Feed hygiene

KEY POINTS

Scope

The regulation applies to the activities of feed businesses operators, ranging from primary production of animal feed up to and including its placing on the market, as well as the feeding of food-producing animals and the imports and exports of feed from and to non-EU countries.

Exclusions

The following are excluded from the scope:

• the private domestic production of feed for food-producing animals kept for private domestic consumption and for animals not kept for food production;
• the feeding of food-producing animals kept for private domestic consumption;
• the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer;
• the feeding of animals not kept for food production;
• the direct supply of small quantities of primary production of feed at local level by the producer to local farms for use on those farms;
• the retailing of pet food.

Main elements:

• Compulsory registration of all feed business operators by the competent authority.
• Approval of feed business establishments carrying out operations involving more sensitive substances, such as certain feed additives, premixtures² and compound feedingstuffs³.
• Introduction of compulsory requirements for feed production at farm level.
• Uniform hygiene requirements to be met by all feed businesses.
• Good hygiene practice to be applied at all levels of agriculture production and in the use of feed.
• Introduction of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles⁴ for the feed business operators other than at the level of primary production.
• To encourage the development of EU and national guides to good practice in feed production.

Feed businesses responsible for the primary production of feed

These businesses must prevent, eliminate or reduce feed safety hazards during the production, preparation, cleaning, packaging, storing and transport of these products (Annex I). They must keep records relating to measures put in place to control contamination hazards.

Other feed business operators

• These businesses must adopt measures to guarantee the safety of the products that they manufacture, transport or use. These measures are detailed in Annex II and chiefly concern:

  • facilities and equipment;
  • staff training;
  • the organisation and monitoring of different stages of production;
  • the documents which the operators must keep.
• They must also apply HACCP principles and keep documents demonstrating that they respect these.

• Businesses must:

  • take corrective actions when monitoring shows that a critical control point (see HACCP principles) is not under control;
  • implement internal procedures to check the measures adopted are working effectively;
  • keep records to demonstrate they have applied these measures.

Registration and approval

• Feed businesses (including those responsible for the primary production of feed) must register with their respective country’s competent authorities. They must provide up-to-date information and agree to cooperate in the event of controls.
• When required by national or EU legislation, feed businesses operators shall ensure that establishments under their control are approved by the competent authority and may not operate without approval. Each EU country must keep a list of approved establishments. When an establishment no longer complies with the requirements governing its activities, the approval may be temporarily suspended or revoked.

Guides to good practice

Both the Commission and the EU countries issue guides to good practice in the feed sector and on the application of HACCP principles. These must be developed in accordance with the principles of the Codex Alimentarius and in consultation with all interested parties. Where standardised EU guides are prepared, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (also known as PAFF) ensures that the content of these guides is practicable.

Amendments

The regulation’s Annex II has been amended twice (by Regulation (EU) No 225/2012 and Regulation (EU) 2015/1905) with regard to the approval of businesses making products from vegetable oils and blended fats and to the specific requirements for production, storage, transport and dioxin testing.