Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2025
960. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to improve the regulations and licensing system for milling of animal feed, to ensure that feedstuff labelled as Irish does not contain GMD imported produce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48630/25]
View answerThere is a comprehensive harmonised framework of feed legislation in the EU, covering feed safety and feed marketing. The focus of the legislation is to ensure that feedingstuffs do not endanger food safety, do not pose a risk to animal health or the environment, meet the minimum standards prescribed, are accurately labelled, and are fully traceable.
There is EU legislation governing genetically modified (GM) feed. The Regulation mandates a central authorisation process with positive safety assessments by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) before any GM feed can be marketed. This Regulation ensures the traceability and labelling of GM feed, requiring that it is labelled from the first placement on the market. It is designed to ensure high safety standards, protect public health and the environment, and maintain effective functioning of the EU's internal market for GMOs. Feed material containing authorised GM is permitted to be imported into Ireland and used in the manufacture of compound feed.
Member States are required to establish national control systems and maintain multi-annual national control plans to ensure the effective implementation of EU feed safety legislation. Official controls on animal feed are implemented through inspections, audits and sampling at all stages of the feed chain, including importation, storage, manufacture, transport and use at farm level.
