AFIA, FEFANA Finalize Details of International Safe Feed/Safe Food
By Jarrod Kersey

Hammering out the details of the pending International Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program was an important aspect of a recent trip to Brussels by two members of the American Feed Industry Association staff.

AFIA’s Richard Sellers, vice president of feed regulation and nutrition, and Jarrod Kersey, director of ingredients and state affairs, met with their counterparts at the European Union Feed Additives and Premixtures Association, also known as FEFANA, to go over the fine points of the program. The International Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program, a third-party certification system, will meet FEFANA’s code of practice and will be equivalent to the European Feed Additives and PreMixtures Quality System, also known as FAMI-QS.

FEFANA’s code of practice was submitted to the EU under Regulation (EC) 183/2005 on Feed Hygiene. This regulation requires feed and ingredient facilities to develop a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system. FEFANA’s code of practice and FAMI-QS serve as industry tools to meet and demonstrate compliance with applicable EU laws and regulations.

AFIA partnered with FEFANA to further the trade of feed ingredients by developing an equivalent program. Under this program, U.S. firms will be able to demonstrate compliance with applicable EU regulations, particularly the EU’s feed hygiene regulation.

The two organizations signed an agreement in January to produce the International Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program. Once finalized, FEFANA representatives will train Facility Certification Institute auditors with respect to the requirements needed to meet FAMI-QS. AFIA and FEFANA are looking at dates to train auditors this fall, and the industry may begin participation in the program immediately following that time.

If you have questions regarding the International Safe Feed/Safe Food program, FAMI-QS, FEFANA’s code of practice or the EU feed hygiene regulation, please contact Jarrod Kersey at jkersey@afia.org.