Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 1 of 7  
 
 
 
 
Import Health Standard 
For 
Hides and Skins 
 
Hidcomic.all 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
P.O Box 2526 
Wellington 6011 
New Zealand 
Hidcomic.all  
Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 2 of 7 
Hidcomic.all Issuing Authority 
 
This standard is issued under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993  (the Act).  
 
 
 
Dated at Wellington this      29th         day of     March 2011 
 
 
 
Manager Animal Imports and Exports 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) 
For Director General 
(Issued under delegated authority) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 3 of 7 
Hidcomic.all  
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
PART A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 4  
BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................... 4  
SCOPE ................................................................................................................................................................ 4  
OUTCOMES ......................................................................................................................................................... 4  
PART B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................... 4  
DOCUMENTATION ............................................................................................................................................... 4  
PACKAGING ........................................................................................................................................................ 5  
INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 5  
CLEARANCE ....................................................................................................................................................... 5  
PART C. COMMODITY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................. 5  
PICKLED HIDES AND SKINS ................................................................................................................................5  
LIMED HIDES AND SKINS .................................................................................................................................... 5  
SALTED OR DRIED HIDES AND SKINS ................................................................................................................. 5  
SLINK SKINS (CALF AND LAMB )......................................................................................................................... 6  
MACROPOD HIDES AND SKINS (KANGAROO , WALLABY )................................................................................... 6  
PART D. POST ENTRY REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................... 6  
PART E. EQUIVALENCE ................................................................................................................................... 7  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 4 of 7 
Hidcomic.all Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins 
 
PART A. INTRODUCTION 
 
 
Background 
1. Under section 22 of the Act, this document is the Import Health Standard for Hides and 
Skins. 
 
2. A Guidance Document will be issued by MAF to accompany this Import Health Standard. 
This document will provide guidance informati on relevant to how the requirements may 
be met.  
 
Scope 
3. For the purposes of this standard hides and skins means the untanned natural external 
covering of an animal removed from the body. The covering may or may not have fibre 
attached. As such, this standard sets out the requirements specific to: 
 
a. Pickled hides and skins 
b. Limed hides and skins 
c. Salted and dried hides and skins  
d. Slinkskins 
e. Macropod (kangaroo/wallaby) hides and skins 
 
4. For the purposes of this standard, hides and skins does not mean: 
 
a. Fully tanned hides and skins (see ornamental animal products requirements) 
b. Rawhide products (see ornamental animal products requirements) 
c. Fibre such as wool or fur (see fibre requirements) 
 
Outcomes 
5. All hides and skins must meet the general requirements contained in Part B of this 
standard and any specific requirements in Part C of this standard.  
 
6. All imports of hides and skins must be subject to risk management measures for risk 
organisms.  
 
 
PART B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS  
 
Documentation  
7. All hides and skins imported under this standard must be accompanied by information 
that identifies the origin of the product (i.e. country or zone), the destination in New Zealand, and adequately describes the nature of the product. 
 
8. Documentation accompanying products must be original, unless otherwise specified, and 
in English or have an English translation.  
 
9. Where required under this standard an importer must provide a veterinary certificate, 
signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting country’s competent authority.  
 
 
 
 
  
Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 5 of 7 
Hidcomic.all Packaging  
10. Packaging must be secure, impervious and free of any contaminants. It must effectively 
contain any potential biosecurity risks and may be inspected at the border for verification 
purposes. 
 
Inspection requirements 
11. Any documentation accompanying consignments of hides and skins must be inspected 
on arrival by an inspector. The inspector may also inspect the consignment, or a sample 
of the consignment on arrival.  
 
Clearance 
12. A biosecurity clearance, under section 26 of the Act, will be issued when hides and skins 
meet all the requirements of this standard.  
 
PART C. COMMODITY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS  
 
Pickled hides and skins 
13. Pickled hides and skins may be imported from any  country and from any species. They 
must be accompanied by a manufacturer’s declaration or a veterinary certificate  stating 
that the hides and skins have been subjected to a pickling process in a solution of salt 
and mineral acid at a pH equal to or less than 4.  
 
Limed hides and skins 
14. Limed  hides and skins may be imported from any country and from any species. They 
must be accompanied by a manufacturer’s declaration or a veterinary certificate  stating 
that the hides and skins have been subjected to a liming process at a pH equal to or 
greater than 12.5. 
 
Salted or dried hides and skins  
15. Salted or dried hides and skins import ed under this standard must be derived from the 
following farmed animals: alpacas, buffalo, cattle, deer, emus, goats, horses, llamas, 
ostriches, pigs, and sheep.  
 
16. Salted or dried hides and skins must be accompanied by a manufacturer’s declaration, a 
permit to import issued by MAF, and a veterinary certificate.  
 
17. Salted or dried hides and skins must originate from animals that have been slaughtered 
in a government licensed processing establishment under the direct supervision of an 
official veterinarian, subjected to ante and post-mortem inspection, and certified as fit for human consumption.  
 
18. Salted or dried hides and skins of ruminants, lamoids, and pigs must:  
 
a. originate from a country or zone that is officially free from Foot and Mouth 
Disease in accordance with the OIE Code; OR 
 
b. have been treated for 28 days with salt containing 2% sodium carbonate. 
 
19. Salted or dried hides and skins of ruminants, lamoids, horses, and pigs must: 
 
a.  originate from a country or zone officially free from anthrax; OR 
 
b. originate from establishments that were not subject to restrictions imposed for the 
control of anthrax.  
  
Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 6 of 7 
Hidcomic.all 20. Salted or dried hides and skins must be directed to a transitional facility on arrival in New 
Zealand for completion of processing as per Part D of this standard. 
 
Slink skins (calf and lamb) 
21. Slink skins imported under this standard must only originate from Australia. 
 
22. Slink skins must be accompanied by a manufacturer’s declaration, a permit to import 
issued by MAF, and a veterinary certificate.  
 
23. Slink skins must originate from a zone officially free from anthrax or originate from 
establishments that were not subject to restrictions imposed for the control of anthrax.  
 
24. Slink skins must also be treated with a minimum of 5 grams of ammonium persulphate or 
another MAF approved treatment. 
 
25. Slink skins must be directed to a transitional facility on arrival in New Zealand for 
completion of processing as per Part D of this standard. 
 
Macropod hides and skins (kangaroo, wallaby) 
26. Macropod hides and skins imported under this standard must only originate from 
Australia. 
 
27. Macropod hides and skins imported under this standard may be dried, salted, fresh, 
frozen or chilled. 
 
28. Macropod hides and skins must be accompanied by a manufacturer’s declaration and a veterinary certificate.  
 
29. Macropod hides and skins must either: 
 
a. originate from animals that have been processed under the Australian Standard 
for the Hygienic Production of Game Meat for Human Consumption, and have passed a post-mortem inspection in a government licensed processing establishment; OR 
 
b. originate from a zone officially free from anthrax; OR 
 
c. originate from establishments that were not subject to restrictions imposed for the 
control of anthrax. 
 
30. Macropod hides and skins with fibre attached must also be immersed in water for at least 
5 minutes at 75oC in the presence of a non-ionic detergent at a concentration of at least 1 
g per litre.  
 
 
PART D. POST ENTRY REQUIREMENTS 
 
31. Where required under this standard hides and skins must be directed to a transitional 
facility on arrival in New Zealand for completion of processing. 
 
a. While in the transitional facility, and prior to processing, imported hides and skins 
shall be clearly marked and stored separately from non-imported hides and skins. 
Storage areas shall be maintained free of vermin and inaccessible to birds. 
 
b. All trimmings and solid waste removed from the hides and skins during 
processing shall be collected and dispos ed of by incineration or rendering.  
Import Health Standard for Hides and Skins                                                  29 March 2011                                                  Page 7 of 7 
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c. The packaging shall be destroyed by incineration. 
 
d. The effluent shall be either: 
   
i. discharged into a municipal sewage system that does not discharge waste 
to agricultural land or into a river; OR 
 
ii. discharged into a securely fenced and isolated soak-pit or another method 
approved by MAF; OR 
 
iii. treated with a MAF approved biocide. 
 
 
PART E. EQUIVALENCE 
32. The requirements for hides and skins are met if, in the opinion of the Director-General, 
the measures taken for managing the risks associated with the importation of those 
goods, are equally effective at managing those risks as the requirements specified in (1) 
to (31) above.  If an equivalence measure(s) is approved MAF will issue a permit to 
import (under Section 22 of the Act).