National Diploma in Agriculture Farming and EU Food Law

1. National Diploma in AgricultureFarming and EU Food Law Tony Pettit Lecture 8

2. Food Safety Drivers • 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

3. Farming and Food Law – Key Topics • Background • Regulation 178/2002 • Reform of EU Hygiene Directives • Cross Compliances • Enforcement Agencies • Monitoring & Surveillance • Dairy Hygiene (92/46) – covered in class • Animal Medicines • Animal Feed – later classes • Animal Welfare – later classes

4. Background to EU Food Law EU White Paper on Food Safety published in 2000 This 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.

5. 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

6. 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 implementation EU Decisions • Generally apply to goverments etc • Not usually part of general legislation EU Directives/Regulations are incorporated into Irish Law

7. 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’

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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?

13. 4. Cross Compliance What is it? • Links EU farm supports to compliance with EU regulations and good farming practice Why? • ‘Public good’ is a key objective • Farm supports tied to ‘public good’ • Society expects something in return for farm supports – compliance with EU law

14. 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

15. 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

16. Cross Compliance Assessment? • Likely to be detailed checklists developed by DAF to check cross compliance assessments • Check key records (feed, medicines) • Check practices & facilities

17. 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)

18. Animal Welfare & Cross Compliance • Standards for Protection of Calves (91/629) • Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes (98/58)

19. 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)

20. 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