Local Authority Letter (ENF/E/12/007), 20 February 2012
This letter is to update you on recent decisions about enforcement of official controls in milk production holdings in England and Wales.
For a number of years the Food Standards Agency has contracted dairy hygiene inspections in England and Wales to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA). The contract went out to tender in autumn 2011.
In December 2011, the Food Standards Agency decided to bring in-house the delivery of Official Controls in registered Dairy Holdings in England and Wales and the management of raw cows’ drinking milk sampling contract. This means that, with effect from April 2012, FSA Operations staff will be carrying out on farm Dairy Hygiene Inspections in England and Wales. Eclipse Scientific will continue with current contract for sampling Raw Cows Drinking Milk.
Official controls within dairy establishments in Scotland and Northern Ireland will continue to be delivered by local authorities and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland (DARD, QAB).