NEWS
Safe & responsible feed with GMP+ certification
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Sandra de Bruin, project coordinator of GMP+ International
ll over the wor ld consumer s are setting str ict requirements on the safety and quality of their food. In order to gain and retain their confidence , supplier s of meat, dairy products and eggs are demanding that feed companies create a perfect basis for this. GMP+ International manages the unique GMP+ Feed Cer tification scheme in a continuous process of innovation to ensure the safety of feed. This makes the GMP+ Feed Cer tification scheme a well accepted cer tification scheme, and it is in many countries and markets even a license to sell. Currently over 13,000 companies in all links in the feed chain are cer tified.
responsibility. Therefore, GMP+ International created a plugin model in which cer tification of various market initiatives can be facilitated. GMP+ International provides a basic GMP+ FRA (Feed Responsibility Assurance) Fr amewor k in which var ious market initiatives can be plugged in. This GMP+ FRA Framework consists of the GMP+ B100 Feed Responsibility Management System standard and a cer tification system. In this GMP+ FRA Framework, various market initiatives can be plugged in to provide cer tification for responsible feed production and/or trade.
One-stop-shop multiple certification
First market initiatives
GMP+ cer tified companies are more and more confronted with questions to demonstrate that feed is not only safe but also responsibly produced and traded. These questions refer, for example, to the use of responsible feed ingredients. Within the GMP+ Feed Cer tification scheme, useful tools are available for the assurance of both feed safety and feed responsibility in the daily operations of a feed company. Therefore, GMP+ International provides the possibility for cer tification of both feed safety and feed responsibility within one cer tification scheme. This creates a so-called ‘one-stopshop multiple cer tification’ opportunity where one auditor can cer tify a company for both aspects in one audit. This saves both time and money and makes it more interesting for companies to be active in responsible feed production and trade. Plugin model GMP+ International doesn’t have the intention to play a leading role in defining feed responsibility, because various mar ket segments or regions have different wishes and opinions about feed
With the publication of the fir st mar ket initiatives documents in November 2014, GMP+ International launched the option to cer tify the production and/ or trade of responsible feed. All current market initiative documents refer to the use of responsible soy, defined as RTRS or equivalent. Both SMK (manager of the Dutch ‘Milieukeur’ cer tification scheme for pork, eggs and poultry meat) and the Dutch dairy industry (via the Responsible Dairy Chain – Duurzame Zuivelketen) requested a certification option for feed companies to demonstrate the use of responsible soy in the feed supplied to pigs, poultry and dair y cows. For the supply chain of RTRS soy, a combined cer tification is provided for the production and trade of RTRS soy. This cer tification is approved by RTRS as equivalent to their RTRS Chain of Custody certification. These first market initiatives are an example on how mar ket par ties in the animal production chain collaborate on providing responsible food to the consumer.
Biomin announces opening of the Erber Research Centre in Thailand
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uilt with natural, functional and sustainable mater ials, the Erber Research Center was recently opened on the grounds of Kasetsar t Univer sity at its Khamphaeng Saen Campus in the Nakhon Pathom province of Thailand. 150 distinguished guests attended the r ibbon-cutting ceremony of the Erber Research Center, a joint effort between Biomin and the Faculty of Agriculture at Kasetsar t University’s Kamphaeng Saen Campus in Thailand, which officially opened on 2 December 2014. In line with its R&D slogan, “Turning science into sustainable solutions”, the purpose of the centre with its modern trial facilities is to enable the application and testing of new innovative solutions for the animal feed industry. The Erber Research Center is the sixth investment in a global network of BIOMIN Centers for Applied Nutrition (CAN). According to Franz Waxenecker, Director of Development at BIOMIN, the importance of combined laboratory and applied research in a major poultry producing country such as Thailand cannot be overstated. Specially designed by Austrian architect, Markus Roselieb, the 466-square meter research centre boasts a unique design inspired by the traditional Chinese farmhouse cour tyard with a mixture of Thai and European features. Made entirely of earth and bamboo, it uses only natural materials with energy saving features, keeping it naturally cool in the hot Thai weather. It is adjoined to a state-of-the-art broiler experiment facility by two large glass windows where visitors are able to observe the chickens during trials without compromising biosecurity or causing stress to the animals. At the opening ceremony, Dr Erich Erber, founder of Biomin and the ERBER Group, said
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“I am very happy, thankful and proud that we have built something for the future of Kasetsart University, for the future of the Thai industry, for the future of our youth, students and future generation to feed this world sustainably, healthily and tastily.” Dr Erber was recently awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) honoris causa by Kasetsar t Univer sity for his lifetime achievements and contributions to the livestock industry. D r. E r b e r c o n g r a t u lated Professor Dr. Seksom Attamangkune, Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science, for helping to achieve a shared vision. The research center will be run by Assistant Professor Dr.Yuwares Ruangpanit, Deputy Head of the Research and Technical Services Department, under the guidance of Associate Professor Dr Neramit Sookmanee, the Head of the Animal Science Department. According to Dr. Yuwares, “we would like our students to be able to contribute to society in terms of animal research, training and also modern developments in animal science. This is something we are very much looking forward to in the near future.” Dr Apichar t Pongsrihadulchai, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand officiated the opening of the research centre. Among the distinguished guests in attendance was Dr Duong Duy Dong, Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine from Nong Lam University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Dr Tun Pheakdey, President of the University of Management and Economics of Cambodia. Piyapa Erber, Chief Operating Officer of Biomin Thailand and Kasetsar t University graduate said, “A big part of who I am today is because of Kasetsart University, and I feel it is time to give back to my alma mater. So at Biomin, we will continue to support the university in any way we can.”