residue incident occur, NLIS can deliver outcomes that meet government requirements.
Conducted from 1–3 May 2007, the ‘Cow Catcher II’ exercise gave each state/territory jurisdiction 24 hours to trace all movements of an allocated number of cattle (from a total of 300 nationally) for the previous 30 days through all properties these animals had come into contact with. Further, within 48 hours, 30 cattle required their entire lifetime traced and all animals they had come into contact with identified.
The NLIS database performed exceptionally well and received strong endorsement from participants.
Some of the key milestones from the exercise were:
- No performance issues experienced or reported by stakeholders conducting normal business with the database
- MLA provided traceability reports on 165 animals, covering movements during their past 30 days and all cohort contacts
- Total processing time for this information was 12 hours
- State jurisdictions performed 3,082 queries on the live database during the exercise, 88% of which were processed in under one minute and a further 10% in under five minutes
- For each individual trace the number of properties possibly infected ranged from 1 to 6,500
- In total over 100,000 properties were estimated to have been reported on during the exercise
Ensuring food safety
In the area of food safety, we developed a number of tools to ensure consumer confidence in the safety of our red meat products.
A quality assurance (QA) resource on managing regulatory and customer compliance was released on CD-ROM to processor QA managers. The aim of designing a digital encyclopaedic resource was to ensure Australian processors not only produce a consistent, quality product, but that they are equipped to provide scientific substantiation of their practices to auditors and customers. QA managers using the software have found it beneficial in refining operating procedures, updating HACCP plans, locating information to assist with customer audits and staff training. With 280 copies of the CD distributed at 30 June 2007, the resource will be revised and expanded in response to QA manager feedback in the future.
We also delivered 300 booklets and DVDs on controlling Listeria in smallgoods and ran a series of workshops across the country for 281 retailers and specialist smallgoods manufacturers. Of those who attended the workshop, 95% considered it beneficial in providing advice on reducing the risks of contamination with Listeria during the manufacture of smallgoods, and 90% indicated they would take action and implement changes following the workshops. The production of these resources gives smallgoods companies guidance on how to control this problem, leading to enhanced product safety, hopefully less unfavourable publicity and fewer product recalls. The Meat Standards Committee intends to use the booklet as a basis for auditing smallgoods manufacturers.
Communicating the benefits of NVDS
Marking 10 years of National Vendor Declarations (NVDs), we launched the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) NVD communications campaign this year. Engaging all levels of the food chain, the campaign reiterated the importance of correctly completing LPA NVDs.
Launched at the Gunnedah saleyards in January 2007, the campaign generated extensive media coverage in key regional markets with 49 articles and interviews tracked.
Flyers, posters, banners and fact sheets were all developed for use at events, saleyards and agents’ offices.
The message to producers focused on full market access for their red meat provided LPA NVD paperwork was accurately completed. The message was reinforced by industry representatives in each state and high profile red meat customers such as Hungry Jack’s, who provided testimonials on the importance of correctly completed NVDs and the LPA system. These testimonials were used in advertorials, editorials and MLA publications.
Two national advertising campaigns executed in January 2007 and April 2007 were used to highlight the industry’s role in the LPA NVD process.
The LPA NVD program will be administered by AUS-MEAT in 2008.
Assuring product quality through LPA
An additional 253 new producers registered online for the LPA QA program since it was launched in late 2006, bringing the total number of producers registered to 2,000 – a 13.4% increase that exceeded our target of 10%.
There are now 112,787 fully accredited producers in LPA, equating to 63% of the property identification codes registered. Information acquired from our NVD communications program suggests that 98% of livestock processed nationally now come from LPA-accredited properties, instilling confidence in the industry that they have met required food safety and quality assurance standards.