IVA: Independent Verification Agency
Arable, forestry or other plant products may require phytosanitary documentation to meet importing country requirements. AsureQuality audit and inspection staff can assist exporters with overseas market access requirements. If you need a Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Phytosanitary Certificate, or some other form of official assurance, AsureQuality are able to undertake surveys, tests, supervision, inspection, audit and verification of certificates.
accredited inspection body for Plant, Arable & Forestry Exports
AsureQuality is authorised by MPI as an IVA to undertake plant, arable and forestry export verification services on their behalf.
Our Field Services Business is authorised under MPI Certification Standard: IVA Requirements and as such is able to undertake the following phytosanitary activity options across the arable, forestry and plant sectors:
- End point consignment inspection
- Approved organisation export certification
- Treatment system options
- Export Phytosanitary Certification
- Pest Surveys
- Seed certification
End point consignment inspection
Under this option AsureQuality Inspection staff will undertake a phytosanitary inspection of each export consignment prior to export in order to confirm the products compliance with the importing country phytosanitary requirements (ICPR). Inspections will check that any necessary phytosaniatry tests or clearances have been undertaken and confirm the eligibility of the product for the chosen market prior loading and certificate verification.
Approved organisation export certification
As well as the End Point Consignment Inspection option AsureQuality can also deliver services under the MPI “Approved Organisation” export certification option. Under this option Organisations (exporters, packers, processors, etc) document their operating system using the HACCP framework to identify, control, manage and eliminate phytosanitary hazards and other risk factors and address the relevant MPI Standards.
AsureQuality audit staff evaluate these documented programmes on behalf of MPI and will either confirm compliance against the MPI Standards or will highlight any gaps that may need to be addressed by the Organisation.
Once requirements are met AsureQuality will make recommendation to MPI that the Organisation system be MPI approved.
Approved Organisation systems are subject to ongoing AsureQuality audit at the frequency prescribed in the MPI Standard(s) applicable to the system.
Export Certification Standard - Organisation Requirements
Treatment system options
MPI has designed and operates a system of control over official treatment activities to ensure that only competent organisations and individuals are involved with the delivery of official treatment activities (for both import and export).
There are two options under the treatment system:
- Under the “Supervision Programme” official treatments may be provided by treatment suppliers who operate under direct IVA supervision, where each and every treatment is supervised by an IVA. AsureQuality is accredited as an IVA to undertake treatment supervision under the Supervision Programme.
- Under the “Approved Treatment Supplier Programme” a treatment supplier establishes and complies with a documented quality management programme which is approved by MPI subject to ongoing satisfactory auditing by an IVA. AsureQuality is also accredited to undertake evaluation of an Operator’s documented quality management programme under the Approved Treatment Supplier programme and to deliver an ongoing audit service on behalf of MPI.
MPI Standard - Treatment Supplier Programme
AsureQuality Timber Treatment Programme
Export Phytosanitary Certification
AsureQuality is accredited by MPI to verify phytosanitary certificates, which are the documents that most commonly provide the official government to government assurance as to pest and disease status of a consignment.
The phytosanitary certification service is delivered electronically via the MPI Ecert programme, providing the final clearance in the onshore supply chain to ensure export products are in accordance with importing country quarantine requirements.
MPI uses security paper as part of a package of security measures to minimise fraud with the production of phytosanitary certificates. This measure was prompted by advice from some overseas control authorities concerning their receipt of false and confusing certificates. Only those certificates printed in colour on MPI security paper will be recognised as “official” export certificates by Overseas Authorities.
MPI Export Certification Standards - Phyto ECert Requirements
Pest surveys
An importing country may request specific additional information relevant to the phytosanitary status of an export consignment’s freedom from specific pests. Where an importing country specifies they require “surveyed, inspected, or tested and found free from”, the area of production, or the crop, or the consignment, must be surveyed, inspected, or tested, as appropriate prior to the specific additional declaration being provided on a certificate.
AsureQuality Inspection staff are MPI approved to deliver the majority of the industry based compliance programmes. We have approved procedures that can be applied to confirm freedom or determine presence for a wide range of pests of international quarantine significance.
Seed certification
The MPI seed varietal and phytosanitary certification programme formalises the integration of phytosanitary (including treatments) and seed varietal certification specifications and activities into an integrated systems approach that achieves the dual outputs of seed varietal and phytosanitary certification.
The programme applies to seeds produced in New Zealand and allows for the verification of seed production procedures compliant with the rules and requirements of the various international organisations concerned with the international movement and testing of seed.
AsureQuality is accredited to deliver inspection, testing and audit services to the seed industry.
