Skip to main content

Proposed changes to the requirements for Pisum and Phaseolus in the Seeds for Sowing Import Health Standard

Update – 27 October 2022

Final import health standard and review of submissions

Following the consultation, MPI has issued the final import health standard along with the review of submissions.

Seeds for sowing IHS [PDF, 1.8 MB]

Review of submissions [PDF, 11 MB]

Consultation background

From 8 August to 22 August 2022 the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) sought comments on proposed changes to the Seeds for Sowing Import Health Standard (155.02.05).

The proposed changes included:

  • removing Broad bean mottle virus, Cowpea severe mosaic virus, Pea early-browning virus, and Peanut mottle virus from the pest list for Phaseolus seed for sowing, along with the specific requirements for these viruses
  • removing Peanut mottle virus and Peanut stunt virus from the pest list for Pisum seeds for sowing, along with the specific requirements for these viruses.

Full details of the proposed changes are in the consultation documents.

Consultation documents

Risk Management Proposal: Amendments to the Seeds for Sowing Import Health Standard [PDF, 6 MB]

Draft Seeds for Sowing (155.02.05) Import Health Standard [PDF, 2.8 MB]

Steps to finalising the new IHS

After consultation on a draft import health standard, MPI publishes a provisional IHS.

If you made a submission during the consultation, you have 10 working days to notify the Director-General of MPI that you intend to request an independent review. Reviews are limited to whether specific scientific evidence was given sufficient consideration.

If no review is requested within 10 working days, then the provisional IHS is confirmed and the final IHS is issued.

For more information about reviews refer to:

Section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 – NZ Legislation

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

Legal background

MPI must consult with interested parties in accordance with section 23 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) and MPI's consultation policy before issuing or amending (other than of minor or urgent nature) import health standards (IHS) under sections 24A and 24B of the Act.

An IHS specifies import requirements that must be met either in the country of origin or of export, or during transit, before biosecurity clearance can be given for the goods to enter New Zealand. MPI must ensure that these requirements are technically justified and provide an appropriate level of biosecurity protection.

Find out more

Steps to importing seeds for sowing