Dairy products for human consumption

We have completed the draft report of the import risk review for dairy products for human consumption.

Steps to complete this risk analysis

When we do a risk analysis, we:

• start the risk analysis by reviewing the science on pests and diseases of concern
• assess and analyse biosecurity risks
• develop proposed risk management measures
• consult the public on the draft report and then review comments
• publish a final report
• develop import conditions
• publish import conditions in our Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON)

The second draft report

The department received a number of submissions on the Import risk review for dairy products for human consumption: draft report. In consideration of these submissions and new available research, the department made changes to the review, some of which are significant. The department released a second draft report on 18 April 2024 for consultation in order for these changes to be considered by stakeholders. Stakeholder feedback was invited until 17 June 2024.

The second draft report can be found on the Have Your Say page.

Have Your Say

Please refer to the fact sheet for further information.

Consultation webinar

On 1 March 2023, the department held a webinar to discuss the first draft report and answer questions. If you missed it, you can view a recorded version.

You can also download a transcript of the presentation and question and answer session.

Questions

Following the release of the first draft report, the department received many questions about the import risk review for dairy products for human consumption. As not all questions could be answered during the webinar, please see the document below for responses to submitted questions.

About the first draft report

This review aims to modernise Australia’s dairy import conditions to reflect the current and future trading environment. It considers the biosecurity risks associated with importing (from any country) dairy products for human consumption manufactured from milk obtained from domestic cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats. It takes into account new and relevant scientific information, international standards, relevant changes in industry practices and operational practicalities.

The draft report details:

• diseases of biosecurity concern for this commodity
• risk assessments for the identified diseases of biosecurity concern.

The diseases that need specific risk management measures are:

• foot-and-mouth disease
• lumpy skin disease
• sheep pox and goat pox
• peste des petits ruminants
• scrapie

Proposed risk management measures for these diseases include:

• minimum requirements for dairy products
• expanded risk management options for countries not recognised by the department as free from foot-and-mouth disease and/or lumpy skin disease and/or sheep pox and goat pox
• addition of risk management measures for peste des petits ruminants virus in imported dairy products (except for cheese) of ovine and/or caprine origin.

We released the first draft report on 31 January 2023 and invited stakeholder feedback by 14 April 2023. We received submissions covering a wide range of perspectives. All submissions were carefully considered when preparing the second draft report, and a response to the most common comments has been developed.

Frequently asked questions

We have prepared a summary of questions in a ‘Frequently asked questions’ document that relate to aspects of the review that stakeholders have frequently asked about.

Next steps

Our public consultation will closed on 17 June 2024.

Now we are:

• considering all feedback
• developing a final report.

We will then release the final report and publish any new import conditions on BICON. Register in BICON to receive an alert when we publish the import conditions.

Register as a stakeholder

Register as a stakeholder to receive notices about animal biosecurity policy.

Contact us

For more information about this review email Animal Biosecurity.

Learn

Learn more about why we carry out risk analyses and our international obligations.