Australia's ability to deliver produce free of unacceptable chemical residues underpins its excellent food safety reputation.
SAFEMEAT's goal in responsible chemical use is to assist in the development and implementation of sound management systems that deliver safe and hygienic meat products, which comply with government standards and regulations relating to residues.
To ensure that Australian red meat products are safe for human consumption, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has established and maintains:
The Australian government monitors responsible chemical use through the National Residue Survey (NRS).
SAFEMEAT provides a series of risk assessment documents to help livestock producers be aware of chemical residues when purchasing supplementary feeds and by-product feeds for livestock.
Risk assessment documents for various alternate fodders:
A Withholding Period (WHP) is the time that must pass between chemical application, including through the feeding of treated feed and the slaughter, collection, harvesting or use of the animal commodity for human consumption. These are clearly printed on the label of all registered products and apply to both veterinary and agricultural chemicals.
Australian producers are required to follow label instructions which contain information relating to WHPs and keep good records which enable them to give evidence of management practices that minimise and eliminate the risk of livestock residue contamination. These records are targeted and randomly audited through the on-farm food safety program, Livestock Production Assurance (LPA).
An Export Slaughter Interval (ESI) is the period that must lapse between chemical application to livestock and their slaughter for export purposes.
Australian producers are required to follow label instructions which contain information relating to ESIs and keep good records which enable them to give evidence of management practices that minimise and eliminate the risk of livestock residue contamination. These records are targeted and randomly audited through the on-farm food safety program, Livestock Production Assurance (LPA).
An Export Grazing Interval (EGI) is the minimum time interval between application of a chemical to a crop or pasture and grazing by animals destined for slaughter for export purposes.
Australian producers are required to follow label instructions which contain information relating to EGIs and keep good records which enable them to give evidence of management practices that minimise and eliminate the risk of livestock residue contamination. These records are targeted and randomly audited through the on-farm food safety program, Livestock Production Assurance (LPA).
The National Residue Survey (NRS) is an Australian government program that monitors agricultural products and meat producing animals for residues of primarily agricultural and veterinary chemicals, but also environmental and industrial contaminants.
Should acceptable limits be exceeded appropriate authorities are contacted, corrective action is taken and the affected product removed from the food chain.
Australia’s red meat markets demand that Australian produce be free of unacceptable chemical residues. Australia’s ability to meet these demanding standards underpins its excellent agricultural and food safety reputation.
Australian producers are required to follow label instructions which contain information relating to Withholding Periods (WHP), Export Slaughter Intervals (ESI) and Export Grazing Intervals (EGI) and keep good records which enable them to give evidence of management practices that minimise and eliminate the risk of livestock residue contamination.
The Australian government monitors responsible chemical use and other environmental contaminants through the National Residue Survey (NRS). The NRS supports Australia’s primary producers and agricultural industries by confirming Australia’s status as a producer of clean food and facilitating access to domestic and export markets.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) maintains Australia’s Withholding Period (WHP), Export Slaughter Interval (ESI) and Export Grazing Interval (EGI) requirements. The APVMA also has responsibilities to monitor compliance and when necessary undertake enforcement activities.