Animal welfare law, farm emissions policy and plant-based labelling in New Zealand
New Zealand is the rare high-income country where agriculture dominates both exports and emissions, which makes every livestock policy simultaneously a trade policy. Its animal welfare law is strong on paper and administered through detailed codes issued by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee.
Key facts
- World Animal Protection index
- B — Explicit sentience recognition, cage phase-out and a mulesing ban.
- Practices reviewed
- 7
- Outright bans
- 5 of 7
- Region
- Oceania
What is banned, restricted or legal
Sentience
since 2015Recognised in the Animal Welfare Act since 2015
The 2015 amendment states in its purpose that animals are sentient, and strengthened enforcement powers.
Battery cages
since 2022Conventional cages phased out by the end of 2022
Colony cages remain legal; several supermarkets have committed to fully cage-free supply chains.
Mulesing
since 2018Prohibited since 2018
New Zealand went further than Australia, banning the practice entirely.
Live export by sea
Banned in 2023, reversal proposed
The ban followed the Gulf Livestock 1 sinking in 2020. A later government signalled intent to reinstate the trade with new standards.
Sow stalls
since 2015Banned since 2015
Farrowing crates remain permitted, and a 2020 High Court ruling found the relevant regulations unlawful, prompting a review.
Cosmetics testing
Banned since 2015
Testing finished cosmetic products and ingredients for cosmetic purposes is prohibited.
Bobby calves
Transport and slaughter rules tightened
Regulations set maximum transport times and prohibit killing calves by blunt force, after public reaction to undercover footage.
No production subsidies, but an unresolved emissions bill
New Zealand abolished agricultural production subsidies in the 1980s and remains one of the least subsidised farm sectors in the OECD. The policy question is instead emissions: agriculture produces close to half of gross national emissions, and successive schemes to price them — He Waka Eke Noa, then a proposed levy — have been redesigned or delayed.
OECD producer support estimate
Agriculture share of gross emissions
Dairy cattle
Dairy share of goods exports
Plant-based naming under the joint food code
New Zealand shares the Food Standards Code with Australia, so dairy naming restrictions apply while meat-style names for plant-based products remain permitted. Fair Trading Act rules against misleading conduct are the main constraint on how products are presented, and FSANZ approval governs novel foods including cultivated meat.
- Meat-style names permitted with clear plant-based labelling
- Dairy names restricted by the Food Standards Code
- Fair Trading Act misleading-conduct rules apply to all claims
- No statutory definition of 'vegan'; private certification is used
- Novel and cultivated foods require FSANZ pre-market approval
What is moving next
- 1
Decision on whether live export by sea resumes under new standards
- 2
Review of farrowing crate regulations following the High Court ruling
- 3
Design of an agricultural emissions pricing mechanism
Groups working on this
Questions people ask
Does New Zealand law recognise sentience?
Yes. The Animal Welfare Amendment Act 2015 states explicitly in the purpose provision that animals are sentient.
Are battery cages banned in New Zealand?
Conventional cages were phased out by the end of 2022. Colony cages are still permitted, though several retailers have gone further voluntarily.
Is live export banned?
It was banned by sea in 2023, but a subsequent government announced plans to reinstate the trade under new welfare standards, so the position is in flux.
Does New Zealand subsidise farming?
Almost not at all — production subsidies were removed in the 1980s and its OECD producer support estimate is among the lowest globally.
Can plant-based products be called milk?
No. The joint Australia-New Zealand Food Standards Code reserves dairy names, so plant products are sold as beverages or drinks.
How to interpret the rules in New Zealand
A welfare rule, a product label and a farm payment answer different questions. Read each practice separately: a restriction on one housing system is not a ban on all confinement, and recognition of sentience does not by itself prohibit farming or slaughter. The source links below are the starting point for checking the legal text.
| Question to check | Why the distinction matters |
|---|---|
| Is this enacted law, a proposal or a voluntary commitment? | A campaign, consultation or retailer pledge does not have the same legal effect as a rule in force. |
| Which territory, species and production stage are covered? | National, state or regional rules may differ. A rule for laying hens may not apply to broilers; a gestation restriction may not cover farrowing. |
| Are there exemptions or a transition period? | An announced ban may start later, allow specified exceptions or apply only to new facilities. |
| Does the rule concern production, sale or imports? | A domestic production ban does not automatically ban importing or selling the same product. |
| What is the denominator and year for a subsidy figure? | A total farm budget, a coupled-payment allocation and an estimate including feed support cannot be compared as if they measured the same thing. |
Before relying on a legal claim
- Open the linked primary source and check its latest consolidated version, territorial scope and commencement provisions.
- Distinguish legal requirements from vegan certification or marketing claims. Vegan and allergen-free are not equivalent assurances.
- Check whether a proposal has since passed, changed or been withdrawn. A review year is not a guarantee that every development has been verified.
- For compliance, complaints or legal advice, consult the responsible authority or a qualified adviser in the jurisdiction concerned.
Primary sources
Other countries
Data: Animal Welfare Act 1999 (as amended) · Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.
Plain-language summary reviewed in 2026, not legal advice. Law changes — check the primary source before relying on it.