Animal feed and fertiliser regulations

Anyone who makes, uses, transports, stores or sells animal feeds or fertilisers must register with Regulatory Services. This includes:

  • most livestock farms
  • arable farms that grow, use or sell crops for feed use
  • fish farms
  • feed hauliers
  • importers and feed storage businesses

Animal feeding stuffs and fertilisers are controlled by government legislation. Local authorities and Animal Medicines Inspectorate enforce the legislation. They do this by inspecting feed and fertilisers, manufacturers and suppliers. They also take samples for analysis and give advice to businesses and consumers.

You can ask us to complete an agriculture standards assessment using our online form below.

Request an agriculture standards assessment

Animal feed must be labelled with a statutory statement. This includes:

  • name and address of the person who guarantees the statement is accurate (normally the manufacturer)
  • description of the type of feed, for example: 'complete' or 'complementary feeding stuffs' or 'complementary pet food'
  • type of animal for which it is intended
  • amount of protein, oil, fibre and ash which is present
  • directions for use
  • presence of any antioxidants, colour or preservatives
  • amount of certain trace elements/minerals
  • amount of certain vitamins and the date to which they will remain present at the declared level
  • 'best before' date
  • batch number or, alternatively, a date of manufacture
  • ingredients list in descending order by weight, either by specific name or grouped into categories

If you have a concern about animal food quality

If you have a concern about animal food quality or requirements, please contact the Trading Standards team by emailing tradingstandards2@barnsley.gov.uk.

Your request for information/complaint should include the following information:

  • your name, address and contact details
  • name and address of feed or fertiliser business
  • what you require information on, or what your complaint is about
  • details from the feeding stuff label
  • any action taken by yourself

Legislation

The relevant legislation around animal feed and fertiliser regulations includes:

  • Agriculture Act 1970
  • Fertiliser Regulations 1991
  • The Animal Feed (England) Regulations 2010
  • The Feed (Sampling and Analysis and Undesirable Substances) (England) Regulations 2010
  • Genetically Modified Animal Feed (England) Regulations 2004
  • Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2005
  • EC 1829/2003 on Genetically Modified Food and Feed
  • EC 1831/2003 on Additives For Use In Animal Nutrition
  • EC 882/2004 on Official Controls Performed to Ensure the Verification of Compliance with Feed and Food Law
  • EC 183/2005 on Feed Hygiene
  • EC 152/2009 Laying Down Methods of Sampling and Analysis
  • EC 767/2009 on The Placing on the Market and Use of Feed

Useful links