Brussels, 24/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - Unlike the recommendations made by the European Parliament, the European Commission considers it is not necessary to draw up a comprehensive or "positive" list of raw materials authorised in the production of animal feed. This is highlighted in a report adopted on Thursday by the Commission on this theme. Furthermore, Commissioner David Byrne presented to the press the proposal adopted on 14 April on the new hygiene requirements for animal feed (see details in EUROPE of 23 April, p.13), insisting on the obligation for operators in that sector to provide a financial guarantee (as insurance) to cover the cost of risks related to their activity.
Mr Byrne declared that the fact that a positive list is established would not be a determining factor in ensuring feed safety. That is why the Commission will not present a proposal aimed at drafting such a list. In his view, the positive list would not have prevented any of the recent food crises caused by the use of banned or undesirable substances in feed, precisely because, "as the term indicates, these substances are prohibited". "It is far more important, if one wants feed to be really satisfactory, to respect the hygiene rules proposed today", he said, and also to "complete the existing list of banned raw material" for the production of feed. The Commissioner also cited the importance of reviewing the provisions on labelling of feed. Mr Bryne recalled the obvious fact that companies must ensure they do not use banned substances and Member State authorities must carry out stringent controls on whether such bans are complied with.
The Commission explains in its report that safety of raw materials for the production of feed depends not only on the characteristics of the raw material but also on the way it is processed, handled, transported and used. Hence, classification geared to the safety of such material should take into account all the different types of process. Although some of these are relatively simple (such as drying), others are likely to change the chemical nature or structure of the substance. This, he said, is why the Commission considers it is better to ensure that such processes are safe in order to guarantee the safety of the final product. Another element to be taken into account is the fact that a raw material for animal feed may be safe for one kind of animal, while presenting risks for another kind. A positive list should therefore take into account all the possible categories of animals for which each feed product is used.
Proposal on hygiene of feed: "polluter pays"
Mr Byrne was of the opinion that the proposal on feed hygiene (concerning production, transport, storage and handling of such products) is the last major action announced in the White Paper on food safety, and is the "missing link" for completing the "farm to fork" approach. The Commissioner recalled that the Community rules existing today only concern additives used in such feed, as the controls and the labelling that apply to them are already governed by Community rules. Mr Byrne specified that feed is produced either with the help of soil resources (e.g. grass and cereals) or from by-products of the food industry (e.g. bakery waste). These materials often require complex industrial transformation to preserve the feed material or to produce compound feedingstuffs. The text proposed intends to cover all types of feed and the entire range of feed business operators.
We recall that the main points of the proposal are:
The text applies to the production of feed at all stages, including the primary (on farm) production of feed. It will therefore provide improved traceability throughout the food chain (to enable the swift and accurate identification of feed and food derived from feed should a problem be detected).
It repeats the requirement that only safe feed be placed on the market by businesses. This obligation on business is already enshrined in the EU Food Law Regulation for the food producing industry.
Operators must respect hygiene requirements defined in the Regulation. Thus, measures to control the contamination arising from air, soil, water or plant protection products must be taken. Personnel has to demonstrate adequate training.
Feed business operators other than at the level of primary production must implement the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system to identify where control is critical to ensure feed safety. This is a self-checking system by industry where each establishment will have to design a specific monitoring programme in which all potential hazards must be identified. Proper control procedures for each feed business must be set up individually and documents and records of whatever checks are carried out have to be kept.
The proposal introduces the compulsory registration of all feed businesses by the relevant authority. The current obligation for the relevant authorities after an on-the-spot check to approve certain types of feed producers who deal with particular substances such an anti-microbial substances will be maintained.
At national or Community level, there shall be guides of good practices for the production of feed. This will particularly affect the primary production on farm level. Some countries or sectors do have such codes of good practice already.
As indicated, feed operators will be obliged to ensure a financial guarantee, such as insurance, to cover the cost of risks related to their businesses - such as the costs arising from withdrawing products from the market, and the treatment or destruction of feed or affected food. The aim is to avoid having to resolve future crises related to feed that entail major public spending.
Provisions are made for equivalent standards for imported feed into the EU, and above all that feed which only originates in establishments from which imports of feed are permitted.
Exemptions are foreseen for local production
Businesses, however, would enjoy a certain amount of flexibility. Thus: - the private production of feed and the feeding of animals for home consumption are excluded from the scope of the Regulation; - the feeding of non-food-producing animals is also excluded from the scope of the Regulation; - the rules laid down by this Regulation are not applicable to the retailing of pet food; - and finally, trade between farmers of small quantities of feed at local level is also excluded from the scope of this Regulation.