Guide to good farming practices for animal production food safety.

Food safety is now universally recognised as a public health priority. It requires a global approach, from production to consumption. This article addresses the first stage of the food chain and the steps farmers can take to optimise the food safety control of products of animal origin. This inevitably means controlling the health status of the animals from which food products are derived. The present article addresses all those hazards whose control at farm level can have a beneficial or even decisive effect on the food safety of products of animal origin (including: milk and milk products, meat and meat products, eggs and egg products, honey and apiculture products). It is organised in eight sections: buildings and other facilities; health conditions for introduction of animals into the farm; animal feeding; animal watering; veterinary drugs; farm management; preparation of animals for slaughter; and common measures for record keeping and traceability.