Quality assurance in the feed sector in the Netherlands leads the way
NETHERLANDS - The Netherlands leads the way regarding systematic quality assurance of animal feed. This is one of the conclusions of Minister Cees Veerman of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in a letter to parliament on July 7th 2003.
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In nearly every respect the requirements within the Dutch IKB quality assurance system for pigmeat are at a significantly higher level than the proposed EUREPGAP requirements.
The minister had commissioned a report into how the Netherlands implements European legislation in comparison to other member states. This report also investigated the animal feed sector. The Dutch animal feed industry is one of the leaders in the fields of quality assurance and safety.
Compared to other member states, the Netherlands has little national legislation to supplement EU legislation. Dutch businesses, however, do implement additional, systematic quality assurance systems.
The quality assurance system GMP+ means Dutch companies go beyond the intensified regulations imposed by the government and voluntarily opt for higher standards. Examples include standards for a number of undesirable raw materials in animal feed, mycotoxins zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenole (DON) and Ochratoxin A.
The report also shows that European guidelines have or will become national legislation in all investigated member states. This also happens in the Netherlands with Product Board Animal Feed regulations. From 2004 legislation will be laid down in the Basic Law Animal Feed (source: Product Board Animal Feed).
Source: Dutch Meat Board - 5th November 2003