Before the United Kingdom exited the European Union, it used to place sixth among the top 10 agricultural producers in the region. Despite the fact that no more than 2-3% of the British population is engaged in agriculture, the industry is considered one of the most efficient and innovative in Europe. Meeting 50% of its domestic demand with quality agricultural products, the UK couldn’t escape our attention.

The system of phytosanitary surveillance responsible for quality and safety control of products on the market is doubtless one of the reasons for the efficiency of the country’s agriculture. In this article, we would like to give an overview of the major phytosanitary surveillance agencies of the UK as well as legislation helping build relations between the government, the farmer, and the consumer.

Grain and grain product trade legislation

The UK abides by the terms of international and national regulations, including:

1.     Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. This international regulation aims at providing a high level of health and life protection and therefore involves detailed control over the organization of agricultural products up to the sale. 

2.     Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community. The goal of this Directive is to contribute to higher crop yields, maintain a list of crop pests, and control the exchange of products in order to reduce pest population in the countries.

3.     The Plant Health (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2010/2962. This national regulation establishes a requirement to receive phytosanitary certificates and import permits, and to carry out fumigation of regulated products. 

The United Kingdom utilizes around 13 international and national regulations in total but the three listed above are the most important.

Key British phytosanitary surveillance agencies

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is the main phytosanitary authority. The department handles matters related to environment protection, support of food and farming industries, as well as rural economy maintenance and support in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. DEFRA carries out the policy of the British government in various areas, including agriculture, land utilization, and plant health. 

Agencies subordinate to the Department:

●       Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA);
●       Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science;
●       Rural Payments Agency;
●       Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

Among the above mentioned, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is especially important for exporters and importers, being responsible for providing advice in order to ensure the compliance with the legislation and standards of animal and plant health, apiculture, breeding of plant varieties and seeds. APHA controls state inspection bodies pursuing the goal of more effective control over risks related to plants, animals, and humans. The agency plays a major role in facilitating import and export trading by providing industry players with advice on the best practices and international standards.

The responsibilities of the APHA include:

●       identification and control of endemic and exotic animal, plant and bee diseases and pests, as well as surveillance over new and emerging pests and diseases;
●       scientific research of bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases and related vaccines and food safety assurance; 
●       facilitation of international trade of animals, animal products and plants;
●       protection of endangered wildlife by means of licensing and registration.

The APHA oversees the work of the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (PHSI). The Inspectorate provides a wide variety of services aimed at providing assistance in the export of plants, plant products, fruits and vegetables, seeds, soil or agricultural equipment into non-EU countries. Grain shipments intended for export are inspected by PHSI staff to make sure the products comply with the requirements of the importing countries. The Inspectorate is also in charge of issuing phytosanitary certificates.

Export of products

The submission of a request for phytosanitary certificates for grain exported from the UK includes several stages:

1.     The exporter contacts the APHA PHSI to receive information about the phytosanitary requirements of other countries.

2.     The exporter then informs the APHA PHSI about planned shipment by providing a copy of the application form.

3.     The APHA PHSI has the right to decline the application to receive a phytosanitary certificate. A certificate is not issued in case the APHA PHSI has reason to assume that any information provided by the applicant or the authorized trade inspector is inaccurate. The application can also be declined if the exporter did not fulfill the mandatory requirements related to treatment or transportation of grain intended for export. The agency has the right to request any additional information related to the exported plant crops from the exporter. 

It is important to note that the Scottish exporters are not accountable to the APHA PHSI, but to the independent Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (RPID) that carries out similar functions to those of the APHA PHSI and oversees the compliance with plant health legislation.

Import of products

An organization or individual willing to import products to the UK that require a phytosanitary certificate via the airports or seaports of England or Wales must first of all register at the APHA, as the British customs are not authorized to admit shipments imported by unregistered traders. Importer registration is free of charge, is done electronically and is called PEACH (Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates from the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate). The procedure helps the importers meet preliminary requirements for the shipment of certain types of products into the EU.

All imported plant products are inspected by trade inspectors. The inspection involves 3 stages:

●       Authenticity check of the phytosanitary certificate.

●       Shipment inspection for matching the goods indicated in the official importer’s documents. It is done to avoid cases when, for example, the documents state a ton of wheat while in fact the importer ships in a ton of oats. 

●       Shipment inspection for the absence of quarantine pests, their carriers, and signs of diseases.

There also exists a special authority within the British government called the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The Agency is responsible for consulting ministers on matters related to food safety, standards, and nutrition aspects. The FSA also prepares agricultural legislation, raises public awareness regarding phytosanitary novelties, and publishes recommendations on purchasing and identification of safe products. The Agency cooperates with local authorities to achieve compliance with food legislation.

The FSA receives support from seven independent government advisory bodies:

●                  Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs;
●                  Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes;
●                  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food;
●                  Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment;
●                  Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment;
●                  General Advisory Committee on Science;
●                  Social Science Research Committee.

Additional control is ensured by the Chemicals Regulation Division within the Occupational Health and Safety Agency in the British government. The Division establishes pesticide, biocide, and chemical content in specific plants. It works in close cooperation with DEFRA and bases its activities on international regulations. That is why both importers and exporters need to achieve compliance of the agricultural products they ship with the market to the standards laid out in:

1.     Commission Regulation (EU) No. 642/2010 of 20 July 2010 – includes recommendations related to soft and hard wheat, spelt, and flint corn. It indicates protein content in relation to its quality as well as the grain unit, vitreousness, foreign matter, and moisture content. 

2.     Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 sets maximum levels for toxins, nitrates, metals, and aromatic carbohydrates in foodstuffs.

3.     Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 of 23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin. 

4.     Regulations (EC) 1829/2003 and 2015/412 establishes rules regarding genetically modified products.

5.     Regulation (Euratom) 2016/52 of 15 January 2005 lays down maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of food and feed. The latter document is applied in case there is proof of a technological accident that may have caused product contamination.

Independent and other unions involved in phytosanitary control

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is charged with improving efficiency and competitiveness of farming businesses. Although financed with taxpayer money and therefore considered public, the Board enjoys the status of an independent body. The Board is not incorporated into the Government of the UK. It carries out research and development at the farm level, provides necessary market information in view of increasing the transparency of supply chains, and organizes marketing events to stimulate demand and develop export markets.

According to the AHDB Standard, all British laboratories engaged in grain testing for trade, are required to carry out the following analyses:

Test type/Crop  

Wheat  

Barley  

Rape
seed  

Oat  

Rye  

Peas  

Beans  

Flax  

Corn  

Humidity

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

Specific weight

✓

✓

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

Sifting

✓

✓

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

Foreign matter

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

Protein

✓

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

Nitrogen

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fats

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

Falling number

✓

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

Gluten

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hardness

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sprouting

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mycotoxins

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erucic acid

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

The representatives of agricultural businesses are incorporated into the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC). The Confederation develops and subsequently carries out safety assurance schemes for feed and agricultural products. Although there are 5 main schemes in total, one of them is of particular interest to us: the Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops). This scheme describes recommended processes for laboratory analysis of crops, its transportation and storage. AIC unites around 1700 organizations that abide by the schemes approved by the body. To remain in the Confederation, all member companies go through a yearly audit. The AIC assists its members in resolving controversies that arise during sales and organizing laboratory testing. Each scheme approved by the Confederation has undergone independent certification.

Laboratory accreditation in the UK

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) manages laboratory analyses and laboratory accreditation in the country. In order to be accredited by the UKAS, the laboratory needs to be in total compliance with the standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ISO/IEC 17025:2017. The membership of UKAS in international groups such as EA, IAF, and ILAC ensures mutual recognition of test results by their members. It decreases the need to carry out multiple supplier assessment and, as a result, lowers trade barriers for organizations accredited by the UKAS.

The national accreditation body of the UK, the UKAS was created primarily to satisfy the needs of establishments and institutions in the United Kingdom. In spite of that, the UKAS accepts accreditation applications from organizations based outside Britain.

Unlike local research centers, laboratories based outside Britain must prove the need to be accredited by the UKAS.

To be accredited by the UKAS, the laboratory needs to prove that:

●       there is no accreditation body in the country of its location;
●       the country of location did not sign the IAF or ILAC multilateral agreements;
●       the IAF or ILAC multilateral agreement was not signed for the required accreditation;
●       the local accreditation body does not allow to maintain services or products of the laboratory in other countries;

Magomed Gaurgaev — Head of the International Analysis Department of FSBI "Grain Quality Assessment Center"

Источник: https://globaltribune.net/analysis-of-food-quality-and-safety-legislation-and-state-control-system-i...