Grains for food or feed: similar quality guarantees

For a Dutch farmer it makes no difference whether he grows grain for feed or for human consumption: the quality is guaranteed in each case. He can give this guarantee thanks to the GMP + code for animal feed cultivation or its counterpart for food for human consumption. But even if feed is grown in accordance with this latter regulation, the quality is adequately guaranteed. This is the conclusion reached by those responsible for these regulations, the Dutch business group for animal feed and the business group for grain, seeds and pulses, after extensive consultation and coordination. This confirms that the highest standards also apply to the cultivation of feed in the Netherlands.

The quality guarantee for Dutch animal feed was established in 1992 by the Animal Feed Economic Group’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP +). Cattle farmers who participate in the IKB quality assurance system are only allowed to purchase their compound feed from GMP + companies. The plus in "GMP +" indicates a change in the GMP + system in 2001. Since then, the safety of Dutch animal feed in the GMP + system has been guaranteed by the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). As a result, the Dutch animal feed sector has brought quality assurance for the production of animal feed on a par with the production of food for human consumption. This line is continued in the cultivation of animal feed, the GMP + code of which is now recognized as offering quality assurance that is equivalent to the assessment guideline for food safety. Both regulations include basic requirements for food safety. The norms of the GMP + code are based on the feed legislation, while those of the assessment guidelines are based on the laws on food safety. In both regulations, the package of requirements is based on the HACCP system. In order to exclude possible safety risks in all stages of the production process, the farmers can take concrete measures and thereby eliminate potential dangers or at least reduce them to an acceptable level.

The Food Safety Assessment Guideline was issued in 2002 by the Grain, Seeds and Pulses Industry Group. It was set up at the request of companies involved in the cultivation, trade and processing of grain, seeds and legumes. Right from the start, the guideline shows a high level of correspondence with the GMP+ code for animal feed.

Source: Düsseldorf [dmb]