Approval and Registration of Feed Business Operators (FBO)

Feed Business Operators must be registered or approved under EU feed hygiene regulations. These rules are aimed at safeguarding feed hygiene and ensuring product traceability.

Feed Business Operators include:

• manufacturers of additives, premixtures and compound feeds
• intermediaries engaged in trade in additives, premixtures, mineral mixtures and nutritional supplements
• importers, hauliers and storers of feedingstuffs
• primary producers of feed materials and the feeding of animals

In addition to those who must register, some Feed Business Operators must seek approval for their activities. In Ireland approval is required of intermediaries of all mineral mixtures and manufacturers of compound feedingstuffs. To obtain approval, an establishment must submit an application to the Department and pay the designated fee to cover inspection.

All other establishments involved at any stage in feed production, must register with the Department. In general the requirements applicable to approval are more stringent than for registration.

Feed Business Operators must be approved in order to manufacture or place on the market:

• feed additives
• premixtures or mineral mixtures containing certain sensitive additives such as coccidiostats, vitamins A or D, or copper or selenium
• compound feeds containing antibiotics or coccidiostats

EU regulations put an obligation on Feed Business Operators to ensure that all stages of production under their control are carried out in accordance with EU and national legislation. They also state that when primary producers are feeding food producing animals, they must take measures to keep the risk of biological, chemical and physical contamination as low as is reasonably achievable.

Approval or registration may be withdrawn where an establishment fails to comply with the minimum conditions laid down. In order to ensure traceability, Feed Business Operators are required to provide their approval or registration number on the label of all products manufactured. The Department has provided guidance on approval and registration.

Complete the relevant form below and send it to: