Overview of the OAP
The OAP is a framework of standards, policies, and legislation that gives importing governments confidence that any animal material, including live animals, semen and embryos, from New Zealand meets the import requirements for those markets. Most importing governments need official assurances for any live animals, semen and embryos being exported from New Zealand.
Before it can issue an official assurance, MPI needs to verify any claims made on the assurance. This maintains New Zealand's integrity as a trading partner and MPI's reputation as a competent authority. For exporting live animals, semen and embryos, MPI does this through:
- codes of practice, which provide guidance on recommended standards to help the industry meet their requirements
- an Export Verification Programme to independently verify the performance of export-approved premises (semen centres, embryo teams, and poultry hatcheries)
- Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMARs).
The OAP is supported by the Animal Products Act 1999 and legal notices.
Codes of practice
- Code of Practice: General Live Animal Export
- Code of Practice: Pre-export Quarantine and Isolation
- Code of Practice: Export Germplasm
- Code of Practice: Export Poultry
- OAP (codes of practice) definitions
OMARs
Browse the OMARs and export certificate templates for your commodity and destination country
Export Verification Programme
The Export Verification Programme outlines operational details of the performance-based verification process for export-approved premises (semen centres, embryo teams, and poultry hatcheries).
Legal notices
- Animal Products Notice: Official Assurances Specifications for Animal Material and Animal Products
- Animal Products (Recognised Agencies and Persons Specifications) Notice 2015
- Animal Products (Export Approved Premises) Notice 2011
- Animal Products Notice: Export Verification Requirements
Animal Products (Export Verification Requirements) Notice 2011
Related information
Who to contact
If you have questions about OAPs, email animalexports@mpi.govt.nz .