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Government Involvement
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Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Quality Management (MAF Qual)
MAF Qual provides a range of services to the beekeeping industry. The services are carried out by a team of Apicultural Advisory Officers (AAO's), as well as a number of other, part-time personnel. The services include:
- Consultancy - advisory services, on a fee-paying basis, are available in most aspects of beekeeping, including technical, financial, and market development. AAO's also carry out consultancy work on contract directly to the National Beekeepers' Association and other beekeeping interest groups.
- Disease control - MAF Qual administers the Apiaries Act 1969. This involves maintaining a register of all apiaries in the country, as well as ensuring that beekeepers carry out their statutory responsibilities to report disease in their hives and furnish a statement of inspection once every year.
MAF Qual is also contracted to the National Beekeepers' Association to carry out an annual American foulbrood control programme. MAF personnel inspect a pre-determined percentage of the nation's apiaries, record disease statistics, provide counselling to beekeepers in disease control matters, and supervise further apiary inspections performed by NBA member volunteers. The target of the programme is to inspect 10% of apiaries throughout the country each year.
- Disease surveillance - MAF Qual conducts an active surveillance programme for exotic bee diseases. Over 500 apiaries located in high risk areas are inspected each year for the presence of European foulbrood, internal and external parasitic mites, and Africanised bee traits. A further 500 samples provided by live bee exporters are also analysed.
MAF Qual also maintains an Emergency Disease and Pest Response (EDPR) capability. The contract involves training and preparedness in event of the finding of an exotic bee disease.
- Border protection - The Agriculture Quarantine Service of MAF Qual carries out border protection work at all ports of entry. The work of AQS officers provides the first line of defence in maintaining New Zealand's high bee health status.
- Export certification - MAF Qual officers provide a
certification service for beekeeping industry exports. The service
includes the audit of producers' quality control systems and the issuing
of export documentation.
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Regulatory Authority (MAF RA)
The MAF Regulatory Authority (MAF RA) is the official policy-setting
agency of the government. As such it is responsible for a number of
programmes, services and regulations affecting the beekeeping industry.
These include the letting of government contracts for active
surveillance, EDPR and border protection; the negotiation with overseas
governments to create access for live bees and bee products; and the
carrying out of risk analyses on potential imports which may affect the
disease status of the beekeeping industry.
NZ Beekeeping Profile: Table of Contents
NZ Beekeeping: Appendices
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