Directive No. 66/2006/CT-BNN on Strengthening Management, Improving Quality of Agricultural and Forestry Products, Agricultural Materials, and Ensuring Food Safety and Hygiene

DIRECTIVE

Regarding the strengthening of management, improving the quality of agricultural and forestry products, and ensuring food safety and hygiene

of agricultural materials 

In recent times, the work of managing the quality of agricultural and forestry products, specialized agricultural goods, and food safety and hygiene (hereinafter referred to as the quality of agricultural products, agricultural materials, and food safety and hygiene) has been given attention and achieved some good results. The quality of agricultural products, the quality of agricultural materials, especially crop seeds, livestock breeds, and food safety and hygiene have gradually improved. However, the quality of many types of agricultural and forestry products and agricultural materials remains low overall; the situation of microbial and chemical contamination, heavy metal pollution in agricultural products continues to occur, particularly in vegetables, fruits, and tea; the use of banned growth stimulants, especially hormones in animal feed, has become serious recently. The low quality of agricultural and forestry products and the lack of food safety and hygiene assurance have become major concerns in society, affecting consumer interests and health, and hindering production development, especially for honest businesses. Meanwhile, many places have not adequately directed the implementation of measures to improve the quality of agricultural and forestry products and ensure food safety and hygiene; a strong policy system to encourage quality improvement and food safety and hygiene has not yet been established; many quality standards are outdated but have not been timely revised; inspection, supervision, and violation handling have not been comprehensive and regular. The management system for agricultural and forestry product quality and agricultural materials has not been clearly defined, lacks capacity, and lacks necessary resources for operation. The application of advanced quality management systems and production processes into production is still slow.

According to the division of responsibilities by the Government, improving the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural materials, and ensuring food safety and hygiene until they reach the market is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Following the Prime Minister's directives, to address the aforementioned issues, restore order in the management of agricultural and forestry product quality and agricultural materials and food safety and hygiene, and enhance the competitiveness of agricultural products in the process of international economic integration, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development instructs: 1. Department of Science and Technology:

a. To take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to review, propose amendments or new construction, and announce quality standards, regulations, and standard testing procedures for various types of agricultural and forestry products and agricultural materials that meet international integration requirements, to be included in the 2007 plan for implementation; in the fourth quarter of 2006, announce permissible residue levels for chemicals and microorganisms in agricultural products.

b. To develop a proposal to strengthen the capacity for managing the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural materials, and food safety and hygiene in the agriculture sector (to report before October 30, 2006) to implement from 2007.

c. To draft a Circular guiding the management of the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural materials, and food safety and hygiene in the agriculture and rural development sector to

be issued before October 30, 2006. 2. Crop Production Department, leading and coordinating with Plant Protection Department:

a. To direct the development of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) production procedures in crop cultivation (initially for vegetables and tea - completed by October 30, 2006).

b. To guide localities in establishing vegetable and tea production areas that ensure food safety and hygiene.

c. To propose certification conditions for vegetable production facilities that ensure food safety and hygiene; certificate samples (completed by October 30, 2006).

d. To guide localities in performing state management tasks and regularly inspecting the quality of crop products, fertilizers, and crop seeds.

3. Livestock Production Department, leading and coordinating with Animal Health Department:

a. To direct the development of Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) production procedures in livestock farming and guide localities in their implementation.

b. To guide localities in promoting the transformation of livestock farming, slaughtering, and processing methods; developing concentrated, disease-safe livestock farms and slaughterhouses.

c. To guide localities in performing state management tasks and regularly inspecting the quality of livestock products, livestock breeds, and livestock feed.

4. Plant Protection Department:

a. To guide localities in intensively applying safe and efficient production procedures (IPM, ICM).

b. To guide localities in strengthening state management over plant protection, focusing on enhancing management of plant protection chemicals, and regularly inspecting the production, sale, and use of plant protection chemicals.

5. Animal Health Department:

a. To guide localities in intensifying veterinary work, concentrating efforts on preventing avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, goat pox...

b. To guide localities in strengthening state management over veterinary affairs, focusing on enhancing management of veterinary drugs; veterinary hygiene in livestock farming, slaughtering, and trading of livestock products; regularly inspecting the production, sale, and use of veterinary drugs.

6. Forestry Department:

To guide localities in intensifying state management over forestry seedlings, and regularly inspecting the production and trade of forestry seedlings.

7. Processing and Salt Industry Department:

a. To guide local units in intensively applying advanced technologies and quality management systems (ISO, HACCP...) in the preservation and processing of agricultural and forestry products.

b. To guide localities in performing state management tasks regarding salt and processed agricultural and forestry product quality; mechanization equipment for agriculture and forestry, salt industry.

8. Water Resources Department:

To guide localities on water usage standards and procedures to ensure food safety and hygiene, and inspect their implementation.

9. National Extension Center:

To guide localities in integrating the dissemination of quality standards and good production practices, ensuring food safety and hygiene, into extension programs and projects, and promoting information and publicity about the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural materials, and food safety and hygiene.

10. Information and Statistics Center:

10. Information Technology Center and Statistics:

a. Guide localities and units to strengthen information on the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural inputs, and food safety on electronic news pages.

b. Propose and guide localities and units to collect and process statistical indicators on the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural inputs, and food safety.

11. Scientific research institutions and training centers:

Proactively propose and actively participate in researching and transferring technology for clean agricultural and forestry product production processes that meet high quality standards and ensure food safety, focusing on vegetables, fruits, tea, concentrated livestock breeding, and slaughtering.

12. Enterprises under the Ministry:

Vigorously promote technological innovation, apply advanced quality management systems and production processes in preservation, processing, establishing safe raw material production areas with high quality to serve domestic consumption and export.

13. Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of provinces and centrally governed cities:

a. Strengthen state management bodies regarding the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural inputs, and food safety; invest in equipment and allocate necessary funds to ensure the implementation of assigned tasks in this field.

b. Direct the planning to expand safe production areas and implement them initially for vegetable types, subject to strict supervision and inspection by specialized agencies.

c. Coordinate with mass media agencies, health authorities to enhance information dissemination and promotion about the quality of agricultural and forestry products, agricultural inputs, and food safety.

d. Coordinate with health authorities, police, market management agencies to regularly inspect production and business establishments, agricultural and forestry products, agricultural inputs, and the enforcement of laws on quality and food safety.

14. Direct implementation:

Relevant Bureaus and Departments within their assigned responsibilities shall coordinate to direct units within the sector and localities to effectively implement this directive; commend organizations and individuals who perform well and strictly handle violations; report difficulties and obstacles to the Ministry for timely resolution; report implementation results by December each year.

- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung,