Animal feeding stuffs

Register an animal feed business with the council and find further information on animal feed legislation.

What are animal feeding stuffs?

Animal feed plays an important part in the food chain and has implications for the safety, composition and quality of the livestock products (milk, meat and eggs) that people consume. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for overseeing the regulation of the hygiene, composition and marketing of animal feed.

The rules mainly apply to feed for farmed livestock but also covers feed for what are called "non-food producing animals". This typically means animals kept in zoos, circuses and laboratories, creatures living freely in the wild, and pets. It does not include horses and rabbits, which since 1 September 2010 have been classified as food-producing animals.

How is animal feed controlled?

The Food Standards Agency FSA is responsible for improving food safety right through the food chain. This includes improving hygiene on the farm and ensuring that human health is not put at undue risk through what is fed to animals.

Feed Hygiene Regulations apply to all businesses that make, use or market animal feeds, including farms and transporters. The Food Service Team deal with matters under these regulations and the animal health team at the council deal with movement licensing, animal by-products and welfare issues.

Since 1 January 2006 new feed hygiene regulations came into place. These apply to all businesses that make, use or market animal feeds, including farms.

The animal feed business register

The animal feed business register is a public document that lists the registered and approved feed businesses in the East Riding.

What are the feed hygiene regulations and who is affected?

Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 laying down requirements for feed hygiene is aimed at ensuring that controls throughout the feed chain are strengthened.

In particular, it contains:

  • controls and provisions in relation to feed businesses' operational standards
  • provisions to help ensure that feed is produced, transported and stored in hygienic conditions, and records are kept allowing full traceability of feed

The Regulation requires feed businesses to be approved by or registered with their local authority.

Who is covered?

With few exceptions the legislation applies to all feed businesses, which are defined in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, as "any undertaking, whether for profit or not and whether public or private, carrying out any operation of production, manufacture, processing, storage, transport or distribution of feed including any producer producing, processing or storing feed for feeding to animals on his own holding".

Examples of feed businesses include:

  • feed manufacturers

  • feed importers

  • sellers of feed

  • feed transporters

  • storers of feed

  • food companies selling co-products or surplus food for use in feed

  • pet food manufacturers

  • livestock farms, fish farms or arable farms growing and using or selling crops for feed use

Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 requires feed businesses to be approved or registered with their local authority, as appropriate, and they must not operate without such registration / approval. See below how to apply for approval or registration.

Exemptions

There are some farm-related activities that fall outside of the scope of the legislation:

  • 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 feeding of animals not kept for food production
  • the direct supply of small quantities of primary production of feed* at local level by
  • producer to local farms for use on those farms
  • the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of primary production of feed* to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer
  • the retailing of pet food.

Exporting Animal Feed

Information on how to export animal feed is covered in How do I request an Export Certificate or Official Certificate for Animal Feed?

Where can I get further information on animal feed?

If you have any queries regarding registration or approval contact:

Email: food.services@eastriding.gov.uk

Tel: (01482) 396301

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) website has guidance on the legislation for farming and feed businesses:

Food Standards Agency - Farming and Animal Feed (external website)

The council is committed to assisting feed businesses by providing links to industry guidance notes which can be viewed below:

Animals and agriculture

For the law on the welfare of livestock, including transport, diseases, animal/pet feed and disposal:

Business companion - Animals and agriculture quick guide (external website)

Mixing feed on farm

For the requirements for the mixing of feeding stuffs, depending on the use of additives or premixtures:

Business companion - Mixing feed on-farm (external website)

Transport of animal feeding stuffs

For the legal requirements of transporting animal feeding stuffs:

Business companion - Feed hygiene for transporters and haulier (external website)

Hygiene of feed production, record keeping and traceability

For guidance on the hygiene of feed production, record keeping and traceability:

Business companion - Feed hygiene for farmers and grower (external website)

Legal implications of making pet food at home

For the legal implications of making pet food at home, including the need for registration and approval:

Business companion - Manufacturing your own pet food (external website)

Law regarding labelling of pet food

For the law regarding the labelling of pet food:

Business companion - The retail sale of pet food (external website)

Need further advice?

If you unable to find the answer to your query in the guidance on this page please contact the Food Standards Team

Email: food.services@eastriding.gov.uk

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