Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry relative to a programme for the control on salmonella in hens (No. 1172 of 2009).

This Decree provides for the salmonella testing to be performed on hens as to prevent salmonella infection being transmitted to human beings from chickens and foods derived from them. The aim is to bring salmonella infection down so that it will affect less than one percent of chicken flocks annually. There shall be a national control program for control of salmonella in chickens as required by Article 5 of the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents. The Decree shall apply to hatcheries and premises for the production of eggs and/or poultry meat. The Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Ministry on requirements for primary production to ensure food safety (134/2006) contains provisions on the obligation of primary producers to keep records of the tests and findings contained in the program for salmonella and to provide information about the programme to slaughterhouses, small slaughterhouses and packing plants for eggs.