The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is remindingimporters, distributors and manufacturers that they must have approval fromthe department to use imported plant and animal-derived ingredients in themanufacture of animal feeds.
Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp is encouraging those who manufactureanimal feed products to contact their supplier or trader to confirm that eachimported biological ingredient is approved for animal feed use.
“Feeding imported human food ingredients to Australian animals could introduceserious animal diseases, like foot and mouth disease or African swine fever ifthe goods have not been assessed and approved for this high risk end use,” DrSchipp said.
“Diseases such as African swine fever, would be devastating for Australia’s$1.2 billion pork industry, as well as threaten our trade, environment andeconomy if there were an outbreak in Australia.
“Waste and by-products from domestic manufacturing processes also present asignificant biosecurity risk if they contain biological materials and are fedto Australian animals.
“If you distribute imported ingredients you should inform buyers of any enduse restrictions and provide copies of relevant import permits.
“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility and we must all be biosecurityaware.
“When the department receives an import permit application, our scientistsundertake thorough biosecurity risk assessments based on the intended end useof the imported goods.
“Import conditions are also applied to ensure that the goods are processed andused safely for the intended end use.
“Australia is fortunate to remain free from many of the world’s most seriousanimal diseases.
“These diseases could have serious consequences for Australia’s agriculturalindustries including reduced animal productivity, loss of income, disruptionto supply chains, loss of export opportunities, and high costs from managingsuch an outbreak if introduced in Australia.”
Learn more about Australia’s import conditions for animal and plantingredients for animal feed manufacturing at awe.gov.au.
Fast facts:
- Feeding ingredients imported for human consumption to Australian animals may cause serious animal diseases if they have not been assessed and approved by the department for that use.
- Manufacturing waste and by-products also present a significant biosecurity risk if they contain biological materials and are fed to Australian animals.
- Pet food processors sourcing ingredients imported for human consumption should ask for a copy of the relevant import permit. The permit shows the legal uses for the imported ingredients or product.
- Importers should inform buyers of any end use restrictions and provide copies of relevant import permits.
Image: Bigstock
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