Milk and milk products that are prescribed under Australia's export rules
- are milk or milk products derived from a bovine animal; and
- are intended to be exported as food.
Milk and milk products that are not prescribed under Australia's export rules
Milk and milk products which do not meet the criteria under the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021 are classified by Australia as non-prescribed goods. It is the responsibility of the exporter to confirm with Vanuatu if there are any specific requirements for the import of these products. Typically, non-prescribed goods include, ice-cream, non-bovine milk products, colostrum and products with a minor component of dairy.
Further information on
exporting non-prescribed goods from Australia is available on the Department's website.
In some cases, an importing country requires specific health certification and government oversight for what would typically be non-prescribed milk and milk products. When required, these products become prescribed under export legislation and must meet all export and importing country requirements. This includes, the products being manufactured and stored at an export registered establishment and must have a valid export permit and health certificate for each consignment. Guidance on export registration can be found at
Dairy export registered establishments.
5.1.1 Health certificate for milk and milk products
For milk and milk products produced for human consumption (including milk and milk products classified as a prescribed good by an importing country), use Health Certificate template ZD035.
ZD035 Dairy Health Certificate
The ZD035 Certificate contains the following attestations:
I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed good described above, being goods that are:
- In sound condition
- Fit for human consumption
- Of Australian origin.
Endorsement 433 – DAIRY - VANUATU cream FMD and temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The cream has been made from milk. The above mentioned product has been produced from milk which has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds and contains less than 100 coliforms per gram and phosphatase is not present.
Note: Test results regarding coliforms and phosphatise are required to be made available at audit for substantiation of endorsement 433.
Optional Endorsements for butter and cream products
Optional Endorsement 431 – DAIRY - VANUATU cream FMD and temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius for 1 second
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The cream has been made from milk. The above mentioned product has been produced from milk which has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius for 1 second and contains less than 100 coliforms per gram and phosphatase is not present.
Endorsement 432 - DAIRY - VANUATU cream FMD and temperature of not less than 60 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The cheese has been made from milk. The above mentioned product has been produced from milk which has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 60 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes and contains less than 100 coliforms per gram and phosphatase is not present.
Endorsements for milk, casein, condensed milk, membrane and ultra filtration products, milk powder, infant formula and whey products
Endorsement 427 - DAIRY - VANUATU dried and canned milk FMD and temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The milk has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds.
Endorsement for canned cheese, fresh cheese, hard cheese, processed cheese, soft cheese, semi hard cheese and very hard cheese
Endorsement 434 - DAIRY - VANUATU cheese FMD and temperature of not less than 62 degrees Celsius and the pH of the curd was reduced to less than 6
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The milk used in the making of the cheese was heat treated at a temperature of not less than 62 degrees Celsius and the pH of the curd was reduced to less than 6.
Optional Endorsements for milk and yoghurt
Endorsement 429 - DAIRY - VANUATU fermented milk FMD & temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds.
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The above mentioned product has been produced from milk which has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds.
Optional Endorsements for yoghurt
Endorsement 428 - DAIRY - VANUATU fermented milk FMD & temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius for 1 second.
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The above mentioned product has been produced from milk which has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius for 1 second.
Endorsement 430 - DAIRY - VANUATU fermented milk FMD & temperature of not less than 60 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The above mentioned product has been produced from milk which has been heat treated to a temperature of not less than 60 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.
Endorsement for UHT milk and milk products
Endorsement 426 – DAIRY - VANUATU sterilised milk FMD & temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius.
Foot and Mouth Disease does not exist in Australia.
The milk has been subjected to a temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius.
Exporter declaration
Whenever export documentation is obtained, the exporter must provide a declaration stating that all the information provided in the permit is true and complete. They must also state that they are in possession of a declaration of compliance that:
- applies to the milk and milk products
- complies with the requirements of the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.
Transit Certification Requirements
Milk and milk products transiting the European Union or the United States may require transit documentation. These certificates are available as additional certificates through the EXDOC system. If the product is transiting the United States, standard certification is required and the exporter should
contact the Department for advice on how this certification may be issued. If the product is transiting a European Union member state, see the particular European Union member state regarding the certificate template to select.