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Steps to exporting dairy products
The steps you need to follow to export dairy products from New Zealand.
The process for exporting dairy products
The requirements on this page are for dairy products. This includes milk, milk powder, and infant formula.
Export requirements vary for dairy products, depending on your destination market. We’ve created a step-by-step process so you can see what’s involved.
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Meet New Zealand requirements for dairy exports
New Zealand legislation and operating requirements.
Comply with New Zealand legislation and food standards
You need to meet all relevant food standards and regulations. Legal requirements are set out in the:
- Animal Products Act 1999
- Food Act 2014
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
- dairy regulations and standards.
Links to legislation, standards, and regulations
Operate under a risk management programme or regulated control scheme
To export dairy products (other than to Australia), they must be produced and processed under a registered and verified risk management programme (RMP).
Other suppliers in your export chain – for example, storage facilities and other manufacturers – also need to operate under an RMP. RMPs help you identify and manage hazards and ensure that your product is fit for purpose and meets legal requirements.
Those transporting dairy products will need to operate under an RMP or regulated control scheme (RCS). If at any point the dairy products are harvested on farm, processed, transported, or stored outside of an approved RMP, or RCS if an RCS applies, you can’t get an official assurance and your products will lose their eligibility for export.
Develop and register your RMP
Find out how to develop an RMP
Options for transport operators
Transport operators must operate under either:
- an RCS or an RMP (for export with an official assurance)
- a Food Act risk-based measure (for export without an official assurance).
Options for transport operators
Verify your RMP
After developing and registering your programme, you must get it verified regularly by an MPI-recognised verification agency.
Animal products recognised agencies, including dairy
When exporting products made by others
You don't need an RMP if you are exporting products made by someone else that you will not handle. You do need to make sure they are manufactured and stored under an RMP, and transported under either an RMP or an RCS.
Exporting only to Australia?
Dairy products for Australia can be manufactured under a food control plan or an RMP.
Exporters to Australia also need to:
- meet the Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMARs) for Australia
- check to see if there are any general export requirements that need to be met for their product.
Complete documents to ensure product traceability
When products destined for export leave the manufacturing site an eligibility declaration/document must be raised in E-cert. Your verifier or the dairy certification unit can help with these.
If you have any questions about product traceability, email either:
Managing contaminants and residues
In most cases, you need to provide information for an official assurance to show how you know your products don't have contaminants and residues.
Monitoring programmes and testing of dairy products
Check if you need official devices
Dairy products must be packed and labelled to ensure they're secure and that the contents can be traced to the official assurances (export certificates) that apply to them.
Security devices help to protect the integrity of the products and have to be approved by MPI. Operator seals that meet the same standards as official MPI security seals can be used to seal containers of dairy products.
Official devices and legal requirements
Legislation and standards
Animal Products Act 1999 – NZ Legislation
Food Act 2014 – NZ Legislation
Check destination requirements for dairy exports
Overseas market access requirements and requirements for your market.
About Overseas Market Access Requirements
As an exporter, you're responsible for knowing and meeting the Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR) for your destination country. OMARs differ between countries and products and set out requirements for all operators in your export chain – for example, processors, storage providers, and transporters.
You need to apply to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to read animal product OMARs because they're password protected.
Apply for a password to access OMARs
Check all the requirements in the OMAR
Read the OMAR for your destination market thoroughly to make sure you can comply with all the requirements.
If your export destination has an OMAR you'll likely need an 'official assurance', also known as an export certificate. You'll need this before you can send your product. Official assurance is the New Zealand Government's assurance to the destination market that your product meets the standards set out in the OMAR.
Other information you should check
Besides the OMAR, there may be other documents that have information about your market.
Guidance offered by FYIs can help you with exporting concerns or issues. (You may need your OMAR password to read some FYIs.)
OMAR notifications will give you the latest updates for your destination market.
'For Your Information' (FYI) documents
Exporting to a market with no OMAR
If there is no OMAR for your export destination, work directly with your importing agent to find out about certification and any other requirements. If an import permit is required, the permit will outline the requirements.
Note that if there is no OMAR, it could mean your product is prohibited from being sent to that country.
Some destinations that don't need official assurances may instead require a free sales certificate (FSC), or a free sales advice statement (FSAS).
Find out more about FSCs and FSASs
If you are exporting to a halal market
Check the OMAR for your market to see if there are halal requirements. If your market has halal requirements, you will need to engage an approved halal organisation and may need to get halal certification.
Find out the process you need to follow for halal products
Exporting under the dairy quota programme
The Dominican Republic, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States of America are part of the dairy quota programme. These countries (known as the designated markets) have quotas in place that govern how much of certain dairy products will receive beneficial export rates.
Exporting to the designated markets and obtaining a dairy export licence
Are you using wood packaging?
If you use wood packaging products – other than paper – for your export product, check your wood packaging meets the phytosanitary requirements of the destination country. Most countries require you to treat your wood packaging to make sure it's free of pests and diseases.
Register as an animal products exporter
How to register and list of registered exporters.
How to register
You can do this online.
AP1 exporter registration – online form
Notes about registering
- You'll need to pay a registration fee each year.
- If you don't register with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), you can use the services of an exporter who is already registered.
Questions?
If you have questions about registering as an exporter, email approvals@mpi.govt.nz
Our list of registered exporters
When your application has been processed and approved by MPI, you will be added to our list of registered exporters. This list is available to the public.
Register of animal products exporters
If you're exporting organic dairy products
If you want to export organic dairy products under the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP), you must be registered as both an organics exporter and an animal products exporter. You need to register as an animal products exporter first.
OP1 organic exporter registration - online form
Sending infant formula overseas
Only registered exporters can export dairy products, including milk powder and infant formula. This includes online sales to overseas consumers or businesses.
Infant formula exports and what you can carry as personal luggage
Register for E-cert, if needed
About E-cert and how to register.
About E-cert
Animal products E-cert is what we use to issue official government assurances for animal products, including dairy, that are exported from New Zealand.
At each step of the production process, operators need to add information to E-cert. At the end of the process, the exporter uses E-cert to apply for an export certificate (an official assurance as provided for in the Animal Products Act).
It is mandatory to use E-cert for some markets and strongly recommended for a number of others.
E-cert is password protected and new exporters and operators need to apply for access.
How to register
To use E-cert, your company must be one of the following:
- a registered exporter under the Animal Products Act 1999
- a business with a registered Risk Management Programme
- an export-approved premise
- acting as an agent for another company that is registered as one of the above.
You need to get company access first, then add access for individuals.
Apply for a dairy export certificate, if needed
Using E-cert and how to request approval to get your certificate.
Using E-cert
If the destination market for your dairy products requires an export certificate (or official assurance), you need to apply for it through E-cert. You have to register to access E-cert. We explain how to register for E-cert in the previous step.
Log in
When you're registered, you can log in and use the system.
The information and declarations you, or the operators you work with, have entered about the production of your dairy products confirm that they comply with requirements.
Training and help using AP E-cert
Guidance resources to help you understand the exporting process, certification, and how to use AP E-cert.
AP E-cert demonstration
Walk-through a demo to learn how to raise an export certificate in AP E-cert.
Walk-through demo of AP E-cert
Request approval of your certificate
Once the export certificate application has been raised in E-cert, email your nearest MPI signing office to arrange approval of the export certificate.
Find contact details for MPI signing offices
Getting your export certificate
When MPI is satisfied that your dairy products comply with all requirements and standards, we issue the official assurance (export certificate) through E-cert.
The official assurance can be provided for your consignment in various ways. Check the OMAR of your destination country and the Official Assurances Specification to work out what you need.
Read the Animal Products Notice: Official Assurance Requirements [PDF, 401 KB]
Other requirements
You may also have to meet other requirements, including those set by government agencies like the New Zealand Customs Service.
Export clearance procedures – New Zealand Customs Service
Storage and transport requirements
Export non-conformance
If your export products are stopped at the border or no longer meet export requirements, you must tell MPI within 24 hours.
Find out more about export non-conformances
Who to contact
If you have questions about exporting, email exporterhelp@mpi.govt.nz
