Commercial hunters and certified wild or game meat suppliers

Find out about the rules for commercial hunters who supply wild or game estate meat to a primary processor, such as a slaughterhouse. And how they can become a certified supplier if they pass a food safety test.

What you need to do

Commercial hunters may supply wild or game estate meat to a primary processor – such as a slaughterhouse – as regulated meat.

But to supply killed wild or game estate animals to a primary processor, you must meet requirements under the Animal Products Act 1999:

  1. Become a certified supplier.
  2. List with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) as a certified supplier.
  3. Develop an operation manual and have it approved by the primary processor you supply.

For more information, refer to Part 12 of the Animal Products Notice: Specifications for Products Intended for Human Consumption [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Become a certified supplier

You can be a certified supplier of one or both of the following:

  • wild animals – meaning that you hunt wild animals for supply to a primary processor
  • game estate animals – meaning that you hunt animals from a game estate for supply to a primary processor.

To become a certified supplier, you need to pass a food safety test. This checks that you know about:

  • the food safety risks involved with wild animals or game estate animals
  • the controls used to manage these risks.

If you want to sit the test, either:

Preparing for the test

We've developed a guide that sets out the information you need to pass the test. It also tells you about the format and conditions of the test.

Certified suppliers and certified game estate suppliers of wild and game estate animals [PDF, 1.4 MB]

To remain certified, you need to re-sit the certified supplier test every 2 years. It's your responsibility to make sure you to do this.

List as a certified supplier

Once you've passed the test, you can apply to be added to our public list of New Zealand certified suppliers of wild and game estate animals.

Certified suppliers of wild/game estate animals

Use the PDF or Word version of form AP33 to apply.

Application form AP33 – Certification of supplier of wild/game estate animals [PDF, 687 KB]

Application form AP33 – Certification of supplier of wild/game estate animals [DOCX, 348 KB]

Develop your operation manual

To be able to supply a primary processor with hunted animal material, you must:

  • have an operation manual
  • get the primary processor's approval for it.

Your operation manual:

  • must have information about how, when, and where you get the wild or game estate animals that you supply
  • can be in any format, as long as the procedures are clear and easy to follow.

Section 6 of our guide has information to help you develop your operations manual.

Guide: Certified suppliers and certified game estate suppliers of wild and game estate animals [PDF, 1.4 MB]

Verification of your operations manual

You're responsible for making sure your operations manual is accurate and current at all times.

Verifiers from MPI may check that the information in your manual is correct. They will do this either:

  • at the processing plant, or
  • at your operation (this is called field verification).

Verification costs are paid by the primary processor.

Who to contact

If you have questions about commercial hunters and certified wild or game meat suppliers, email info@mpi.govt.nz

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