We want to make our food safety regulations and legal notices under the Animal Products Act 1999 and Wine Act 2003 clearer and easier to understand. These new regulations and related notices commenced on 1 July 2022. Find out what's changed and why.
New redesigned animal products regulations and wine regulations came into force on 1 July 2022.
Follow on work is underway that involves:
Work is underway to refresh 4 regulated control schemes (RCSs) under the Animal Products Act 1999 following regulatory redesign.
The RCSs being refreshed are the:
The objective is to ensure these RCSs are consistent and aligned with the Animal Products Regulations 2021. This involves:
At the same time, this work will consider how new policy to strengthen traceability and recall requirements across all food sectors may apply. An example of new requirements that may apply is conducting annual simulated recalls or providing recall information to MPI within 24 hours in the event of a recall.
Find out more about the work to strengthen traceability and recall requirements (closed consultation)
Transitional arrangements will be considered to ensure a smooth transition to the refreshed regulated control schemes. This will provide businesses time to understand the refreshed regulations and notices, and any new traceability and recall requirements that may apply.
We finished targeted consultation on the RCS Limited Processing Fishing Vessels regulations and RCS Dairy Export Quota Products regulations in 2024. This was in the form of workshops with industry working groups to review and provide feedback on draft RCS regulations.
We anticipate the RCS regulations for Limited Processing Fishing Vessels and Dairy Export Quota Products will be published in 2025, although they may come into effect at a later date as part of any transitional arrangements, and while we draft the associated notices.
Work on refreshing RCS Raw Milk to Consumers regulations and RCS Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish regulations is currently (June 2025) paused. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Following the Animal Products Regulations 2021 and Wine Regulations 2021, minor and technical changes have been identified, aiming to ensure the new regulations and associated notices are working as intended. These changes are addressing errors and inconsistencies that are unintended consequences of the regulatory redesign. This is not unexpected, due to the complexity of the work.
Targeted consultation on the proposed changes and any transitional arrangements concluded in 2024. The feedback received will inform further refining of the regulations.
Regulatory changes are expected to be finalised and published in 2025, although they may come into effect at a later date.
The new redesigned animal products regulations and wine regulations were published and came into force on 1 July 2022.
Animal Products Regulations 2021 – NZ Legislation
Wine Regulations 2021 – NZ Legislation
Regulatory Redesign of AnimalvProducts and Wine Regulations [PDF, 726 KB]
Summary of submissions received during the consultation [PDF, 677 KB]
All new notices under the regulatory redesign project came into force on 1 July 2022 in line with the new regulations.
Find out more about changes to animal products regulations and notices
Find out more about changes to wine regulations and notices
Cabinet agreed on transitional arrangements to support a timely transition after 1 July 2022 for the newly redesigned animal products and wine regulations and related notices.
Regulatory redesign of animal products and wine regulations: Proposed transitional arrangements (Proposal) [PDF, 138 KB]
Regulatory redesign of animal products and wine regulations: Proposed transitional arrangements (Minute of decision) [PDF, 110 KB]
The redesign of the animal products and wine regulations and notices aimed to make it easier for businesses operating under the Animal Products Act 1999 and Wine Act 2003 to find and comply with their requirements by:
The 2014 government inquiry into the Whey Protein Concentrate Contamination Incident found food safety regulatory requirements were fundamentally sound, but were repetitive, complex, and inaccessible.
Subsequently, the Food Safety Law Reform Act 2018 was passed, which required MPI to complete a legislative redesign.
Food Safety Law Reform Act 2018 – NZ Legislation
That Act required MPI to redesign regulations and notices under the:
Whey protein concentrate contamination incident
Cabinet paper approving the redesign work [PDF, 658 KB]
Overall regulation redesign timeline [PDF, 105 KB]
MPI held external reference group workshops with the animal products and wine sectors to help review and refine draft regulations and notices.
Closed MPI food safety consultations
Choose "Regulatory Redesign" under the "Email update topics" list.
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