Bird Flu: Keep Distance, Wash Hands, Report It
OPINION: It's a tough pill to swallow that bird flu (avian influenza) has finally arrived in New Zealand. This is a moment many of us have hoped would never come.
Managing director John Penno says that Synlait's systems are specifically designed to protect against threats, such as that announced today by the New Zealand Police and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
"Food safety and product quality is our highest priority. Our standards and systems reflect this," says Penno.
"We have full end to end supply chain control from farm to container for all milk powder and infant formula products. This includes quality testing of raw milk and comprehensive testing of finished product before it is loaded in shipping containers for export."
Existing security at Synlait includes a fully fenced site, electronic gates, and comprehensive Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) recording and swipe card access to critical key areas such as their nutritional plant.
Since becoming aware of the threat, Synlait has taken extra precautions to increase security. This includes 24/7 operation of on-site security guards, photo-IDs for all staff and contractors as well as site access and staff security checks.
"Our customers are informed and we do not expect significant business interruption from this threat to the industry," says Penno.
