Food Safety Changes for Horticulture Producers

Berry businesses in Victoria and WA are now subject to a mandatory registration requirement with the state food regulator within other states to follow suit. This is the culmination of a long and challenging engagement with government at the federal level and across all states. We have fought long and hard to ensure that berry businesses were not slugged with unnecessary fees or bureaucracy and that the existing systems such as Freshcare were recognised. This battle continues with some states still developing their regulations.

For background, in August 2022, three new national horticulture primary production and processing standards were introduced into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code: Primary Production and Processing Standards 4.2.7 Berries, 4.2.8 Leafy Vegetables and 4.2.9 Melons. These standards were supposed to come into effect nationally on 12 February 2025 but only WA and Victoria are at the implementation stage.

The key requirement for berry businesses is to register with the local food safety regulator. The objective is to improve traceability and work with growers not already on a food safety scheme to ensure they are compliant.

The standards provide a risk-based, preventative approach to providing safe and suitable food. They are based on the principle that food safety is best ensured by implementing good agricultural practice, hygiene controls at each stage of production and processing, and effective traceability.

All producers (of all commodities including fresh produce) have a general obligation to ensure that food for sale is safe and suitable for human consumption and to comply with the Food Standards Code, where applicable however these new standards are the first specific standards to apply to horticulture produce (except sprouts).

FSANZ has published a guidebook to help producers to understand the requirements of the new standards: ‘Safe Horticulture Australia – A guide to the primary production and processing standards for horticulture’ which can be downloaded at bit.ly/PPP-Hort

Each State and Territory is responsible for the implementation of the standards in their jurisdiction, and each have chosen to take a slightly different approach.

Western Australia

The new standards were adopted under the WA Food Act 2008 and commenced from 12 February 2025.

Primary producers and processors of berries must notify their local government authority of their berry operations before the standards commence and comply with the requirements of the new food safety standard. The following key food safety risk areas are covered in the new food safety standard for berries:

  • traceability
  • soil
  • fertiliser
  • water
  • premises and equipment
  • skills and knowledge
  • health and hygiene of personnel and visitors.

As part of the notification requirement, the following information must be provided to the local government:

  • Contact details including name and address of business;
  • Description of activities undertaken in relation to berries; and
  • Location(s) of the activities.

Businesses under the notification requirement are typically not subject to routine inspections. However, your local government may conduct random inspections to check that you are compliant with the standards.

You will need to contact the local government where your farm and/or processing facility is located to obtain the relevant forms for notification.

Your local government contact details are available from the WA Local Government Association website at walga.asn.au/your-local-government/local-government-directory

For more information visit bit.ly/PPP-WA

Victoria

Victoria’s food safety standards for leafy vegetable, melon and berry producers will be regulated by Agriculture Victoria and take effect on 12 February 2025. All berry producers are required to register and notify Agriculture Victoria of how you are complying with the standards.

Producers will be required to register via AV Connect at bit.ly/AgVic-Connect, and the length of this process will vary depending on your current food safety compliance level. Businesses registered with a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) scheme will be able to proceed quickly by providing proof of their current accreditation by those schemes.

Freshcare users will have the most direct and streamlined process via a data share agreement between Freshcare and AgVic. Those registered with other GFSI recognised schemes such as Global G.A.P. ,SQF, and BRCGS will also be able to participate in a streamlined process, but these schemes do not have a data share agreement in place with AgVic.

If you are not accredited to a GFSI-benchmarked food safety scheme, then the process will take longer. Non-certified businesses must complete a questionnaire which includes yes/no questions, multiple choice questions and short responses focusing on the elements of the relevant standard such as traceability, inputs, premises and equipment management, staff hygiene and food safety training, and systems to manage unsafe product.

Producers can create an AV Connect account ahead of time to streamline registration. Agriculture Victoria has created a series of videos which lay out the process for registering on AV Connect.

There will be an annual fee for berry growers to register with Agriculture Victoria. The fee will be scaled to the size of your production area. All registrations approved in 2025 and 2026 will automatically have a temporary fee discount/rebate of 50% applied at the point of registration. On Agriculture Victoria Connect, after completing the application questions and before submitting, you will be directed to the payment screen, where you can pay by credit card. The 50% discount will have already been applied to the total shown in the summary and payment sections. The registration fee is non-refundable. Further discounts may be applied in future years at the discretion of Agriculture Victoria.

Registrations will be valid for 12 months from the approval date. If you are certified to Freshcare FSQ4.2 and your Freshcare certification is renewed within the 12-month period, that information will be automatically shared with AgVic as part of the data share agreement. If you are part of a different scheme, you will need to log into AV Connect and upload the new credentials.

Victorian Growers are strongly advised to sign up for Agriculture Victoria’s updates at bit.ly/Vic-PPP-Updates

For more information visit bit.ly/PPP-Vic  or call Agriculture Victoria’s Biosecurity Services Centre: 1800 403 224 Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm

South Australia

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) have prepared the SA Horticulture regulation discussion paper, which has been presented to the South Australian Minister for consideration along with industry comments and concerns.

It has been proposed that the Primary Produce (Food Safety Schemes) (Plant Products) Act 2022 is varied to adopt the horticulture standards. SA businesses will be required to operate under an approved food safety arrangement under section 16 of the Act. Food safety arrangements require approval by the Minister’s delegate. Businesses that have a food safety arrangement (food safety program) in place already may propose this arrangement, for example Freshcare. The businesses that do not have a food safety arrangement in place will be provided a template which they can fill out which details their food safety arrangements.

PIRSA is expediently progressing the variation of regulations. Further updates will be provided in due course – information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

For more information visit bit.ly/PPP-SA

Queensland

Implementation of the new Food Safety Standards for berries, melons and leafy vegetables (originally scheduled to take effect on 12 February 2025) has been delayed to allow more time for consultation between government and industry. Berries Australia along with our industry colleagues pushed for this additional consultation time as we have been deeply dissatisfied with the engagement to date and the proposed model which would have been onerous and expensive for growers.

As a result, Queensland producers and processors of these commodities are not required to apply for accreditation at this time. When regulation is in place, Safe Food will notify industry well in advance of accreditation being required. Industry members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new standards in the meantime.

Queensland Growers are strongly advised to sign up for Safe Food Queensland updates at www.safefood.qld.gov.au/horticulture-scheme-subscribe-form/

For more information visit bit.ly/PPP-Qld

 

New South Wales

The NSW Food Authority is finalising how the national Primary Production and Processing Standards will be implemented in NSW through proposed changes to the NSW Food Regulation.

While the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code sets the national food safety laws for food businesses, the NSW Food Regulation will outline how these new national standards will be administered in NSW.

Feedback on the draft NSW Food Regulation 2025 was sought in December 2024. All feedback is currently being reviewed, including how licensing, fees and charges and potential exemptions could be applied. The regulation may be modified before it is submitted to the Minister for approval and gazettal.

Until the Food Regulation 2025 comes into effect in NSW, no proposed licensing requirements, on-farm inspections or fees will be imposed on producers and processors in the berries industry.

For more information visit bit.ly/PPP-NSW where you can also sign up to receive updates

 

Tasmania

There is currently no information available about the implementation of the standards in Tasmania. Updates will be provided when further information is published by the Tasmanian Government.