Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when micro-organisms develop the ability to resist an antibiotic or antimicrobial product, so it stops working. New Zealand has a plan to prevent and control AMR.
New Zealand Food Safety's AMR team leads an antimicrobial resistance work programme. The team is working towards the goals of the New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan. The AMR work programme includes:
You can email the AMR team at AMRteam@mpi.govt.nz
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when germs (bacteria, fungi, or viruses) no longer respond to medicines. Resistant germs can spread between humans, animals, and the environment.
AMR happens naturally over time, usually through genetic changes that occur within the germ. Resistance can increase by overuse or misuse of antimicrobials. Antimicrobials are treatments like antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals.
AMR is one of the World Health Organization's (WHO) top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. It kills more than one million people around the world each year. The WHO predicts 10 million people will die annually from AMR unless appropriate action is taken now – that's higher than the number of people who die from cancer every year.
Drug-resistant infections can cause disease that is difficult or impossible to treat. They can even be fatal. In animals, this leads to poor animal welfare, pain, and production losses. Treatment costs can be greatly increased for both humans and animals.
AMR can spread between animals, people, plants, and the environment. AMR is recognised to be a 'One Health' issue. One Health is a concept that recognises the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. One Health issues require collaboration at a local, regional, national, and global level.
New Zealand Food Safety and the Ministry of Health (MoH) are working together to minimise the impact of AMR on human, plant, and animal health, and on the environment. We are updating the New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan to prioritise the next 5 years' activities.
2017 New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan [PDF, 535 KB]
Recommendations made in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser report are being included.
Report on infectious disease and AMR – Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor
Government Response to Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor Report on AMR [PDF, 257 KB]
MPI and MoH issued the first action plan in 2017. It aligns with the World Health Organization's global action plan 2015
The New Zealand AMR Action Plan outlines activities under 5 objectives.
The 5 objectives of the plan are:
In September 2024 NZFS published an AMR implementation plan for the animal and plant sectors to provide more detailed goals and deliverables than those set in the overarching New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan. MPI will report annually to relevant stakeholders on activities included in the Animal and Plant Sector AMR Implementation Plan.
2024/2025 Annual Report: NZ Animal and Plant Sectors’ AMR Implementation Plan [PDF, 581 KB]
2024 Annual Report: NZ Animal and Plant Sectors’ AMR Implementation Plan [PDF, 672 KB]
The Ministry for Primary Industries has started an AMR surveillance and monitoring programme.
The programme currently tracks levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food producing animals in New Zealand, and animals presented to New Zealand veterinary clinics.
View the surveillance data on our interactive dashboard
Poultry, pigs, and calves sent to meat-processing plants are being tested. One-off surveys from lower-risk species are also being undertaken.
A 2025 survey from pigs showed low levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, similar to levels found in previous surveys.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Pigs in New Zealand [PDF, 579 KB]
NZ Pigs 2024-2025 MIC distributions [XLSX, 80 KB]
A 2025 survey of poultry showed low levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, similar to levels found in previous poultry surveys.
Antimicrobial Resistance Prevalence in Poultry in New Zealand [PDF, 628 KB]
NZ Poultry 2023-2024 MIC distributions [XLSX, 123 KB]
A 2025 study supports that New Zealand sheep are associated with a low level of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
NZ Lamb 2024 MIC distributions [XLSX, 48 KB]
A 2018-2022 study examining AMR in New Zealand's food animals has been published in the Journal of Food Protection. The study found that AMR in food animals in New Zealand poses a limited public health risk.
NZ Food Animals 2018-2022 MIC distributions [XLSX, 68 KB]
The AMR surveillance programme links with other food safety surveys also commissioned by MPI:
In 2022 MPI commenced monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from animals presenting to veterinarians, where samples are sent to veterinary diagnostic laboratories for pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Samples are from any animal species and from a range of sample sites. A 2022 to 2023 report provides baseline antibiotic resistance data that will be repeated annually to monitor AMR trends in key bacterial species isolated from companion and production animals in New Zealand.
New Zealand Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Report – 2023-2025 [PDF, 663 KB]
New Zealand Food Safety monitors sales of horticultural and veterinary products containing antibiotics. Monitoring sales helps ensure regulatory controls on antibiotics are effective. New Zealand Food Safety can also investigate where there has been any significant changes in antibiotic use.
View the antibiotic sales data on our interactive dashboard
Antibiotic sales data is useful to inform trends in use over time. But it is only an estimate of the quantities of antibiotics used in plants and animals. It can't track information such as how many products weren't used or expired before use. New Zealand Food Safety is exploring how to record actual quantities of antibiotics used.
New Zealand Food Safety is reviewing the controls for veterinary medicines and agricultural compounds containing antibiotics. Reviews will continue as an ongoing reassessment programme.
The review covers:
New Zealand Food Safety have classified antibiotics for animals and plants as:
The classification depends on the AMR risk posed by the antibiotic. Factors considered include:
Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Antibiotic Importance Classification [PDF, 438 KB]
Medically Important Antimicrobial List – WHO
List of Antimicrobial Agents of Veterinary Importance – WOAH
New Zealand Food Safety will reassess registered antibiotics for plants and animals. There may be changes to product labels, such as use recommendations and withholding period information. The product registrant must add the importance classification to the product label. This will help prescribers and horticultural experts make well-informed decisions on prudent antibiotic use.
| Importance classification | Classification criteria | Currently registered antibiotic compounds |
|---|---|---|
| Critically important antibiotics |
|
Aminoglycoside compounds: gentamicin Third and fourth generation cephalosporin compounds: cefovecin, cefpodoxime, ceftiofur, and cefquinome Fluoroquinolone compounds: enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, orbifloxacin, and pradofloxacin Macrolide compounds: erythromycin, oleandomycin, spiramycin, tilmicosin, tulathromycin, and tylosin Polymyxin compounds: polymyxin B |
| Highly important antibiotics |
Cross resistance occurs between antibiotics in the same class or different classes, or the same antibiotic is used in humans and animals, and one of the following criteria apply:
|
Aminoglycoside and aminocyclitol compounds: apramycin, dihydrostreptomycin, framycetin, neomycin, spectinomycin and streptomycin Amphenicol compounds: florfenicol First and second generation cephalosporin compounds: cephalexin, cephalonium, cephapirin, and cefuroxime Fusidane compounds: fusidic acid Lincosamide compounds: lincomycin, and clindamycin Nitroimidazole compounds: dimetridazole, metronidazole and ronidazole Penicillin compounds: amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cloxacillin, penethamate hydriodide, penicillin G benzathine, penicillin G procaine, and penicillin procaine Streptogramin compounds: virginiamycin Sulphonamide and diaminopyrimidine compounds: sulphadiazine, sulphaguanidine, sulphamerazine, sulphamethazine, sulphadimidine, sulphamethoxypyridazine, sulphanilamide, sulphapyridine, and trimethoprim Tetracycline compounds: chlortetracycline, doxycycline, and oxytetracycline |
| Important antibiotics |
|
Aminoglycoside compounds: kasugamycin Pleuromutilin compounds: tiamulin Polypeptide compounds: zinc bacitracin |
The outcomes of each tranche's reassessment will be added here as they become available.
Antibiotic classes: Macrolides, later-generation cephalosporins, and penicillins.
Outcome and resources:
AMR reassessment review: Macrolides, Later-Generation Cephalosporins and Penicillins [PDF, 371 KB]
FAQs Penicillin reassessment [PDF, 175 KB]
Penicillin product label transitioning after reassessment [PDF, 184 KB]
Antibiotic classes: Veterinary aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, lincosamides, and first or second generation cephalosporins. Horticultural aminoglycosides (streptomycin and kasugamycin).
Outcome and resources:
Reassessment of tranche 2 antibiotic-based trade name products [PDF, 131 KB]
Antibiotic classes: Fusidic acid, tetracyclines, sulphonamides/diaminopyrimidines, and polypeptides (zinc bacitracin and polymyxin).
Outcome and resources: Yet to commence.
Antibiotic classes: Amphenicols, nitrofurans, nitroimidazoles, pleuromutilins, and virginiamycin.
Outcome and resources: Yet to commence.
Improving infection prevention and control measures across human health, animal health, and in agricultural settings to prevent infection and transmission of microorganisms is covered in Objective 3 of the New Zealand Animal and Plant Sectors’ Implementation Plan.
MPI, in collaboration with the Antimicrobial Resistance Stakeholder Group, has developed an overarching national policy setting the expectations for animal health and horticultural industries on developing best-practice infection prevention and control (IPC) and integrated pest management guidelines.
Animal and plant sector infection prevention and control policy [PDF, 495 KB]
New Zealand Food Safety issued a directive on prudent use of antimicrobials in plants and animals in 2017. It provides expectations for prudent use and regulatory oversight of antimicrobials.
Prudent use of antimicrobials on animals and plants [PDF, 261 KB]
Sponsored by New Zealand Food Safety, the Antimicrobial Resistance Award recognises and celebrates an individual, team, or organisation who is championing the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Entries for 2025 closed on 27 September 2025.
New Zealand Food Safety is developing resources for the public on antimicrobial resistance. We will add resources here as they become available.
Antimicrobial resistance direction statement [PDF, 208 KB]
Antibiotic resistance information sheet [PDF, 295 KB]
It's time to unite against AMR – information pamphlet for vets [PDF, 506 KB]
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)- Information for veterinarians [PDF, 425 KB]
WAAW external poster 2025 [PDF, 647 KB]
A4 Veterinary WAAW poster 2024 (large animal) [PDF, 1.6 MB]
A4 Veterinary WAAW poster 2024 (small animal) [PDF, 1.2 MB]
A3 Veterinary WAAW poster 2024 (small animal) [PDF, 1006 KB]
Digital: Veterinary WAAW poster, Document the Indication [PDF, 1.3 MB]
Print: Veterinary WAAW poster, Document the Indication [PDF, 1.3 MB]
Pet owner video (1.31)– YouTube
The hub-standards and guidance
Authorisation of dry cow therapy
Strategy on antimicrobial Resistance and the prudent use of antimicrobials
Why antimicrobial resistance concerns you – fact sheet
Terrestrial Animal Health Code
Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance
Library of AMR national action plans
New Zealand Food Safety has an AMR audit programme. The programme investigates antibiotic use and stewardship in animals and plants. Audits provide information on how well the controls on antibiotics are working. They also guide education programmes, and surveillance and monitoring.
Information gathered on audits will help identify AMR risks in New Zealand. They also identify innovations and successful strategies that promote antimicrobial stewardship.
The AMR Research Forum is an informal meeting for AMR researchers to come together every second month to hear about AMR research in New Zealand across all sectors. The aim is to foster collaboration among AMR researchers and help to inform research gaps and disseminate findings from existing research.
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