For many years, the three OVOCOM members [(Synagra (collection / trade), Bemefa (production and compound feed) and the Royal Association of Belgian Millers (ARMB) (milling)] are, together, performing controls in order to obtain a ‘pre-harvest’ view relating to the presence of mycotoxines (Fusarium) in winter wheat.

According to several sources, high paraquat (herbicide) levels may be observed in  Brazilian soybeans (> 0,03 mg/kg) and products derived therefore (e.g. cakes).

Given that the risk categories remained unchanged during several consecutive monthly assessments (see FCA document‘ BT-16: Temporary monitoring’), there is now a change in the risk category of a country.

From 26 – 30th of October 2015, the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the European Commission organized a study visit to Belgium. Within that context, OVOCOM had the honor of hosting the FVO.

With this newsletter we would like to provide you with an overview of the mandatory communication which is to be sent to OVOCOM upon purchase of animal feed:

• According to the Gatekeeper-principle;
• Via Specific Purchase Protocols; or
• Via Temporary monitoring.

The 2016 Summary of all notifications issued by the RASFF (rapid alert system for Food and Feed), and of interest to operators belonging to the feed sector, has been updated on June 30th 2016. For these first 6 months, already 444 ‘hazard/product’ combinations have been proposed.

Following the publication of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1100 as regards the BSE status of certain countries such as, in particular, Germany, Spain and Lithuania, the Status of these countries have been changed (countries with a controlled risk à countries with a negligible risk).

The current legislation does not always concern major changes to the basis texts applicable to the sector (placing on the market, hygiene package, animal by-products, etc).‘Small’ texts also deserve our attention, either because of their proactive nature, or because they respond to an evolving sector.

In addition to our previous newsletter (No. 44) relating to the presence of the mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA), we recommend that companies pay particular attention to all soya products originating from Argentina.

Hulls (seeds) of soya (granular and non granular) (soya (bean) hulls (pellets) – code catalog 2.18.5 – Origin : Argentina) presenting a high level of zearalenone (ZEA) could be available on the market (including Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom). ZEA is a mycotoxin which has a negative influence on the production of animal feed (e.g. fertility).

In order to maintain its leading position in the international dairy community, the Dutch dairy industry has, since January 1, 2016, further tightened the quality assurance of animal feed within the Netherlands. To this end, the NZO manages the so-called “White List”. Only companies listed on the white list may directly supply feed to Dutch dairy farmers.

The mutual recognition agreement between OVOCOM and Gafta has been renewed. This agreement continues the mutual recognition of the FCA Standard and GTAS. GTAS is an independently certified HACCP scheme for companies operating in the international grain and feed trade.

As a reminder, every first working day of the week (unless exception), we post the most relevant legal texts, published throughout the past week, on our website.

The suspension as regards the certificate of the following company has been removed (07/04/2016).

Since March 2016 AMA-Marketing is an official member of the ICRT. AMA-Marketing is the owner of the pastus+ quality assurance system. The Austrian organization, which is located in Vienna, is the eighth member of the ICRT-committee.

OVOCOM is pleased to welcome a new member: The Belgian Association of the wholesale trade and industry of straw, fodder, peat and derivates. Our Association now counts a total of 16 members.

The Certification Rules of the FCA Standard has been modified with respect to the following subjects :

Regulations, laws and decrees are promulgated and then sometimes modified depending on the technical progress and scientific knowledge or a change in mentality. However, from time to time, errors related to printing or translations must be  corrected. The authorities concerned shall then publish a rectification. Two corrections relating to two texts that are very important for the feed sector have been published during the month of April.

A bright sunlight shone on Brussels for the OVOCOM General Assembly of May 19th. This event was coupled with the fifteenth anniversary of our Association, which was festive all right, but there was more.

As announced in our Newsletter no. 64 of 14 October 2015, the mutual recognition agreement between OVOCOM and GMP+ International has been supplemented through means of the implementation of a system relating to unannounced audits at the level of GMP+ FSA certified companies.

In the context of interchangeability between the FCA Standard and GMP+, companies certified for GMP+ having at least 1 production activity must be mentioned in the GMP+ database under the application scope ‘unannounced audit’. This requirement shall be applicable as of 01/07/2016.

On 18 May 2016, GMP+ International also published a newsletter regarding this subject.