What is Dairy RegTech and how does it work?

Dairy RegTech: working together to protect food safety

Dairy RegTech is an innovative program that acknowledges that a strong food safety culture results in better food safety outcomes. It also aims to better employ technology to optimize the capture, analysis and utilisation of food safety data generated by dairy businesses

Dairy RegTech supports DFSV’s efforts to safeguard public health through a robust regulatory framework. This approach recognises that food safety systems depend on the people who implement them, and importantly the food safety culture of a business.

While sites who transition to Dairy RegTech will continue to undergo compliance audits, these audits will be targeted to focus on areas that support better food safety practices and incorporate the other information gathered through Dairy RegTech.

Transitioning to Dairy RegTech is voluntary for dairy manufacturers. It is not yet available for dairy farmers.

Why did DFSV develop Dairy RegTech?

While the audit-based compliance system for Victorian dairy food has worked well over many years, DFSV and industry wanted to explore innovative approaches that were more proactive and collaborative. Together they developed Dairy RegTech, which enhances the current compliance and enforcement protocols and recognises and supports businesses that are focusing on food safety culture improvements.

What does Dairy RegTech involve?

The diagram below outlines what’s involved at the various stages of Dairy RegTech:

Who is involved at a manufacturing site?

•     All staff complete an online self-assessment survey. This will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
•     The most senior business leader ie. the CEO, Managing Director or owner of the company will need to allocate one hour for a discussion with the DFSV CEO at the beginning of the Dairy RegTech program.
•     For each site there will need to be 3 key site staff who are involved throughout the assessment period (around 15 weeks). For a small site, one or two people may cover these roles. These are:

Site Contact

The senior leader for the site for Dairy RegTech. This role is critical for engagement and communication across the site and subsequent Dairy RegTech activities and actions. In smaller sites, this person may be the owner/operator.

Site Culture Contact

This is key driver of culture change who will liaise with culture specialists from DFSV to drive culture improvement initiatives at the site. This could be the same person as the Site or Data Contact or could be someone from the site with a HR background or interest. 

Site Data Contact

Works with the DFSV Food Safety Manager in discussing the data components of Dairy RegTech, preferably has autonomy for decision making e.g. Technical Manager or Quality Manager.

How can I sign up?

DFSV Manufacturer sites can apply to participate in Dairy RegTech, click here for more information