Letter to renderers, manufacturers, retailers and end-users of stock feed

Our Ref: GI/03/0336
11 December 2015

Chief Veterinary Officer's Unit
475 Mickleharn Road
Attwood Victoria 3049 Australia
Telephone: (03) 9217 4200

Dear Stakeholder

NEW VICTORIAN AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY CHEMICALS (CONTROL OF USE) (RUMINANT FEED) REGULATIONS 2015

I am pleased to advise you that the Victorian Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) (Ruminant Feed) Regulations 2015 were made on 8 December 2015 and came into operation on 10 December 2015. The 2015 regulations replace the sunsetting Victorian Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical (Control of Use) (Ruminant Feed) Regulations 2005 and will remain in force for up to 10 years unless reviewed prior to this date.

I would like to thank all the stakeholders that provided feedback on the regulations which support the Ruminant Feed Ban to ultimately protect the public and animal health from transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and enable continued access to key export markets.

The 2015 regulations include minor provisions which differ to the 2005 regulations in the following ways:

• An additional exemption to Restricted Animal Material for mineralised sea bird guano.
• Removal of redundant regulations (regulation 7 of the 2005 regulations).
• Reference to 'woven bag' has been removed, requiring bag weight to be used to determine letter height requirements when statements are printed directly onto a bag. If the bag is less than 20kg, the statement letter height must be 3mm or more. If the bag is 20kg or greater the statement letter height must be 10mm or greater. Note this change will not impact stakeholders that are currently compliant with the 2005 regulations.
• Label statements can also be printed in light print on a dark background.
• Reduced regulatory burden on stakeholders (regulation 10(1) of the 2005 regulations has been deleted).

It is not anticipated that the 2015 regulations will add any additional requirements above and beyond what is already required of stakeholders.

To obtain a copy of the Victorian Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) (Ruminant Feed) Regulations 2015 please refer to the attached document or visit http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/. I appreciate your continued cooperation in ensuring the effectiveness of Victoria's ongoing measures to prevent and demonstrate freedom from TSEs in Australian livestock.

Yours sincerely
Dr Charles Milne
CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER
11/12/15