November 5, 2009
International feed and food safety programme nearing implementation
The international version of the Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Programme is nearing implementation, according to the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), the creator and sponsor of the Safe Feed/Safe Food programme that has run in the US since 2004.
The Safe Feed/Safe Food programme is a unique, third-party-verified programme in which more than 350 livestock feed and ingredient facilities, operated by nearly 90 companies, are certified.
Representatives of the European Feed Additives and Premixtures Association (FEFANA) recently met with AFIA team members to discuss details of the international version of the programme. The establishment of the International Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Programme was designed to help facilitate US trade with European feed and ingredient customers by providing a tool to illustrate compliance with the EU''s feed hygiene regulation, which requires certification from the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system.
In accordance with the regulation, FEFANA submitted a Guide to Good Practice, detailing options for industry compliance with the regulation. Furthermore, FEFANA officials designed their own third-party verification system to illustrate compliance with the regulation. This system is known as the European Feed Additives and Premixtures-Quality System, or the FAMI-QS program, and it is similar to AFIA''s Safe Feed/Safe Food programme.
AFIA and FEFANA signed an agreement in January of this year, providing reciprocity for firms in the International Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Programme and the FAMI-QS programme. Under the agreement, AFIA''s programme will operate under FEFANA''s Guide to Good Practice, a recognised guide by the European Commission.
With the training of the auditors complete, the launch of the international programme is expected in the near future. At that time, if an official responsible for a facility wishes to pursue International Safe Feed/Safe Food certification for a plant, he or she may seek inspection and certification through AFIA.
All firms that successfully achieve certification from the International Safe Feed/Safe Food programme will be recognised as compliant with the domestic version of the programme as well.