National Diploma in Agriculture Farming and EU Food Law Tony Pettit Lecture 8

National Diploma in AgricultureFarming and EU Food Law

Tony Pettit

Lecture 8

Food Safety Drivers

1. Food Chain• Supplier assurance an issue • QA schemes EN 45011 accreditation

2. EU Food Law• ‘Farm to fork approach’

3. EU Farm Policy• SFP linked to cross compliances

Farming and Food Law – Key Topics

1. Background2. Regulation 178/20023. Reform of EU Hygiene Directives4. Cross Compliances5. Enforcement Agencies6. Monitoring & Surveillance7. Dairy Hygiene (92/46) – covered in class8. Animal Medicines9. Animal Feed – later classes10. Animal Welfare – later classes

1. Background to EU Food Law

EU White Paper on Food Safety published in 2000This will form basis of EU food safety policy for future

Key Points• An  integrated  farm to fork approach to food safety.• Implemenation and adequate monitoring of farm to table

food safety measures.• To ensure a proactive approach to hazard analysis is

adopted across the food chain.• Ensure a science-based approach to risk management.

EU Legal Framework

Much of  modern Irish food, animal health and welfare legislation derives from EU law. This trend is likely to continue.

The EU food legislative framework comprises three main elements:

-     EU Directives-     EU Regulations-     EU Decisions 

EU Legal Framework EU Directive• Binding on each member state• Each state has some flexibility in implementation• Examle Dairy Hygiene directive 92/46

EU Regulation• Binding on each member state• No discretion/delay in implementationEU Decisions• Generally apply to goverments etc• Not usually part of general legislation

EU Directives/Regulations are incorporated into Irish Law

2. Regulation 178/2002

Reg. 178/2002 – principles of EU Food Law

• Unsafe food must not be placed on market• Applies to all food chain including farmers.• Applies to agricultural inputs e.g animal feed• Feed traceability highlighted• Food business operator primary

responsibility for safety of food produced • Based on ‘Precautionary Principle’

3. Reform of EU Hygiene Legislation

• Currently 17 EU Directives on food hygiene

• These Directives are being repackaged into 4 basic hygiene directives.

• These four hygiene regulations will apply across the food chain.

EU Food Hygiene Law Reform

All food hygiene law simplified into four areas.

• food hazards at the primary production stage must be identified and controlled

• best practice guides and specific hygiene rules required at farm level.

Reformed EU Hygiene Legislation

• Based on farm to fork principle• Traceability of food and animal feed central• Food business (farm) must take responsibility• Emphasis will be on Codes of Practice for

farmers rather than prescriptive legislation• HACCP plan will be a prerequisite at processing

level

Future Hygiene Codes of Practice

Aim: Identify and control hazards

Areas likely to be included in codes:• Cleaning/disinfecting of equipment/sheds• Biosecurity/Isolation (Herd Health, Zoonoses)• Use of Medicines• Pest control• Storage of feed/product• Livestock Cleanliness• Animal Welfare/Transport

Food Hygiene Records

• Nature & origin of feed fed to animals• Veterinary medicines administered• Crop protection products applied• Animal disease tests - if human health issue• Specified records/declaration form must be

provided to slaughter plant 24 hrs before slaughter (health status, medicine withdrawal details) – QA scheme may be enough?

4. Cross Compliance

What is it?• Links EU farm supports to compliance with

EU regulations and good farming practiceWhy?• ‘Public good’ is a key objective• Farm supports tied to ‘public good’• Society expects something in return for

farm supports – compliance with EU law

Decoupling & Cross Compliance

• Single Farm Payment will be linked to 18 EU Directives & Regulations.

• These regulations are already in operation

• Cross compliance covers many areas:

- Environment

- Public, animal & plant health

- Animal welfare

Cross Compliance Rules

Cross compliance rules will be phased in:• Environment compliances – Jan 2005• Public & Animal health – Jan 2005/2006• Animal Welfare - Jan 2007

~ 1% farms checked annually (~1300 farms)

~ 5% farms checked – tagging/register

~ 5% farms checked – land eligibility etc

Cross Compliance Assessment?

• Likely to be detailed checklists developed by DAF to check cross compliance assessments

• Check key records (feed, medicines)

• Check practices & facilities

Key Cross Compliance Regulations(excluding environment)

Public & Animal Health

• Sheep Identification/Tagging

• Bovine Tagging, Passports, Registers

• Growth Promoters Ban

• Rules on BSE & Scrapie

• General Food Law (Reg.178/2002)

Animal Welfare & Cross Compliance

• Standards for Protection of Calves (91/629)

• Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes (98/58)

Welfare and Cross Compliances

• Stockperson competency• Adequate inspection & attention• Records – medicine• Freedom of movement (space)• Buildings – safe, ventilation, lighting• Nutrition, Feed, Water• Procedures (dehorning, castration)• Breeding procedures (calving ease)

5. Enforcement Agencies – Farm Level

DAF for enforcing food safety at farm level

Example DAF Role Inside Farm Gate

Livestock Traceability Fallen Animals

Animal Feed/Medicines/Chemicals Disease Eradication Notifiable Diseases

Dairy Hygiene(92/46) Animal Welfare