Global feed safety standards and certification

Key points

Certification assesses a system, not the lot you are buying.
Check that the certificate's scope covers the traded product and site.
Standards complement, but never replace, your own verification.

What the schemes cover

Hazard analysis, prerequisite programmes, traceability, supplier control, monitoring and corrective action, and management review. Feed-specific schemes add sector requirements such as undesirable substance monitoring and transport controls.

Reading a certificate properly

Check the certified legal entity, the site address, the scope of products and activities, the standard version and the validity dates. A certificate covering one site or product category says nothing about another.

What to verify

Certificate scope covering the exact site and product supplied
Validity dates current and the standard version identified
Certification status verified with the scheme, not only from a PDF

Risks to manage

Scope mismatch between the certificate and the traded product
Expired or withdrawn certification presented as current
Over-reliance on certification in place of buyer verification

Common mistakes

Accepting a logo instead of a certificate
Not checking the scope statement
Reducing incoming verification purely because a supplier is certified

Frequently asked questions

Does certification guarantee product conformity?

No. It provides assurance that a management system meets a standard. Product conformity is evidenced by specification, testing and inspection.

Should uncertified suppliers be excluded?

Not automatically. Certification is one input to qualification; a thorough audit of an uncertified plant can provide equivalent or better assurance for some materials.