KEY POINTS:
The problem that has earned New Zealand its reputation as the campylobacter capital of the world is being tackled, according to the poultry industry and the Food Safety Authority.
They say they have collaborated on a manual of biosecurity guidelines for poultry farmers.
The manual updates farmers on biosecurity guidelines and "should help ensure good bird health as well as reductions in the levels of campylobacter in poultry meat, the Poultry Industry Association and the authority said yesterday.
The authority's principal adviser on risk management, Judi Lee, said the manual set out minimum standards for chicken-meat production.
"This is a detailed resource for the industry," she said.
"Every aspect of production has been addressed, including shed construction, visitor restrictions, shed entry, water supply, vermin and wild bird control, harvest and cleanout.
"The guidelines will apply to barn and free-range operations. There is also provision for audit internal and external to ensure the standards are being met."
The authority said the manual was one of several moves to combat campylobacter. "Our strategy is a farm-to-fork approach, and this is the second to apply at farm level."
The authority said it continued to work on other measures to further reduce campylobacter levels on chicken throughout the food chain.
Association executive director Michael Brooks said the poultry industry was equally determined to do everything it could to understand and combat the bacteria.
One important goal was to reduce bacteria numbers in growing birds. This would result in reduced levels during processing and packaging.
"New Zealand's poultry production standards are similar and, in many cases, better than other countries.
"But we can still make improvements to biosecurity by sharing expertise and best practice across the whole industry."
Campo count
* New Zealand has 15,000 cases of campylobacter a year.
* That is 2 1/2 times higher than the British rate and five times higher than Canada's rate.
- NZPA
