Have your say
New Zealand Food Safety has identified, and is seeking feedback on, 4 broad categories of amendments to the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (Exemptions and Prohibited Substances) Regulations 2011.
The proposed changes are intended to:
- improve accessibility of the regulations
- create greater certainty and confidence in the regulations
- reduce compliance and operational costs
- improve fairness by providing a more flexible and effective exemption regime.
Summary of the proposed changes
We're proposing changes to regulations 3 to 15 and changes to schedules 1 and 2. These include:
- amending some specific regulations
- adding new categories of compounds exempt from registration. These have a risk profile that indicates they do not require a higher level of regulatory oversight
- amending several existing exemptions in Schedule 2. Some amendments are to rationalise entries and conditions to improve consistency and provide new consolidated groupings. Other amendments are proposed to better align with re-assessed risk profiles for the compound groups
- moving lists of substances restricted from use as exempted agricultural compounds or as ingredients in exempted agricultural compounds in food-producing animals from guidelines to the ACVM regulations. This proposed amendment aims to satisfy requirements for exports to Europe and some other trading partners.
Full details about the proposed changes and the rationale are in the consultation document.
Submissions close at 5pm on 3 August 2025.
Consultation document
Proposed amendments to agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines regulations [PDF, 950 KB]
Related document: the existing regulations
Making your submission
Email your feedback on the consultation document by 5pm on 3 August 2025 to ACVMconsultations2025@mpi.govt.nz
While we prefer email, you can send your submission by post to:
Consultation: ACVM Regulations
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6104.
What to include
Make sure you tell us in your submission:
- the title of the consultation document (Proposed amendments to ACVM regulations)
- your name and title
- your organisation's name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
- your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).
Background information about exemptions and prohibited substances
The Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997 prescribes a product registration process for agricultural compounds, which includes veterinary medicines, horticultural chemicals, and other compounds used in the management of plants and animals.
The Act also enables an exemption from registration for certain classes of agricultural compounds provided they meet the requirements of the ACVM regulations.
The ACVM regulations also contain a list of substances that cannot be supplied as agricultural compounds in New Zealand. The proposed amendments will not alter this list.
