Biosecurity Management Plan Implementation for abattoirs and knackeries

General Circular, 18 February 2021

An important update from the NSW Food Authority on an implementation program to assess compliance with Biosecurity Management Plans for all licensed, domestic red meat abattoirs and knackeries in NSW.

Biosecurity Management Plan Implementation for abattoirs and knackeries

The Biosecurity Management Plan Implementation Program was developed and put in place at each plant in 2020 to help licensed abattoirs and knackeries apply measures that reduce the biosecurity risks involved with operations.

All licensed abattoirs and knackeries will be inspected for biosecurity management in 2021 and will be an ongoing requirement as part of regular compliance audits by an authorised officer.

The inspection and compliance program ensures industry has a robust system in place to maintain biosecurity which is consistently applied, and risk based.

The Biosecurity Management Plan implementation guidance factsheet is available here.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries has a responsibility to ensure that operations such as abattoirs and knackeries meet the requirements of the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility and everyone, no matter where you live or what you do for a living, has a legal responsibility to make sure pests and diseases are not introduced to – or allowed to spread throughout – our community or environment. This is known as your general biosecurity duty and is a legal requirement under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

All queries and correspondence regarding biosecurity compliance should now be directed to:

Fiona McDonagh
Biosecurity and Food Safety Compliance Education Officer
Phone: 0417 056 378
Email: fiona.mcdonagh@dpie.nsw.gov.au

Yours sincerely

Peter Day
Director – Compliance & Integrity Systems