For individuals
Mā te takitahi
Last reviewed:
Introduction to honey and bee product processing
Beekeepers and other primary and secondary honey and bee product processing businesses must meet legal requirements, including under the Food Act 2014 and Animal Products Act 1999. Find out the requirements that apply to your business.
RMP updates
By 1 November 2023, all Risk Management Programme (RMP) operators were required to have updated their RMP. This was to align with the new regulations and notices introduced as a part of the Regulatory Redesign programme.
Animal Products Regulations 2021 – NZ Legislation
About Regulatory Redesign
Regulatory Redesign aims to make it easier for businesses operating under the Animal Products Act 1999 to find and comply with their requirements.
Redesign of animal products and wine regulations and notices
Requirements for honey or bee product processors
All businesses dealing with honey and other bee products must meet legal requirements. The requirements that apply to your business depend on what you're doing.
If you process, store, sell, or export honey or other bee products, you must:
- have a registered plan or programme under the Food Act 2014 or the Animal Products Act 1999
- manage tutin contamination in your honey.
The "My Food Rules" tool will help you decide what requirements apply to your business.
Our roadmap can help you sort out legislation
The Honey and bee products roadmap is a summary of all honey processing regulations, notices and standards. It covers honey, wax, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, bee products, and the export of live bees.
Honey and bee products roadmap [PDF, 1022 KB]
Food Act requirements
All honey processors must meet requirements under the Food Act 2014. Honey products for sale in New Zealand must also follow the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which covers labelling and composition rules.
Labelling and composition of honey and bee products
Operating under the APA
If your bee products are intended for export to countries that require official assurances (export certificates), it is a requirement under the APA to have a registered risk management programme (RMP). This applies to people who:
- extract honey
- store or pack honey or honeycomb
- process or pack royal jelly, pollen, or propolis.
An RMP can be based on a template.
Honey and bee product risk management programmes
Find out more
Exporting honey and bee products
Tutin contamination requirements
If you're a beekeeper, or if you pack honey for sale or export, you must:
- make sure your honey doesn't exceed maximum levels for tutin contamination
- meet the requirements of the standard for managing tutin contamination in honey.
Beekeepers who don't sell or export their products
If you are a hobbyist beekeeper who produces honey and other bee products for your own consumption, you don't need to meet requirements under the Animal Products Act or the Food Act. The beekeeping section of our website has information about the requirements that may apply to you.
Find out more about beekeeping
Note: Donating or bartering your honey is a form of trade. If you do either, you must comply with the relevant food safety requirements.
Get the latest updates
Receive MPI media releases, email alerts, newsletters, and consultation updates.
Who to contact
If you have questions about honey and bee product processing, email info@mpi.govt.nz
