Decree establishing a public agricultural service for the development and improvement of production, processing and testing of the quality of milk and dairy products.

This Decree, based on the provisions of the Law on Agricultural Service (published in the Official Gazette of Republic of Serbia 61/1991) and still in force under the terms of the Law on agricultural advisory and professional activities (Official Gazette 30/2010), states the following: A public agricultural service is established in order to develop and improve the production, processing and testing of the quality of milk and dairy products. This kind of organization shall operate under the name “Dairy Institute”, with full legal responsibility and physical headquarters in Serbian capital city-Belgrade. The Institute shall perform the following tasks: 1) actions aimed at the improvement of production, processing and marketing of milk and dairy products in order to increase the volume and improve quality, introduction of new products in the dairy industry as well as research and development in the field of production and processing of milk and dairy products; 2) control of milk and dairy products, testing of health safety of foodstuffs and objects of general use as well as production and supply of dairies with bacterial starter cultures; 3) testing of technological properties of equipment, devices and means used in the process of production, trade, processing and marketing of milk and dairy products; 4) organizing an information system on the condition, capacities and measures for the improvement of milk production and processing; 5) monitoring of scientific knowledge and transfer of knowledge and technology of milk production and processing to companies and other entities; 6) education in the form of specialization in dairy microbiology, physics and chemistry of milk and other forms of mass information on technological innovations in milk production and processing. The Institute organizes services for milk quality control and provides professional assistance to regional agricultural services, milk producers and processors in milk production and processing on the territory of the Republic of Serbia.