§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he plans he has to require the manufacturers of compound feedingstuffs to show all raw materials used on the labelling of their products;
(2) what requirements control the labelling of the raw materials for compound feedingstuffs; and what substances are permitted under the generic descriptions oil, protein, fibre and ash.
§ Mr. Macleanholding answer 5 March 1990]: The current Feedingstuffs Regulations 1988 permit manufacturers to give full declaration of raw material ingredients in compound feedingstuffs and farmers who want this information should seek it from their suppliers. A recent amendment to the EC directive on the marketing of mixed feeds will make it obligatory for all manufacturers to declare the materials used. Analytical declarations of protein, oil, fibre and ash are already required for the total feedingstuff regardless of the individual ingredients and provide indications of feeding value (protein), digestible energy content (oil and fibre) mineral or non-assimilable content (ash). Procedures for determining these parameters are laid down in the Feedingstuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations 1982.