Dairy collection and transport

Operators in the dairy collection and transport industry are required:

1. apply for a Food Authority licence online or download an application form (PDF), print and post it
    
2. prepare for regular audits.

You must not commence operations until you are informed that your licence application has been processed. If the premises are found to be operating without a licence, enforcement action may be taken.

• For more see applying for a food licence

All milk collected must be produced at farms that are also licensed by the Food Authority or an appropriate interstate dairy authority.

There are no formal qualifications required for dairy collection and transport, however each food handler and person in control of a food business is required to have food safety skills and knowledge appropriate to their food handling activities.

The full requirements are set out in the Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, clause 3 and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia.

Construction and layout of a food premise must be designed to minimise the opportunity for food contamination.

Dairy collection operators must ensure that their transport vehicles are designed and constructed in a manner that means they can be easily cleaned and where necessary, sanitised.

Businesses must also ensure that the premises are provided with the necessary services of water, waste disposal, light, ventilation, cleaning and personal hygiene facilities, storage space and access to toilets.

The full requirements are set out in the Food Standards Code, Chapter 3, Standard 3.2.3 - Food Premises and Equipment and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia.

A food handler must take all reasonable measures not to handle food or surfaces likely to come into contact with food in a way that is likely to compromise the safety and suitability of food.

For details see the Food Standards Code Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, clause 3 and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia.

Cleaning & sanitation

Dairy collection and transport operators must implement a documented cleaning schedule that identifies:

• all fixtures, fittings and equipment used in the collection and transport of dairy products
• the frequency of cleaning
• how all fixtures, fittings and equipment are cleaned and sanitised
• how food contact surfaces and utensils are sanitised (where applicable)
• chemical usage (eg. strength, contact times, temperature).

All fixtures, fittings and equipment must be adequate for the production of safe and suitable food, and fit for their intended use.

Routine internal cleaning and sanitation inspections must be undertaken and records maintained for corrective action taken on any identified issues.

Cleaning chemicals must be suitable for contact with food and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Dairy collection and transport operators need to maintain a food safety program.

This is a tailored operating plan for the business which identifies hazards to food safety and how the business will manage them.

For a generic starting template see Food Safety Programs.

Time and temperature controls

Dairy transport businesses must transport dairy products using time and temperature controls that prevent or limit the growth of microbiological hazards in the product.

There are no specific labelling requirements for dairy collection and transport.

Licensed dairy transport businesses collecting milk for transport from a dairy primary production business to a dairy processing business need to:

• check and keep a record of the temperature of the milk that meets the temperature standards set by the dairy processor that will receive the milk
• take a representative sample of the milk
• store and transport the sample under temperature control.

Dairy collection and transport businesses will be routinely inspected by the Food Authority for compliance with requirements.

Compliance or regulatory action will be taken if required.

There are fees for audits and inspections, payable by the licence holder.

For more see audits of licensed businesses

As an operator in the dairy collection and transport industry, you will also need to meet the requirements set out in:

1. Food Act 2003 (NSW)
2. Food Regulation 2015 (NSW) including relevant parts of the Dairy Food Safety Scheme 
3. Food Standards Code
   • Food Standards Code 3.2.3 - Food Premises and Equipment
   • Food Standards Code 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and general requirements
   • Standard 4.2.4 - Primary Production and Processing Standard Dairy
   • AS 4674:2004 - Design, construction and fit out of food premise