Dairy Hygiene Inspections
Animal Health dairy hygiene inspectors act on behalf of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in administering and enforcing parts of Regulations (EC) Nos 852/2004, 853/2004, 854/2004 as amended and The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 and The Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006.
- Maintain a register of milk production businesses
- Inspection of milking premises, equipment and milk-producing animals,
- Enforcing satisfactory standards.
Compliance with the Regulations is achieved by the issue of guidance letters, Hygiene Improvement Notices or Prosecution.
Supervising a milk sampling programme of Raw Drinking Milk carried out on behalf of FSA by Eclipse Scientific Group in England and Wales, with regard to the provisions of the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 and Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006.
Regulations
New regulations came into force on 1st January 2006 which replace the Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1995 as amended that apply to all premises used for production of raw milk for human consumption.
The full text of Regulations (EC) Nos 852/2004, 853/2004, 854/2004 as amended, can be obtained from the EU Law site and The Food Hygiene ( England ) Regulations 2006 and Food Hygiene ( Wales ) Regulations 2006 can be obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information . Details of the implementation across the whole food sector can be obtained from the Food Standards Agency.
Field Activities
Put simply, our business is the protection of the nation's raw milk supply from the risk of contamination by bacteria and other substances, some of which are potentially harmful.
We aim to ensure a satisfactory standard of hygiene is maintained on farms in England and Wales , which is of benefit to the farmer and the general public. To do this we have a programme of;
- over 11,000 inspections of milking premises, equipment, milking practices and milk producing animals each year.
- objective assessment of the risks of contamination and producers control of those risks. Although primary producers of milk are not required to carry out a fully documented HACCP they must be aware of the risks of contamination and have adequate controls in place.
- consistent enforcement to ensure satisfactory standards and, if necessary, prosecution of those who do not adhere to the legal requirements or ordering them to make improvements.
- supervision of the Raw Drinking Milk sampling programme carried out by Eclipse Scientific Group in England and Wales .
Publications
Animal Health also provides guidance and advice on compliance with the Regulations and has distributed, to all Registered Milk Producers in England and Wales available below.
- A practical guide to the 2006 Regulations Hygiene on the Dairy Farm (PDF, 856Kb/24 pages).
- The Practical Guide ' Hylendid Llaeth Ar y Fferm Laeth ' is also available in Welsh. (PDF, 872Kb/24 pages)
Contacts
Find your local inspector here
Page last modified: 23 May 2007
Page published: 2 April 2007