This standard applies to all rendering plants operating in Australia. Minimum requirements for quality assurance, construction and equipment and rendering operations, are prescribed.

The requirements of this Standard apply to all rendering plants operating in Australia and are mandatory unless alternative compliance has been approved by the controlling Authority. This work identifies minimum requirements for quality assurance, construction and equipment and rendering operations for the hygienic rendering of animal products.

Using results from a review of domestic and export requirements undertaken, this Standard harmonises standards for the production and transportation within Australia of meat and meat products.

This Australian Standardapplies to the production of fresh and frozen pet meat derived from animals slaughtered and processed at a processing establishment, as well as wild animals killed in their natural environment. It contains the minimum requirements for hygiene in harvesting, transportation, processing, identification, packaging and storage, to ensure a safe and acceptable product. Provision is also made in this Standardfor the use of fallen stock. The scope of the Standardis determined by risks related to the hygienic production of pet meat. Such risks are associated with: animal safety; human safety; and product substitution. In Australia, animals for pet meat must be processed in accordance with this Standard and documented work instructions or an approved Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based program that consistently demonstrates equivalence with this Standard.

This new edition of the Code is intended as a guide for all people responsible for the welfare of pigs under both intensive, deep litter and outdoor systems. Good welfare of farmed pigs will ensure that pigs cope well in their environment and that factors such as growth, reproductive performance, disease levels, injuries and death rates are within industry standards. The Code recognizes that the basic requirement for the welfare of pigs is a husbandry system, managed by trained and skilled stock-people to ensure that basic needs of pigs are met: * Readily accessible appropriate and sufficient food and water * Adequate shelter to protect from climatic extremes * Opportunity to display appropriate patterns of behaviour * Physical handling in a manner which minimizes the likelihood of unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress * Protection from, and/or rapid diagnosis and correct treatment of injury or disease * Freedom for necessary movement including to stand, stretch and lie down * Visual and social contact with other pigs This Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals has been prepared by the Animal Welfare Working Group (AWWG) for the Primary Industries Ministerial Council (PIMC). The AWWG is made up of representatives from CSIRO, Animal Health Australia, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia, and from each of the State Departments responsible for agriculture. Extensive consultation has taken place with industry and animal welfare organisations in the development of the Code. This new edition supercedes the Second Edition, SCARM Report 66

Animal welfare considerations are becoming increasingly important for the keeping and farming of animals, both in Australia and internationally. Practices that may have once been deemed acceptable are now being reassessed in light of new knowledge and changing attitudes. The minimum standards outlined in this Code are intended to help people involved in the care and management of poultry to adopt standards of husbandry that are acceptable. Special requirements for various species are given in the appendices. This Code of Practice is intended as a guide for people responsible for the welfare and husbandry of domestic poultry. It recognizes that the basic requirement for welfare of poultry is a husbandry system appropriate to their physiological and behavioral needs. The Code emphasizes that--whatever the form of husbandry--managers, employees and all others responsible for the day-to-day needs of domestic poultry have a responsibility to care for poultry under their control.

Part A of this standard applies to the construction and equipment of all processing premises where poultry are slaughtered for the production of meat for human consumption. Part B applies to the hygienic production for human consumption of products derived from poultry.