New version of GLOBALG.A.P Compound Feed Manufacturing Standard launched
The Cologne, Germany-based certification body, GLOBALG.A.P, has launched version 2.0 of its Compound Feed Manufacturing (CFM) Standard for the certification of compound feed producers.
When it comes to the production of livestock and aquaculture species for human consumption, the production and sourcing of compound feed play a crucial role in food safety. Therefore, compliance with the requirement in GLOBALG.A.P’s Integrated Farm Assurance standards for livestock and aquaculture regarding quality assurance for production, supply and purchase of compound feed is essential for the producers.
In 2009 the responsible technical managers and the sector committees for agricultural livestock and aquaculture at GLOBALG.A.P focused on the development of the new version of the compound feed manufacturing standard. The experience and the commitment of specialists related to compound feed production helped to define the control points and the compliance criteria. Several test audits and self-assessments with the new version have been successfully carried out in Europe, Asia and South America (e.g.: Havsbrun, Faroe Islands; Skretting, Norway; Hainan HQ, China; Viet Thai Feed Mill, Vietnam; Alimentsa, Ecuador).
The comments provided by producers and CBs from the three public consultation phases in February/March 2009, August/September 2009 and November/December 2009 contributed to the elaboration of the sophisticated final version of the standard. The GLOBALG.A.P Board adopted the Compound Feed Manufacturing Standard early February 2010 following completion of the 3rd public consultation by mid December 2009. David Mainon from Asda (UK), chairman of the Livestock Sector Committee commented:
“The compound feed manufacturing standard has been produced by industry experts for use by industry experts. This GLOBALG.A.P standard together with the Integrated Farm Assurance standard issued by GLOBALG.A.P will give consumers further confidence in the whole supply chain for farmed animals and fish.”
The CFM standard contains 204 Control points out of which 170 at level Major Must, 33 at level Minor Must and one at level Recommendation.
The headlines of the 14 sections that provide the control points and compliance criteria for commercial compound feed producers are:
(1) Official Approval, (2) Workers Health, Safety and Welfare, (3) Quality Management System and HACCP, (4) Internal Audits, (5) Feed Ingredients Management, (6) Storage Facilities on Site, (7) Processing, (8) Finished Feed Transport and Loading, (9) Site Hygiene and Management, (10) Quality Control of Finished Feed, (11) Ingredients Declaration, (12) Complaints, (13) Documentation and Traceability, (14) Animal Protein.
The standard is complemented by three guidelines:
• List of materials, the circulation of which for use for animal nutrition purposes is prohibited.
• Haulage Exclusion List for materials for which transport is prohibited at all times and for those materials for which transport is prohibited unless proof of necessary and appropriate cleaning is presented prior to transport.
• Risk assessment for GLOBALG.A.P Compound Feed. For developing the company-specific risk assessment, the Compound Feed Manufacturers must consider this guideline.
CFM V2 is valid from 1 March 2010 (obligatory from 1 January 2011). Certification Bodies willing to certify CFM v2 can apply for scope extension and need to achieve accreditation within six months. Compound feed manufacturers supplying feed to GLOBALG.A.P IFA livestock/aquaculture certified farms need to achieve certified status by 1 January 2011. After 1 January 2011, producers who already have IFA livestock/aquaculture certification, must source from a manufacturer who has certification (according to the IFA requirements – LB.4.1.2 and AB.6.1.2).
"The new version of GLOBALG.A.P Compound Feed Manufacturing Standard is a milestone for the food industry, since sourcing of quality assured compound feed from certified production is one of the most important key factors concerning food safety", says Peter Niedermeier, Managing Director of BINCA Seafood, Germany.
