The process for exporting meat
The requirements on this page are for meat products. Types of meat include beef, lamb, goat, pork, ostrich, and emu.
Export requirements vary for meat products, depending on your destination market. We’ve created a step-by-step process so you can see what’s involved.
Comply with NZ legislation and food standards
You need to meet labelling requirements and all relevant food standards and regulations, including the:
Exemptions from composition and labelling rules
There are two exemption options that allow certain products to follow the importing country’s composition and labelling requirements, instead of New Zealand’s. See if they apply to your product.
Find out about exempting food exports from New Zealand requirements
Operate under a risk management programme
To get an official assurance for exporting meat, the meat must be produced and processed under a registered and verified risk management programme (RMP). Other suppliers in your export chain – for example, storage facilities, processors, and transporters – also need to operate under an RMP. RMPs help you manage hazards and ensure that your product is fit for purpose and meets legal requirements.
Information in the RMP will form part of your application for official assurance – you'll need to log this information in MPI Trade Certification throughout the process. If at any point the meat is processed, transported, or stored outside of an approved RMP, you can’t get an official assurance and your meat will lose its eligibility for export.
Develop and register your RMP
Download the RMP manual [PDF, 2.1 MB]
Transport operators must operate under either a regulated control scheme or a risk management programme.
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 you don't need an RMP
In some circumstances, depending on the destination market's requirements and the type of meat you're exporting, you might not need to operate under a RMP.
Complete animal status declarations, if needed
If you send animals for processing, or move them between properties or to saleyards, you need to complete an animal status declaration (ASD).
Check use of hormonal growth promotants
The use of hormonal growth promotants (HGPs) is strictly controlled in bovine animals (cattle). You cannot export meat from animals implanted with HGP to the European Union and some other countries where the use of HGP is banned.
Find out more about the requirements for using HGPs
Get official devices for your products
Meat products must be packed and labelled to ensure they're secure and the contents can be traced to the official assurances (export certificates) that apply to them. Official devices, which help protect the integrity of the products, have to be approved by MPI.
About Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMARs)
As a meat exporter, you're responsible for knowing and meeting the requirements of your destination country. You can find most of the requirements in documents called OMARs – Overseas Market Access Requirements. They differ between countries and products. OMARs set out requirements for all operators in your export chain – for example, farms, manufacturers, storage facilities, and transporters.
Some countries have much stricter and more costly requirements than others. It's worth checking the requirements before deciding where you want to export to. Some countries also require premises or harvest areas to be approved, or 'listed', before you can export your products. The OMAR will tell you if you need to be listed, and the process to follow.
Tip: It's helpful to establish a working relationship with an import agent in your destination market.
Get your password
You need to apply to MPI to read animal product OMARs because they're password protected.
Apply for a password to access OMARs
Search for your OMAR
When you have your password, you'll be able to read the OMAR for your destination market. For meat, you need to look at OMARs for animal products. Read the OMAR for your destination market thoroughly to make sure you can comply with all the requirements.
Export certificates
If your export destination has an OMAR you'll likely need an 'official assurance', also known as an export certificate, before you can send your meat 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.
Check FYIs and OMAR notifications
Other information you should read includes:
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 country.
When there is 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, 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 Free Sales Certificates (FSC), or Free Sales Advice Statements (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
If you use wood packaging
If you use wood packaging products – other than paper – for your export product, check that your wood packaging meets the phytosanitary requirements of the destination market. Most markets require you to treat your wood packaging to make sure it's free of pests and diseases.
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.
Once you've registered as an exporter, you can find an overview of your next steps in our information pack.
Animal products exporter information pack [PDF, 524 KB]
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 meat
If you want to export organic meat 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.
You can register as an organics exporter online or complete the form.
About MPI Trade Certification
MPI Trade Certification is the online system MPI uses to issue official government assurances under the Animal Products Act. We issue the official assurance as an export certificate. MPI Trade Certification replaces the previous AP E-cert system.
At each step of the production process, operators need to add information to MPI Trade Certification. At the end of the process, the exporter uses MPI Trade Certification to apply for the export certificate.
It is mandatory to use E-cert for some markets and strongly recommended for a number of others.
MPI Trade Certification is accessed through the MyMPI portal.
New exporters and operators need to register their business for MPI Trade Certification.
Who can register
To use MPI Trade Certification, your company must be either:
- a registered exporter under the Animal Products Act 1999
- a business with a registered risk management programme (RMP) or regulated control scheme (RCS)
- an export-approved premises (EAP), or
- an agent acting for another company that is registered as one of the above.
Once your business is registered for MPI Trade Certification, individual staff members can request access through MyMPI.
Using MPI Trade Certification
If your destination market requires an export certificate, you need to apply for it through MPI Trade Certification. We explain how to register for MPI Trade Certification in the previous step.
Find out more about MPI Trade Certification
You access MPI Trade Certification through MyMPI.
The information and declarations you, or the operators you work with, have entered about the production of your meat products confirm that they comply with requirements.
Request approval of your certificate
After requesting an export certificate in MPI Trade Certification, you need to email or phone an MPI certification team. Let them know that you have requested an export certificate, and they will confirm whether there’s anything else you need to do.
Find contact details for MPI signing offices
Getting your export certificate
When MPI is satisfied that your products comply with all requirements and standards, we issue the export certificate through MPI Trade Certification.
Some markets may require the export certificate to be printed by MPI on security paper.
For more information, see the OMAR and the Official Assurance Requirements Notice.
Animal Products Notice: Official Assurance Requirements [PDF, 569 KB]