DAFF - MAA 2026-17: Dairy: Health certificate requirements for all infant formula powder products exported to China via Cross-Border E-commerce

Thursday, July 9, 2026


Date of issue: 09 July 2026
Date of effect: 20 May 2026
Related MAAs: Nil

Attention

Industries—Industry bodies – Dairy Australia – Infant Nutrition Council

Australian State Regulatory Authorities

Export dairy establishments

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and Regional offices

AEPI and NEXDOC users

Purpose

To notify exporters trading infant formula powder via cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) that health certification must be presented to customs officials during border clearance.

Key points

  • The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry advises that following notification from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), all shipments of infant formula powder exported to China via CBEC must be accompanied by an official health certificate.
  • This requirement applies to:
    • shipments exported on or after 20 May 2026.
    • all categories (bovine or non-bovine) and stages (infant, older infants, young children) of infant formula milk powder.
  • In accordance with Australia's Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021, eligible products must be sourced from export-registered establishments, with a valid export permit (request for export (REX)) issued by the department.
  • Manufacturers and exporters are encouraged to work closely with their importers to ensure products exported to China comply with the new requirements.
  • Further information on export requirements is available on the department's website: Step-by-step guide to exporting dairy products or by contacting the department's Dairy Eggs and Fish Program at dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au. 
  • The manual of importing country requirements (Micor) will be updated to reflect this market advice. Micor users are encouraged to subscribe to the Micor update service to receive commodity-specific notification of changes.

Further information

Contact dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.

The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.