14th edition in German and English to mark the 20th anniversary of the Positive List for Straight Feeding Stuffs

On 30 April 2001, the first session in Bonn/Röthgen (Germany) marked the start of its work for the Standards Commission for Straight Feeding Stuffs. The working group of the Central Committee of the German Agriculture (ZDL) is staffed by experts sent there as delegates of the members of the ZDL as well as the German Farmers' Association (DBV), the German Raiffeisen Association (DRV), the German Association of Chambers of Agriculture (VLK) and the German Agricultural Society (DLG).

As the result of its first consultation, the Standards Commission presented the first edition of the 'Positive List for Straight Feeding Stuffs'. Its introduction laid the foundation for increasing transparency and therefore safety in feed production. The objective was and remains to only use raw materials that are included in the Positive List after stringent tests for the production of compound feeds and for feeding agricultural livestock.

Over the past 20 years, the Positive List has become an important reference work for animal nutrition as a whole, but particularly for affected farmers, compound feed producers and auditors of quality standard bodies. It therefore represents an indispensable part in the value chain of food of animal origin. It conveys a high level of professionalism and helps to simplify daily work and the handling of feeds. Besides the enormous variety, it also demonstrates the importance of the thorough and, above all, professionally sound evaluation of the straight feeding stuffs produced so that they can be fed to livestock with a high level of transparency and can be used in a safe and purposeful manner.

Over this long period of time, what is now the 14th edition of the Positive List has been expanded to include over 400 registered straight feeding stuffs in 18 straight feeding groups. Eight straight feeding stuffs have been included directly in the new edition, and a further 17 straight feeding stuffs were included in the Positive List with the previously published additions. In addition, seven amendments were made to straight feeding stuffs that were already listed, other explanations were incorporated and four deletions were carried out. Together with the original German version, the English translation of the Positive List can be downloaded free of charge from the DLG website.

The products deleted from the Positive List have been placed on the grey list, as they are currently undergoing clarification for classification as feed additives due to feed law amendments, meaning that their classification as straight feeding stuffs in the Positive List can be forgone. Straight feeding stuffs with a lack of market relevance are also deleted from the Positive List again. These products remain on the grey list until final clarification has been achieved. The grey list can also be downloaded in German and English from the DLG website.

The Standards Commission evaluates and rules on applications for inclusion in the Positive List for Straight Feeding Stuffs. In contrast to the EU catalogue, applications from feed manufacturers for inclusion in the Positive List are subjected to independent scientific evaluation in terms of the raw materials and auxiliary processing materials that are used as well as the production process. In order to assess a submitted product as suitable for feeding livestock, the Standards Commission scrutinises the critical control points in the process very closely.

The straight feeding stuff is checked as regards safety, particularly for chemical contamination, residues of auxiliary processing materials and other undesired substances based on the application documents. Amongst other aspects, the assessment is based on the submission of a comprehensive HACCP concept along with the ensuing analysis results and other proof including the control measures of the CCPs. Whether a data sheet is necessary is also defined as part of the risk analysis. The working group pays particular attention to the feed value and the actual intended use.

The Positive List is an open list in which deletions, amendments or new inclusions are possible at any time. Further information is available from the DLG Competence Center Agriculture (contact: Dr Detlef Kampf, tel.: 069/24788-320, mail: d.kampf@dlg.org).