Keeping ACVM users, importers, and manufacturers up to date ✉️👍
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Welcome to our August edition of the ACVM News and Views newsletter. In this month’s edition we will cover:
- ACVM workshop held on 31 July
- Young farmers tested on AMR at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final
- Compliance update
- ACVM applications approved in June 2024
- Agricultural chemicals application update
- Veterinary medicine application update
- Inhibitor update
ACVM annual workshop
Thank you to all those who attended our annual Workshop, held at Te Papa in Wellington on 31 July. It was a successful day, with approximately 90 attendees and the ACVM technical and operations teams present.
The presentations can be found on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website: 2024 ACVM Workshop presentations (July)
Neil Kennington from MPI Market Access gave an informative presentation on future trade risks. Attendees also participated in an interactive session that identified the key issues and challenges with the independent data assessor model and discussed possible solutions.
Neil Kennington speaking at the workshop
Breakout sessions for agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines streams were held in the afternoon, providing an opportunity for attendees to raise specific topics with ACVM speakers.
The agricultural chemicals breakout session
The veterinary medicines breakout session
Young farmers tested on AMR at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final
Top young farmers from across Aotearoa New Zealand showcased their skills, knowledge and experience at this year’s FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final at Claudelands, Hamilton, in July.
The competition is the flagship event of NZ Young Farmers (NZYF), a non-profit organisation that aims to create successful young people working in the food and fibre sector. Contestants challenged themselves through practical and theoretical modules. This is the fourth year that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has sponsored the Young Farmer competition and helped to design challenging modules.
The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) team provided an educational dairy-based practical module that promoted AMR awareness when using antibiotics in dairy cows. Contestants in the junior and senior sections had to perform a rapid mastitis test on a milk sample and calculate how long to withhold milk after an antibiotic treatment. The senior contestants also had to administer an intramammary antibiotic to Daisy, a model cow’s udder, all while answering questions about appropriate antibiotic use.
This event provided a great opportunity to promote AMR awareness to the farming sector.
The number and status of incidents received in June 2024 (total 41)
ACVM applications approved in June 2024
Agricultural chemicals application update
As of 26 July, there were:
- 38 applications in the queue
- 104 applications in appraisal
- 0 applications sitting with the Plant Imports Team for biosecurity approval
In the queue there are:
- 26 new product applications
- 8 use-change applications
- 3 deviation applications
- 1 data assessment
The team are working hard to manage the balance between the screening of incoming new applications, continued work on in-progress appraisals, and picking up new applications.
The number of applications in the queue is increasing again as the majority (68%) of these applications are for new products: 26 of 38 are new product applications (12 A-type, 14 B-type). An additional 8 applications (21%) in the queue are new use/use change applications (C4-C8). These applications (89%) take much longer to assess and therefore constitute a significant amount of work for the team.
The team currently has reduced capacity due to two open vacancies.
Because of the reduced capacity, the number of applications, and the complexity of the A-type and C4-C8 applications, new applications are being added to the queue faster than they can currently be assessed, resulting in an increase in the queue.
The number of applications in assessment remains high and is reflective of the team’s effort to manage incoming applications, the queue, and the ongoing processing of the C10 applications for the glyphosate reassessment.
Veterinary medicine application update
As of 26 July, there were:
- 81 applications in the queue
- 58 applications in appraisal
- 1 application sitting with the Animal Imports Team for biosecurity approval
In the queue there are:
- 11 new product applications (5 A-type and 6- B-type)
- 5 use-change applications
- 2 deviation applications
- 0 data assessment
Most of the application queue continues to be chemistry and manufacturing changes (71%). The team has also received multiple new product type applications in recent weeks. Through the month of June, the Veterinary Medicines team noticed an increase in application volume, which is likely attributed to applications being submitted ahead of the fees increase on 1 July 2024.
The Vet Meds team currently has a reduced capacity due to two vacancies, one of which will work across both the Veterinary Medicines and Agricultural Chemicals assessments teams.
Inhibitor update
ACVM has received and approved 46 research applications to date. There are still four registration applications for urease inhibitors under assessment.
The Inhibitor Operational Forum took place on 24 July in Wellington and was well attended. These meetings are held three times a year, and the next meeting is planned for November 2024. ACVM gave a presentation on how to obtain research trial approvals. Clarification was provided around how trial animals can be approved to enter the food chain. This option can reduce the cost to industry since animals do not necessarily need to be excluded from the food chain, which may be good news for companies looking to trial novel active ingredients.
Contact Us
ACVM Team, Assurance, New Zealand Food Safety / Haumaru Kai Aotearoa
Pastoral House, 25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Email approvals@mpi.govt.nz
Website Agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines (ACVM) | Agriculture | NZ Government (mpi.govt.nz)
