Compliant Always
Get in touch

Exporting pet food from Australia

Meat, milk, fish and egg products that are animal food are not prescribed goods under Australia's Export Control Rules, so pet food has no export permit of its own. Government certificates may still be issued for meat, fish, milk and egg products being exported, organic claims need an organic goods certificate, and consignments over A$2,000 need an export declaration.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Prescribed goods
Animal food is left out of the meat, milk, fish and egg Rules
Certificates
Government certificates under the Export Control Act 2020
Organic pet food
Organic goods certificate in force at export
Customs
Export declaration for goods over A$2,000
Origin
FTA origin records, for Japan kept at least five years

Before the goods leave

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the product animal food, or could part of it be exported as food for people? Read more
  2. 2Which government certificate does the importing country want? Read more
  3. 3Is the pet food or a pet grooming product described as organic? Read more
  4. 4Is an export declaration needed, and will the buyer claim a preferential tariff? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Where the Export Control Rules leave pet food

Animal food is carved out of the commodity Rules that control food for people.

  • Meat or meat products that are animal food are not prescribed goods under the Meat Rules, which prescribe meat only when intended to be exported as food.
  • Under the Milk and Fish Rules, animal food means products that are not fit for human consumption and are for use as feed for animals; such products are not prescribed unless an importing country requirement must be met through the Act.
  • Eggs or egg products that are animal food are likewise not prescribed unless an importing country requirement must be met through the Act.
  • Where a registered meat establishment also prepares animal food, its approved arrangement provides for those operations alongside export operations.

How we help: Compliant Always records, for each product and destination, whether the Export Control Rules apply, with the section beside it. Ask about this

Government and organic certificates

The certificates an importing country may want for pet food.

  • A government certificate may be issued in relation to meat or meat products, milk or milk products, fish or fish products, and eggs or egg products that are to be, or have been, exported.
  • Under the Export Control Act 2020, a government certificate may be issued for prescribed and non-prescribed goods, on matters a country requires certified before import, electronically or in another form the importing country accepts.
  • For meat, an application for a certificate needed to meet importing country requirements is accompanied by a declaration that those requirements are or will be met.
  • Goods described as organic or biodynamic, or as including such ingredients, are prescribed organic goods and need an organic goods certificate; organic pet grooming products are cosmetic products, prescribed only where the importing country requires the certificate.

How we help: Compliant Always reads each certificate against what the destination asks for, keeps it with the shipment and lot, and shows what is missing or expiring. Ask about this

Export declaration and origin

Entering pet food for export and proving its origin.

  • An export declaration is needed for goods over A$2,000, for goods that need an export permit, and for duty drawback claims.
  • Declarations are lodged up to six months before export, one per consignor and consignee, and the documents kept for five years.
  • Exporters and producers who claim Australian origin for a preferential tariff keep the records behind the claim, which customs in the partner country can ask to verify.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the declaration and origin records with each shipment and answers an importer's origin questions from the record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ExporterCertificate applications, the export declaration and origin claims.Certificates and declarations kept with each shipment, dated.
ManufacturerMaking the pet food and the records a certificate relies on.Ingredient and batch records ready when a certificate or importer asks.
Customs brokerLodging the export declaration for the owner.Certificate numbers ready from the record.

Ports and certifying bodies

Export controls on food, plants and organic goods are Commonwealth law under the Export Control Act 2020, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, with registered establishments and accredited properties across the states and territories.

Export declarations go to the Australian Border Force through the Integrated Cargo System, or at an ABF counter in each state or territory.

Where are the goods going?

Most of what pet food have to meet is set where they are sold. Each guide sets out the rules on arrival, with the official source for each.

Questions businesses ask

Do I need an export permit to export pet food from Australia?
Not under the meat, milk, fish or egg Rules: products that are animal food are not prescribed goods there, unless an importing country requirement must be met through the Export Control Act 2020.
Can I get a health certificate for pet food exports from Australia?
The Meat, Milk, Fish and Egg Rules allow a government certificate in relation to those products being exported, and the Act provides for certificates on non-prescribed goods. Which certificate applies depends on what the importing country requires.
What counts as animal food under the Export Control Rules?
Under the Milk and Fish Rules, products that are not fit for human consumption and are for use as feed for animals. The Meat Rules take the meaning from the Australian Meat Standard.
Do pet treats made from human-grade meat need an export permit?
Meat from listed animals is prescribed when intended to be exported as food. Meat that is animal food is not prescribed, so the intended use of the consignment matters.
How do I export organic pet food from Australia?
Goods described as organic or biodynamic are prescribed organic goods, so an organic goods certificate must be in force at export, issued by an approved certifying body or the Secretary.
Do organic pet shampoos need an organic certificate to export?
Cosmetic products include those intended for domestic animals. Organic cosmetic products are prescribed only where the importing country requires an organic goods certificate.
Do I need an export declaration for pet food?
For goods worth more than A$2,000, for goods that need an export permit, and for duty drawback claims. It is lodged with the ABF, often through a customs broker.
Do I need a certificate of origin for pet food?
Only where the buyer claims a preferential tariff or the destination requires proof of origin. The exporter and producer keep the records behind the claim; for Japan, for at least five years.
How does Compliant Always help with exporting from Australia?
Our team reads the rules for the routes you ship. Compliant Always shows which export documents apply to your product, keeps them with the shipment beside what the destination asks for, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Australia and what your paperwork needs to show.

Get in touch

No card, no account, and no call to book. Tell us what you make and where you sell it, and we will come back to you.

Get in touch