NFU welcomes reduced hygiene inspection burden

NFU Cymru has welcomed a reduction by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the frequency of dairy farm hygiene inspections, which came into effect today.

The move means dairy farms with current Assured Dairy Farms (ADF) membership will now be subject to routine official hygiene inspection every 10 years and non-assured farms will be inspected at a minimum frequency of once every 24 months.

NFU Cymru had been calling for a number of years on the FSA to reduce the inspection burden on dairy farms. Welsh dairy farmers were previously inspected at a high rate by animal health regulators on behalf of the FSA and more than 95% of producers, all members of ADF, were being continuously re-inspected for farm assurance purposes. In effect, there had been a large amount of duplication of inspection in the dairy sector with milk processors, retailers, trading standard and Animal Health all running their own inspection regimes.

NFU Cymru’s Deputy President Stephen James said, ’NFU Cymru has been working with ADF, Animal Health Dairy Hygiene (AHDH) regulators, Defra and Welsh Government to reduce the inspection burden on dairy farms through recognition of assured farm status as an indicator of low risk.

’A proposal from the FSA last year had suggested reducing the frequency of inspection on low risk category farms, which accounted for just two per cent of producers, a proposal NFU Cymru initially rejected. Revised consultation recommended reducing dairy hygiene inspections to one in ten years on all those dairy farms that are assured, encompassing some 95% of all milk produced ’ a proposal we fully supported. The FSA has put in place a sensible action for reducing the inspection burden on dairy farms.’

NFU Cymru’s Milk Board Chairman, Maurice Jones, added, ’We have always said that all farmers who belong to farm assurance schemes should see real benefits in reduced regulatory costs and inspections. Assurance schemes under the Red Tractor logo were established to provide food of high quality, whilst maintaining good welfare standards and environmental protection. Farmers participating in these schemes have already been complying with standards that exceed the legal minimum, and their compliance has been monitored by independent inspections. They clearly represent a low risk and that is now reflected in the frequency in which they are inspected. The change is excellent news and a big step forward in reducing unnecessary regulation on our Welsh dairy farms.’