Australia Revises Regulations for Hemp-Based Animal Products
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) issued new regulations on May 1, 2025, which reduce compliance requirements and provide greater clarity on eligible hemp-based animal products. The revised regulations now recognize various nutritional products for pets and simplify the manufacturing compliance pathways.
Until the new regulations were issued, hemp-based animal products were considered veterinary chemical products. This meant any veterinary product made from hemp required APVMA registration, a complex process, stifling the ability of manufacturers to bring new products to consumers.
The changes were triggered mainly by the Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance (AIHA) filing a formal complaint in April 2025. The AIHA said in its complaint that the legal and commercial restrictions were having a chilling effect on the development of new products and market access. The AIHA requested a response within 30 days, and the APVMA appears to have responded by posting the new regulations on its website.
The key amendments of the APVMA are as follows.
- There is a more straightforward explanation on qualifying hemp-based compliant animal feeds as END (Excluded Nutritional or Digestive) products. END products are exclusions within the Agricultural and Veterinary Code Regulations of 1995 and are not subject to the same rules applied to veterinary chemicals.
- The APVMA acknowledged that animal nutrition products made from hemp and classified as END products do not have to be registered as Veterinary Chemical Products.
- The new rules simplified the guidelines and administrative requirements for manufacturers.
Charles Kovess, president of the AIHA, said,
“This is an important victory for the hemp industry. The APVMA’s update restores confidence across the sector and enables compliant products to thrive in the marketplace.”
He also said, “By reaffirming END exemptions, the APVMA has given manufacturers the confidence to bring nutrient-rich, hemp-based feeds to pet owners and farmers. This clarity benefits the entire value chain—from local growers to retailers to consumers.”
The Australian hemp industry is not the only one dealing with the overregulation of hemp-based products. In many countries, a typical government response to most things is overregulation. In the meantime, the hemp industry is harmed as growers, producers, and retailers face significant governmental barriers and ongoing uncertainty. Overregulation stifles innovation.
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