Federation Backs Risk Management Programme

NEWS RELEASE

Egg Producers Federation Backs Risk Management Programme For Industry

Friday 04 February- Auckland, New Zealand. The New Zealand Egg Producers Federation (EPF) has hit out at critics of the New Zealand Food Safety Association Risk Management Programme for layer hen farms. Executive Director, Michael Brooks says that it is important to think about why the (NZFSA) has imposed the need for Risk Management Programmes on layer hens as any initiative that improves the quality and safety of our end product must surely be good for New Zealanders.

Detractors of the (RMP) initiative cite financial and personnel resources as being prohibitive to implementation for small farms. Mr Brooks says that the (EPF) has “invested significant resources in assisting farmers through the implementation of their (RMPs ) and has financially subsidised the (RMP) audit process”.

Brooks says that any objections as to the cost of the (RMP) process should be levelled at the (NZFSA) instead of the concept of the programme, which in essence will raise the bar on New Zealand egg production. “This is quite simply the cost of doing business in the agricultural sector which demands high quality food safety assurances”.

Brooks states that whilst New Zealand enjoys disease free status across its’ three egg production systems “we cannot wait for unwanted disease to arrive and then act”. The proactive approach is best for industry and best for the consumer.

New Zealander’s currently consume 864 million eggs per year, and the egg is regarded as the lowest cost form of natural protein available to New Zealander’s.

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