New Zealand has signed an arrangement with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under which each country will recognize the other's food safety system as providing a comparable degree of food safety assurance.
The Food Safety Systems Recognition was signed at a meeting in Washington DC by the delegates from the FDA and New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
This development makes New Zealand the first country to sign a similar arrangement with the US.
Both the countries plan to use this arrangement to lower the regulatory burden on the foods shipped between both the countries, by eliminating unnecessary duplication of activities.
This agreement includes all foods and animal feeds regulated by the FDA. It is estimated to cover nearly NZ$1.5bn ($1.26bn) of New Zealand's current exports of primary products.
MPI Deputy Director General Standards Carol Barnao said that systems recognition agreements are very important to help maximize export opportunities.
FDA Food deputy commissioner Michael R Taylor this arrangement with the New Zealand is a part of FDA's overall plan to strengthen global food safety by a developing closer partnership with regulators around the world.
