South African Policy on Animal Feeds.

The South African Policy of Animal Feeds is a national policy with a multi sectorial approach that provides the framework for the regulation and legislation of animal feeds in South Africa. Policy objectives: To provide for an effective and efficient regulatory system that will ensure that the manufacture, distribution and use of all feed ingredients and animal feed result in safe feed and food products; To ensure that the programs and procedures available for the regulation of animal feeds and that regulation oversight of the animal feed manufacturing industry, is effective, efficient, and that such program are implemented in a coordinated and holistic manner; To provide tools to manage challenges facing this and related industries and avoid unnecessary control measures in order to make the industry globally competitive; To promote active participation in the animal feed industry through offering incentives to the industry and bridging the gap between the first and second economy.
Food safety will be positively impacted through the effective regulation of animal feed.
The Strategy stresses the need to address access, ownership, and participation by previously disadvantaged people in the feed industry by relevant legislation and government programs.
The strategic plan of the Department of Agriculture identifies a number of core and complementary strategies that should be initiated to promote the strategic objective of equitable access and participation in a globally competitive, profitable, and sustainable agricultural sector contributing to a better life for all. This will be reached through the following: Promoting equitable access of animal feeds for agricultural development by ensuring availability and affordability to all sectors of society and promote black entrants into agriculture; Promote sustainable natural resources use and sustainable resource management. The strategy also mentions the need for legislative revisions in order to provide for a system that will continuously respond rapidly to new developments in the animal feed sector in order to make South Africa globally competitive. A new Feeds Act which will include sterilizing plants should be developed. This Act should regulate all animal feed and should provide measures to license and regulate the manufacturing and distribution of feeds and also register additives and nutritional supplements.
The Department of Agriculture will be the primary authority that will regulate the licensing of feed manufacturers and registration of additives.