The Hay Ride

National> Transporting Hay to be Subject to New Regulations> By IPR> Aug 19, 2006, 09:18>> WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism > Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, regulations regarding the > transporting of hay will go into effect in December.> The new rules are designed to protect against serious threats to the food > supply. The regulations relate only to transported hay that is destined to > be fed to livestock entering the nation's food chain, such as beef and > dairy cattle, sheep and goats.> All size farms are affected, but those who grow hay exclusively for use in > their own livestock operation will see no change in the current > procedures.> The regulations state that specific documentation must be kept by farmers > if they sell, barter, give away or otherwise ship hay destined for use as > livestock feed off the originating farm. If someone else does the hauling, > then the responsibility for record keeping shifts to the transporter.> The Food and Drug Administration considers transporters to be anyone who > has possession or control of an article of food for the sole purpose of > transporting it by rail, road, water or air.> The transporter's records must include both the source of the hay and the > recipient, the origin and destination points, the date the shipment was > received and the date it was released. A description of the freight and > the number of packages must be noted.> The transporter also must keep track of the route the shipment followed, > any transfer points during transport, and the name of each carrier > involved in the shipping process.> The FDA requires that records concerning animal food be kept for one year. > The documentation may be kept in either a paper or an electronic format. > Currently, a standard bill of lading provides most of this information.> When the FDA suspects that foodstuffs have been tampered with and present > a health threat to humans or animals in the food chain, any records must > be easily accessible and made available for inspection or photocopying. > Records must be produced within 24 hours from the time of notification.> Producers who grow hay for their own use and do not intend to provide it > to other facilities will not, AT THIS TIME, are not affected by the change > in the FDA's rules.>>> © Copyright 2002-2006 by Magic City Morning Star