Upcoming changes to invoicing for ACVM fee-based work

ACVM is reviewing its invoicing approach to ensure that costs are recovered when they occur.

Currently, most invoicing occurs at the point of application approval or registration. For more complex applications, assessments may take place in one financial year, and invoicing in the next. This creates a mismatch between when costs are incurred and when revenue is recognised.

We are therefore looking to move towards more frequent invoicing for ACVM fee-based work. This could include monthly or milestone-based invoicing for applications that involve ongoing assessment activity.

The intent of this change is to:

• better align invoicing with the timing of work undertaken;
• improve transparency for applicants on costs as they are incurred; and
• support more consistent and sustainable cost recovery.

ACVM plans to change its invoicing approach in the 2026/27 financial year, subject to system and process readiness. We will provide further information before implementing any changes.

As an initial step, some applicants with complex (A-type) applications that are currently in technical assessment will receive an invoice in June 2026 for work completed to date.

This will be a one-off measure to better reflect work already undertaken. Affected applicants will receive a separate letter with further details.

Zealand Food Safety ACVM hourly rate increase reminder

As a key part of New Zealand’s food safety system, New Zealand Food Safety provides essential services to support businesses in managing risks to human and animal health.

This is a reminder that from 1 July 2026, the ACVM hourly rate will increase to $252 per hour (plus GST). This rate applies to a range of regulated and discretionary services delivered under the ACVM Act.

Following consultation in 2024, the Government approved a staged increase to the ACVM hourly rate. MPI consulted with businesses holding registered products in early 2024. The rate was first increased in 2024 and will increase again in 2026 to reflect the rising costs of delivering these services.

If you hold a product registration and wish to review or deregister products from MPI, or if you have any questions, please contact approvals@mpi.govt.nz.

Please note the cut-off date for deregistration requests is 12 June 2026.

Further information on this consultation is available on the MPI website: Changes to MPI's cost recovery settings 2024.

ACVM workshop – registrations are now open!

This year’s ACVM Annual Workshop will be held at the Michael Fowler Centre on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, the day before the planned Animal Plant Health New Zealand (APHANZ) Annual Conference.

The workshop is scheduled to run from 9am to 4pm, with tea and coffee available from 8.30am. The draft agenda for the workshop is below. There will be a focus on progress on the implementation of recommendations from the Ministry for Regulation Review of Agricultural and Horticultural products. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/acvm-annual-workshop-2026-tickets-1989351658362?aff=oddtdtcreator

Compliance update

ACVM Regulatory Programmes received 27 reports of potential or confirmed non-compliant ACVM products and activities in May 2026, of which:

• 63% were complaints of potentially non-compliant exempt or unregistered ACVM products being advertised and/or sold
• 11% were complaints of potentially non-compliant ACVM registered products being advertised and/or sold
• 15% were notifications of non-complying batches of ACVM registered products released or yet to be released to the market
• 11% were international notifications of rapid alerts, recalls or GMP non-compliance reports. The majority of which did not affect ACVM products in New Zealand. 

107 events have been received as of May 2026:

Thank you to those of you who have reported or notified us of any events. For those who might not be familiar with the process, here’s what to do:

• If you identify an issue with your product on the market, please notify us via our forms for a registered product or exempt product.
• If you identify a suspected non-compliant ACVM product or activity, please complete our ACVM reporting form and include as much information as possible.

We manage a high volume of reports and prioritise these based on risk and potential impact. While we aim to action all matters promptly, timeframes may vary depending on the nature and urgency of each report and our workload. For more information on how we handle reports of potential non-compliance, please visit https://www.mpi.govt.nz/agriculture/agricultural-compounds-vet-medicines/acvm-non-compliance-and-recalls/non-compliant-acvm-products-or-activities/.

Nominations for the AMR (antimicrobial resistance) Award are open

Entries for the AMR (antimicrobial resistance) Award are open. Sponsored by New Zealand Food Safety, the award aims to recognise and celebrate people and groups who are championing the fight against antimicrobial resistance. We are aware there are some great initiatives being taken to reduce AMR risks and antibiotic use, and the award will showcase these while raising AMR awareness. 

The AMR Award recognises individuals, teams, or organisations making a real difference in reducing AMR risks in New Zealand. Their work might include:

• spreading awareness about AMR
• preventing and controlling disease
• using strong biosecurity practices
• creating animal or plant health programmes to reduce the need for antibiotics
• promoting responsible antibiotic use or
• reducing unnecessary antibiotic use.

Nominations close at 5pm on 27 September 2026, with the winner announced during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week from 18 to 24 November 2026.

For more information, visit the award webpage.

Approvals team tips for the ACVM portal

Working in the ACVM portal can be straightforward with the right approach. By using a few practical tips and small adjustments, you can minimise common issues and streamline your workflow. Here’s a quick guide to help you get the most out of it:

Start with the basics
Use clear, consistent naming conventions. Follow required formats, keep names simple, and avoid special characters unless allowed—this helps prevent upload and validation errors.

CD application – file name examples

Correct:

• CDApplication2026.pdf
• CDApplicationJohnSmith.pdf

Incorrect (do not use):

• CD_Application_2026.pdf
• CD&Application!.pdf

Adding products                            
If you can’t add a product, and come across a communication error, avoid copy-paste—enter details manually to prevent hidden formatting issues.

Uploading documents
Make sure files meet requirements before uploading correct format. They must be under 5MB, clearly named, and not password protected.
Supported types: DOC, XLS, PDF, JPEG/JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG. Avoid special characters in file names (e.g. %, $, &, @, #, /, !, +, >, :).

Fixing glitches
Try simple resets: refresh the page, clear cache, restart your browser, or remove extra spaces/unsupported characters.

Save often
Save regularly and avoid leaving the portal idle. Sessions typically time out after 15-20 minutes of inactivity. If the application is left idle, the session can expire in the background even though the user is still in the portal. When they resume, actions like “submit” may fail due to a session timeout.

Improve performance
Use updated web browsers Chrome or Edge, limit multiple tabs, and disable extensions if needed. This helps ensure smoother performance and reduces errors or session issues. Outdated browser, too many tabs, or extensions can cause pages to freeze, load incorrectly, or disrupt logins.

Before you submit
Confirm that you’ve completed all fields, attached relevant documents correctly, and used consistent naming conventions.

Pro tip
Keep a ready set of clean documents and a checklist—small fixes like renaming or retyping often solve issues quickly.                           

Careers at ACVM, New Zealand Food Safety and MPI

From time-to-time career opportunities arise at ACVM, New Zealand Food Safety and MPI. We need highly professional and enthusiastic staff to assist in our role to grow and protect New Zealand.

Join us to be part of meaningful work that safeguards our people, our environment, and our global reputation. If you’re motivated by purpose and want to make a real difference, we encourage you to explore opportunities and become part of our team.

Please see our careers page for more information: Careers at MPI.

Contact us

ACVM, New Zealand Food Safety Haumaru Kai Aotearoa

Pastoral House, 25 The Terrace, PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

Email approvals@mpi.govt.nz  

Website Agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines (ACVM) | Agriculture | NZ Government (mpi.govt.nz)

Subscribe to ‘Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines’ and ‘ACVM recalls’ on the Ministry for Primary Industries website to receive email updates on matters relating to ACVM.