Pursuant to section 75 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and Order of the High Court, dated the 26th day of November 2010, in proceeding CIV-2010-485-1423, Auckland Hebrew Congregation Trust Board and the Wellington Jewish Community Centre v Minister of Agriculture, I have reconsidered my decision to not include a provision to allow for shechita slaughter of poultry in the Animal Welfare (Commercial Slaughter) Code 2010.
I hereby give notice that a further minimum standard, 15A, as set out below, is included in the Animal Welfare (Commercial Slaughter) Code 2010 to provide for shechita of poultry. Minimum standard 15A will come into effect on the day after the publication of this notice.
Minimum Standard No. 15A - Shechita of Poultry
Minimum standard 15 applies subject to this minimum standard:
(a) Poultry may be slaughtered without prior stunning
in accordance with the requirements of shechita (Jewish religious requirements) and the requirements of this minimum standard.
(b) A competent shochet must carry out the slaughter of the poultry. The shochet must be approved by one
or both of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation or
the Wellington Jewish Community Centre. Before conducting shechita in New Zealand for the first time, the shochet must provide to the Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry written authorisation from one or both of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation or the Wellington Jewish Community Centre.
(c) The Auckland Hebrew Congregation or the Wellington Jewish Community Centre will approve a shochet to undertake shechita in relation to poultry only.
(d) The number of poultry that will be subject to shechita will not exceed the number necessary
to meet the needs, within New Zealand, of the local Jewish community and kosher observant visitors to New Zealand. The Auckland Hebrew Congregation or the Wellington Jewish Community Centre acknowledge that present consumption is no more than 5,000 birds per year. The Minister and the Auckland Hebrew Congregation and the Wellington Jewish Community Centre will from time to time discuss the number of poultry required to meet the needs of the local Jewish community and kosher observant visitors to New Zealand.
(e) The neck of any bird must be inspected immediately after the cutting of the throat to ensure that both carotid arteries are completely severed.
Dated at Wellington this 10th day of December 2010.
HON DAVID CARTER, Minister of Agriculture.