Ruminant protein control programmes

A ruminant protein control programme (RPCP) is a plan outlining how you prevent ruminant feed from being contaminated by ruminant protein. Find out if you need an RPCP and how to register one.

What is a ruminant protein control programme?

A ruminant protein control programme (RPCP) is a plan that outlines how you prevent feed produced for ruminants from being contaminated by ruminant protein.

You must have an MPI-registered RPCP if you:

  • render, use or store ruminant protein, and
  • produce ingredients or feed for ruminants.

Check if you need to register an RPCP with MPI if you:

  • render ingredients for animal feed
  • re-bag animal feed
  • make, mill, or store animal feed.

Follow the steps

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Step 1: Check if you need an RPCP

Answer the questions for your business type, to find out if you need an RPCP.

Feed manufacturers and millers

  • Do you make feed, even occasionally, for ruminants (such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, and buffalo)?
  • Do you store, even occasionally, products containing ruminant protein on-site?

If you answered yes to both questions, you require an RPCP.

Feed re-bagging facilities

  • Do you re-bag, even occasionally, feed for ruminants?
  • Do you re-bag, even occasionally, feed that contains ruminant protein?

If you answered yes to both questions, you require an RPCP.

Renderers

  • Do you, even occasionally, render ruminant animal tissue?
  • Do you render non-ruminant tissue (such as poultry and fish) that is sold as suitable for feeding to ruminants?

If you answered yes to both questions, you require an RPCP.

If you require an RPCP, go to Step 2.

Step 2: Check facility requirements

If you need an RPCP, contact MPI for advice on facility requirements.

Email info@mpi.govt.nz

To be eligible for RPCP registration your facility must have complete physical separation of equipment used for ruminant feed and ruminant protein (including transfer lines and processing equipment).

  • Separation must be throughout the facility – from arrival of ingredients through to final loading for transport or packing and storage.
  • Processing equipment includes load-in bins, weigh batch mixers, press bins, press, augers, chain drags, elevators, buckets, paddles, mixers, blenders, pelleting machines, dump hoppers, bagging machines and storage silos.
  • If your facility isn't fully separated, you should have barriers between intakes for ruminant protein and ruminant feed ingredients (to prevent contamination by wind).
  • Take reasonable steps to prevent contamination of ruminant feed during transport to and from your facility.
Step 3: Write your RPCP

You can use our sample RPCP to prepare your control programme.

Download the sample ruminant protein control programme [DOCX, 64 KB]

Step 4: Register your RPCP

To register your RPCP, send it to:

  • info@mpi.govt.nz
  • or post to:
    Manager (Ruminant Protein Regulations)
    Animal Imports Team
    Ministry for Primary Industries
    PO Box 2526
    Wellington 6140
Step 5: Get checked

After you send MPI your RPCP, we will:

  • do a desktop review of your control programme
  • contact you to arrange a pre-registration audit of your facility
  • test ruminant feed samples to make sure they aren't contaminated.

We'll usually let you know if your RPCP is registered within 4 weeks of receiving it.

Annual verification

After you get your RPCP registered, MPI will verify it once a year through an on-site audit.

  • MPI will contact you to let you know when your audit is due.
  • An MPI inspector will contact you to arrange a suitable time for the audit.

Fees and charges

MPI will charge you $214.25 an hour for:

  • time spent doing a desktop review of your RPCP (1 to 2 hours)
  • auditing your facility for RPCP registration (2 to 3 hours)
  • annual verification audits (2 to 3 hours).

You'll also need to pay for laboratory testing of ruminant feed samples.

Who to contact

If you have questions about ruminant protein control programmes, email info@mpi.govt.nz

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