Grain Trade Plans To Introduce Risk Based Sampling

Although the ASSURED animal feed industry has not been involved in recent

Food scares they plan to add further protection for the future of the food and

farming industry.

As a first step, both the Northern Ireland Grain Trade Associaton and the Irish Grain And Feed Association have plans in place to introduce risk based sampling of imported raw materials.

This was one of the recommendations made by Professor Patrick Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health, University College Dublin and former chairman of the European Food Safety Authority when he spoke at the Irish Grain and Feed Association's annual dinner in Dublin last weekend.

Professor Wall spearheaded the review of the dioxin incident in Ireland and stated that his recommendations included a review of sampling of imported feed, implementation of feed and food safety management systems, a system of monitoring risks identified internationally, and written assurance regarding specifications for fuel sources used in drying processes.

These are only a few of the recommendations of the very detailed report but speaking after the dinner, Garth Boyd President of NIGTA said "The animal feed trade both North and South of the border have launched an all-out campaign to take feed, and thus food, safety measures to a new league in order to protect the consumer and help avoid what could be an entire close down of food production in the island of Ireland, if another major incident was to occur."

He continued "In spite of the fact that the feed assurance schemes which both organisations are involved in, have protected not only the farming industry, but also the food processor and ultimately the consumer in recent food scares, we will not 'rest on our laurels' but are still going to carry out a full review and risk based analysis of the entire chain from importation of feed materials to compound finished feeds. Risk based quality assurance schemes are vital across the entire feed and food chain from producer to processor, and should be fervently supported at all levels in our industry as, to date, it is only in times of crisis that people appreciate their value."

Garth Boyd added "The food processors are anxious to support this project