The animal feed sector is an important link in the chain for the production of human foodstuffs. Due to growing concern about food safety, the Product Board Animal Feed (abbreviated to PDV in Dutch) has determined that, as of 2000, the quality of animal feed has to be guaranteed. As a result, all ingredients for animal feeds and all links within the chain handling these ingredients have to be GMP+ or equivalent certified.
The Dutch agriculture sector is known throughout the world as a reliable supplier of quality products. All the different links in the various production chains apply strict quality standards. Control Union Certifications, part of the Control Union World Group (CUWG), is a GMP+ International-recognized certification body offering audit and certification for the following GMP+ standards:
GMP+ B1 Compound Feeds
GMP+ B1 Feed Materials
GMP+ B1 Additives
GMP+ B1 Premixes
GMP+ B2
GMP+ B2 Feed Materials
GMP+ B2 Additives
GMP+ B3
GMP+ B3 Trade
GMP+ B3 Storage and Transhipment
GMP+ B4
GMP+ B4.3
GMP+ B8
Food safety
The Product Board Animal Feed has a special quality programme for the Dutch animal feed chain that focuses on animal feed safety as a component of overall food safety. The motto of the programme, Feed for Food, suggests that animal feed and food for human consumption can never be viewed in isolation from one another.In addition to safety, the nutritional quality of food is a vital concern within this common quality policy.
GMP+HACCP
The Dutch animal feed sector applies the same quality assurance system as the international foodstuffs industry: pro-active quality assurance based on Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP). The HACCP risk management system complements the existing Good Manufacturing/Managing Practice quality assurance standards (GMP). The GMP+ HACCP quality assurance system (known as GMP+) is being expanded to cover the entire chain, from feed ingredients producer to transport company and livestock farmer. Independent inspectors monitor compliance within the system, and companies that contravene the rules may lose their GMP or GMP+ certificate. Results of analyses done on samples taken by inspectors can be taken into consideration in the certification decision as per C3 Assessment and Certification Criteria for GMP Certification (www.gmpplus.org)
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