On-Farm Production and Use of Feed and Feed Ingredients
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SECTION 4 On-farm production and use of feed and feed ingredients Section 4 - On-farm production and use of feed and feed ingredients This section provides guidance on the cultivation, manufacture, management and use of feed and feed ingredients on farms and in aquaculture. This section should be used in conjunction with the applicable requirements of Sections 4 and 5 of this Code. To help ensure the safety of food used for human consumption, good agricultural practices1 should be applied during all stages of on-farm production of pastures, cereal grain and forage crops used as feed or feed ingredients for food producing animals. For aquaculture the same principles should apply, where applicable. Three types of contamination represent hazards at most stages of on-farm production of feed and feed ingredients, namely: t #JPMPHJDBM TVDIBTCBDUFSJB GVOHJBOEPUIFSNJDSPCJBMQBUIPHFOT t $IFNJDBM TVDIBTSFTJEVFTPGNFEJDBUJPO QFTUJDJEFT GFSUJMJ[FSPSPUIFS agricultural substances; and t 1IZTJDBM TVDIBTCSPLFOOFFEMFT NBDIJOFSZBOEPUIFSGPSFJHONBUFSJBM Agricultural production of feed Adherence to good agricultural practices is encouraged in the production of natural, improved and cultivated pastures and in the production of forage and cereal grain crops used as feed or feed ingredients for food producing animals. Following good agricultural practice standards will minimize the risk of biological, chemical and physical contaminants entering the food chain. If crop residuals and stubbles are grazed after harvest, or otherwise enter the food chain, they should also be considered as livestock feed. Most livestock will consume a portion of their bedding. Crops that produce bedding material or bedding materials such as straw or wood shavings should also be managed in the same manner as animal feed ingredients. Good pasture management practices, such as rotational grazing and dispersion of manure droppings, should be used to reduce cross-contamination between groups of animals. Site selection Land used for production of animal feed and feed ingredients should not be located in close proximity to industrial operations where industrial pollutants from air, ground water or runoff from adjacent land would be expected to 38 result in the production of foods of animal MANUFACTURING OF FEED origin that may present a food safety ON-FARM risk. Contaminants present in runoff from Feed ingredients adjacent land and irrigation water should be On-farm feed manufacturers should follow below levels that present a food safety risk. the applicable guidelines established in sub- section 4.1 of this Code when sourcing feed Fertilizers ingredients off the farm. Where manure fertilization of crops or Feed ingredients produced on the farm pastures is practised, an appropriate handling should meet the requirements established for and storage system should be in place and feed ingredients sourced off the farm. For maintained to minimize environmental example, seed treated for planting should not contamination, which could negatively impact be fed. on the safety of foods of animal origin. There should be adequate time between Mixing applying the manure and grazing or forage On-farm feed manufacturers should follow harvesting (silage and hay making) to allow the applicable guidelines established in the manure to decompose and to minimize Section 5 of this Code. Particular attention contamination. should be given to sub-section 5.6 of this Manure, compost and other plant nutrients Code. should be properly used and applied to In particular, feed should be mixed in a minimize biological, chemical and physical manner that will minimize the potential for contamination of foods of animal origin cross-contamination between feed or feed which could adversely affect food safety. ingredients that may have an effect on the Chemical fertilizers should be handled, stored safety or withholding period for the feed or and applied in a manner such that they do feed ingredients. not have a negative impact on the safety of foods of animal origin. Monitoring records Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals Appropriate records of feed manufacturing Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals procedures followed by on-farm feed should be obtained from safe sources. Where manufacturers should be maintained to assist a regulatory system is in place, any chemical in the investigations of possible feed-related used must comply with the requirements of contamination or disease events. that system. Records should be kept of incoming feed Pesticides should be stored according to ingredients, date of receipt and batches of the manufacturer’s instructions and used feed produced in addition to other applicable in accordance with Good Agricultural records set out in sub-section 4.3 of the 2 Practice in the Use of Pesticides (GAP) . It is Code. important that farmers carefully follow the Good animal feeding practice manufacturer’s instructions for use for all Good animal feeding practices include those agricultural chemicals. practices that help to ensure the proper use Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals of feed and feed ingredients on-farm while should be disposed of responsibly in a minimising biological, chemical and physical manner that will not lead to contamination risks to consumers of foods of animal origin. of any body of water, soil, feed or feed ingredients that may lead to the Water contamination of foods of animal origin Water for drinking or for aquaculture should which could adversely affect food safety. be of appropriate quality for the animals being produced. Where there is reason to be concerned about contamination of animals from the water, measures should be taken to evaluate and minimise the hazards. SECTION 4 39 Pasture grazing cleaned regularly to prevent potential hazards The grazing of pastures and crop lands to food safety. Chemicals used should be should be managed in a way that minimises appropriate for cleaning and sanitising the avoidable contamination of foods of feed manufacturing equipment and should animal origin by biological, chemical and be used according to instructions. These physical food safety hazards. products should be properly labelled and Where appropriate, an adequate period stored away from feed manufacturing, feed should be observed before allowing livestock storage and feeding areas. to graze on pasture, crops and crop residuals A pest control system should be put in place and between grazing rotations to minimise to control the access of pests to the animal biological cross-contamination from manure. production unit to minimise potential hazards Where agricultural chemicals are used, to food safety. operators should ensure that the required Operators and employees working in the withholding periods are observed. animal production unit should observe appropriate hygiene requirements to minimise Feeding potential hazards to food safety from feed. It is important that the correct feed is fed to the right animal group and that the directions Aquaculture3 for use are followed. Contamination should Aquaculture includes a wide range of be minimised during feeding. Information species of finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, should be available of what is fed to animals cephalopods, etc. The complexity of and when, to ensure that food safety risks aquaculture is reflected in the wide range are managed. of culturing methods ranging from huge Animals receiving medicated feed should cages in open seas to culturing in small be identified and managed appropriately freshwater ponds. The diversity is further until the correct withholding period (if reflected by the range of stages from larvae any) has been reached and records of to full grown size, requiring different feed as these procedures must be maintained. well as different culture methods. Nutritional Procedures to ensure that medicated feed are approaches range from feeding only naturally transported to the correct location and are occurring nutrients in the water to the use fed to animals that require the medication of sophisticated equipment and scientifically should be followed. Feed transport vehicles formulated compound feed. and feeding equipment used to deliver and To ensure food safety, necessary precautions distribute medicated feed should be cleaned should be taken regarding culturing methods, after use, if a different medicated feed or culturing sites, technologies, materials and non-medicated feed or feed ingredient is to feed used to minimize contamination in order be transported next. to reduce food hazards. Stable feeding and lot/intensive feeding units The animal production unit should be 1 Guidelines on this definition are under development by located in an area that does not result in FAO 2 See Definitions for the Purposes of the Codex the production of food of animal origin that Alimentarius (Procedural Manual of the Codex poses a risk to food safety. Care should be Alimentarius Commission) taken to avoid animal access to contaminated 3 Aquaculture producers should refer to relevant sections land, and to facilities with potential sources of the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products of toxicity. for additional information (CAC/RCP 52-2003). Source: Code of practice on good animal feeding (CAC/ RCP 54–2004). Hygiene The animal production unit should be designed so that it can be adequately cleaned. The animal production unit and feeding equipment should be thoroughly Manual of Good Practices for the Feed Industry 40 INTRODUCTION Four areas of on-farm activity have an effect on BOX