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Proposed changes to the Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database Programme

Update – 8 December 2025

New animal products notice issued

The new version of the Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database 2025 was issued on 2 December 2025 and will come into force on 6 April 2026.

Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database Programme 2025 [PDF, 883 KB]

Between now and 6 April 2026, the existing version of the National Microbiological Database notice will still need to be complied with.

Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database Programme 2023 [PDF, 738 KB]

Today, we also released an analysis of the submissions received during this consultation.

Analysis of Submissions: Proposed Amendments to the Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database Programme [PDF, 347 KB]

We plan to undertake a comprehensive review of the notice in 2026, and will engage with stakeholders to seek feedback on the issues they would like to be considered as part of this review.

Consultation background

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) sought feedback on proposed changes to the Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database Programme.

The notice supplemented the requirements of the Animal Product Regulations 2021 and set requirements for microbiological sampling and testing of animal material and animal products intended for human consumption.

The amendments proposed to the notice sought to enable more flexibility and reduce the regulatory burden on operators of very low throughput (VLT) premises.

Consultation documents

Draft Animal Products Notice: National Microbiological Database Programme [PDF, 1015 KB]

Discussion paper: summary of the purpose and scope of the notice and requirements [PDF, 303 KB]

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

MPI business units