On 1st January 2020, an updated feed agreement governing the use of feed in dairy production (hereinafter referred to as feed agreement) will enter into force. It will replace the previous feed agreement from 2015. This implies the expiry of the clearance certificate <sup>1</sup>, which will cease to be valid as of 1st January 2020. Consequently, all feed businesses must subscribe to certified quality assurance schemes (QS or standards recognised by QS, GMP+ international) in order to be permitted to supply feed to producers that operate within the QM-Milch Scheme.
The feed agreement regulates the use of feedingstuffs between the feed and dairy industries for milk production within the QM-Milch Scheme. The scope of this agreement encompasses straight and compound feedingstuffs that are delivered to dairy farms producing in accordance with the QM-Milch Scheme provisions. The signatories include QM-Milch, the German Farmers' Association, the German Dairy Industry Federation, the German Raiffeisen Confederation, QS Quality and Safety, the German Pet Food Association, and GMP+ International.
On 1st January 2020 an updated feed agreement (signed at 10th October 2019) will enter into force.
The update to the feed agreement mainly concerns the clearance certificate's expiry. As of 1st January 2020, the clearance certificate will no longer be valid and its use no longer permitted. As of this point in time, any feed businesses (producers and traders, private labellers) supplying milk within the QM-Milch Scheme must, without exception, be certified under a certified quality assurance scheme (QS or standards recognised by QS, GMP+ international). On 2 this basis, these feed businesses must register (see 1: Information for Feed Businesses) for QM Milch delivery authorisation by agreeing to the terms of the feed agreement.
The feed agreement lays down provisions for monitoring of residues (aflatoxin B1, dioxin-like PCBs, non dioxin-like PCBs) as well as the information and warning system, amongst other things.
→ QS-certified feed businesses can register using the QS Platform to be listed as ap-proved QM Milch suppliers. To do so, they must login using their individual login data, and tick the boxes to agree with the feed agreement requirements for their respective location. To register, please follow this link: https://www.q-s.de/softwareplattform.
Registration for QM-Milch certification via QS recognition of other certification bodies is also possible.
→ GMP+-certified businesses require an additional certificate in accordance with the Country Note for QM Milch in order to be approved as QM Milch suppliers. For the necessary requirements, see: https://www.gmpplus.org/en/certification-scheme/gmpplus-fsa-certification/b-documents/
For a summary of relevant information concerning the requirements of the feed agreement or QM Milch supplier registration for QS or GMP+ certified businesses or businesses of other certification bodies, see the QM Milch homepage. For further information, see: www.qm-milch.de/futtermittelsicherheit
Producers of straight feedingstuffs with an annual feed production output of less than 1 000 tonnes of dry matter can apply for QS certification under the Smallest Farmers' Scheme (see QS guidelines: QS inspection for smallest farmers (QS-Inspektion für Kleinsterzeuger). Registration for QM Milch supplier approval follows the same procedure as mentioned above (tick boxes on QS platform by accepting feed agreement).
→ for further information on the Small Farmers' Scheme, see: https://www.q-s.de/dokumentencenter/dc-kleinhersteller-einzelfuttermittel.html?highlight=kleinhersteller
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1 clearance certification = a self-declaration signed by a number of feed businesses and issued to dairy producers, certifying the safety of their feed. These feed businesses are not registered on the national list and are generally not part of any certification scheme.
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