Registration and approval of feed businesses

All businesses that make, use or market animal feed in Scotland need to register with Food Standards Scotland from 1 April 2021.

Approval applies to those establishments which carry out certain higher risk activities such as the manufacture and marketing of certain feed additives or premixtures of feed additives, or the production of feed containing specified feed additives.

Applying for approval or registration
Exemptions from on-site visit

Under retained EU regulation, there is a system for the approval and registration of feed business establishments that manufacture, market, distribute or use animal feeds.

Requirement for registration or approval

If a business carries out any of the following feed activities, it is likely to require registration or approval:

Manufacture animal feeds
Market animal feeds
Import animal feeds
Store animal feeds
Transport animal feeds
Sell co-products of the food industry as feeds
Carry out on-farm mixing
Feed food-producing animals
Grow crops to be used as animal feeds
Carry out other controlled activities

If you do not know if you are registered or have lost your registration number, please contact us with your name and address details.

In addition, businesses that market, manufacture or use specified feed additives (e.g. coccidiostats, histomonostats and non-antibiotic growth promoters) are required to be approved by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). The list of VMD approved premises is available at the VMD website.

Exemption from registration

Businesses which carry out the following activities are not required to register:

The private domestic production of feed for food producing animals kept for private domestic consumption and for animals not kept for food production.
The feeding of food-producing animals kept for private domestic consumption.
The feeding of animals not kept for food production.
Primary products to the consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer.
The direct supply of small quantities (i.e. less than 20 tonnes) of primary production of feed at local level by a producer to l local farms for use on those farms.
Private domestic residence only - no agricultural land, no livestock and no crops.
Not currently operating as a farm, but could in the future (e.g. you rent out grazing land, but have no livestock or crops)

What is the difference between approval and registration?

Approval requires a prior inspection visit by the enforcement authority before a feed business establishment is allowed to operate. Registration involves the placing of establishments on a list which will be used to develop a programme of official controls. The vast majority of feed business establishments, including most farms, are subject to the registration requirement. The requirement for approval applies to those establishments which carry out certain higher risk activities such as the manufacture and marketing of certain feed additives or premixtures of feed additives, or the production of feed containing specified feed additives.

How to apply for approval or registration

Feed business operators must notify the relevant enforcement authority of any establishment under their control active in any stage of the production, processing, storage, transport or distribution of feed, with a view to applying for approval and/or registration, and if there has been any change to previously registered or approved activities.

Complete the registration and approval form

It is important that food and feed business operators are registered for the correct activity as this may affect the risk rating of the business and hence the required visit frequency. Correct registration of food and feed business operators enable enforcement authorities to service plan effectively, allocating resources to the highest risk activities, resulting in an accurate list of registered food and feed establishments. It also helps ensure that businesses can be effectively advised on their obligations under food and feed law, which may vary depending on the type of activity taking place.

Exemption from on-site visit prior to approval

An exemption from an on-site approval visit applies to feed businesses that trade feed products but never hold the product on their premises (including modes of transport such as lorries or ships). To qualify for this exemption, feed businesses must make a declaration to the FSU to that effect and in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No. 183/2005. Complete the form below if this applies:

Declaration form

Fees for approval

There are no fees for the registration of establishments. However, there is a fee chargeable by the enforcement authority for establishments applying for approval for the first time, and for an amendment to an existing approval.

The fee is based on the activity requiring approval, and Food Standards Scotland will invoice the applicant upon receipt of the application form.

Manufacture only, or manufacture and placing on the market, of feed additives referred to in Article 10(1)(a) of Retained Regulation 183/2005 other than excluded additives or premixtures consisting solely of a combination of excluded additives - £451.

Placing on the market of feed additives referred to in Article 10(1)(a) of Retained Regulation 183/2005 other than excluded additives or premixtures consisting solely of a combination of excluded additives - £226.

The business will also be required to pay the cost of any laboratory sample analysis related to the approval application.

Download the list of approved establishments in Scotland.

Third country representation for animal feed businesses

Feed establishments in third countries (non-EU countries) which manufacture certain additives and premixtures of additives and compound feeds that contain them, and which export such products to the EU, must have a representative registered in the EU.

Representatives of third country manufacturers exporting to the EU are required to make a declaration on behalf of those manufacturers before importation can take place. The declaration requires the representative to ensure that the third country establishment complies with requirements at least equivalent to those EU feed businesses must comply with, provide evidence to show how you ensure compliance with the necessary requirements and that you keep a register of all the products the establishment sells in the EU for which you are the declarant.

In the UK, a person wishing to act as a representative of a third country establishment must submit a declaration to the Food Standards Agency (unless the declaration concerns zootechnical additives, in which case it should be sent to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate).

Further details and relevant declaration forms are available on the Food Standard Agency’s website.

Following application

For approval applications, Food Standards Scotland will issue and invoice for the fees above, and upon receipt of payment will arrange for an inspection visit.

For registration applications, Food Standards Scotland will review the application, and provide confirmation of registration and a unique registration number within 21 days.

Privacy notice

Read the registration and approval privacy notice.

Details of approval and registration activities

Please see the following tables for descriptions and examples of feed activities. Contact us if you are unsure of which activity to register or approve.

Code	Registration or approval	Activity description	Notes	Examples of FeBEs likely to carry out the activity
R1	Registration	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of feed additives (other than those subject to approval).	This includes preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, gelling agents, binders, anticaking agents, acidity regulators, antioxidants (not subject to a maximum permitted level), silage agents, denaturants, substances to control radionucleide contamination, colourants (except carotenoids and xanthophylls).	Feed additive manufacturers producing technological or sensory additives. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) technological or sensory feed additives.
R2	Registration	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of premixtures (other than those subject to approval).	This includes premixtures containing any feed additive excluding vitamins A and D and copper and selenium	Feed businesses producing or selling premixtures, other than those containing vitamins A and D, copper and selenium. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such premixtures.
R3	Registration	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of bioproteins not subject to approval.	This includes ammonium salts and certain killed yeasts cultivated on substrates of animal/ vegetable origin.	Feed businesses producing or selling premixtures, other than those containing vitamins A and D, copper and selenium. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such premixtures.
R4	Registration	Manufacture of compound feedingstuffs (other than those subject to approval).	This includes the manufacture of complete and complementary feeds, with or without additives.	Businesses manufacturing complete and complementary feeds with or without additives.
R5	Registration	Placing on the market of compound feeds.	Establishments engaged in the buying and selling of compound feeds but not manufacturing such feeds. This includes businesses which do not physically hold any feeds (e.g. importers).	Placing on the market of compound feeds.
R6	Registration	Manufacture of pet foods.	Includes the manufacture of complete and complementary feeds with or without additives.	Pet food manufacturing businesses which manufacture complete and complementary feeds with or without additives.
R7	Registration	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of feed materials.	Feed materials are products which can be fed singly to animals or used as ingredients of compound feeds.	Businesses which produce or manufacture single ingredient materials (e.g. cereal or cereal based products, oils and fats) for animal feed use. Food manufacturers and branches of supermarkets involved in the transfer of surplus foodstuffs (e.g. out-of-date bakery products) into the feed chain. NB: this category does not include brewers, distillers and food manufacturers selling co-products into the feed chain -- see activity code R12.
R8	Registration	Transport of feed and feed products.	Transport of feed and feed products by manufacturers own vehicles are covered by the approval/registration of the manufacturer’s premises.	Premises of businesses that transport feed materials, compound feed, feed additives and premixtures.
R9	Registration	Storage of feed and feed products.	Only covers premises not covered by another approval/registration activity relating to the manufacture or placing on the market of the products in question. It excludes storage facilities at a manufacturer’s or transporter’s premises.	Feed storage premises.
R10 (Farms)	Registration	Mixing feed on-farm, with additives and premixtures.	This activity was subject to registration under previous legislation (EC Directive 95/69 as implemented by the Feeding Stuffs (Establishment and Intermediaries) Regulations 1999).	Farmers who buy in additives and premixture products (i.e. not contained in a compound feed) and mix them with feeds (forage, silage, haylage, cereals etc.). Additives and premixtures may include vitamins, trace elements (e.g. copper, zinc) and preservatives (e.g. propionic acid).
R11 (Farms)	Registration	Mixing feed on-farm, with compound feedingstuffs which contain additives.	This activity was subject to registration under previous legislation (EC Directive 95/69 as implemented by the Feeding stuffs (Establishment and Intermediaries) Regulations 1999).	Farmers who mix their own feeds on- farm using bought-in compound feeds that contain additives such as vitamins, trace elements, etc.
R12	Registration	Food businesses selling co-products of the food industry which are destined as feed materials.	This includes the selling of feed materials generated as co-products of the manufacture of food products (e.g. wheat bran, brewers’ grains, residues of soya bean and rapeseed from the extraction of oils, carrot tops and potato skins).	Brewers, distillers, biofuel manufacturers, dairies and food manufacturers. NB: this category does not include food manufacturers and supermarkets which sell surplus foodstuffs (e.g. out-of-date bakery products) into the feed chain -- see activity code R7.
R13 (Farms)	Registration	Livestock farms (including fish farms) which do not mix feeds or mix feeds without additives.		Livestock farmers. This may include farms making silage or haylage (without using additives). Fish farms may also be included under this activity.
R14 (Farms)	Registration	Arable farms growing or selling crops for feed.		Arable farmers such as those growing cereals, wheat, barley or food crops, e.g. potatoes, for use as feed. Arable farms using grain driers must also register as R14 but this particular activity is not considered primary production.
A1	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of nutritional additives.	This includes vitamins, pro-vitamins and chemically defined substances having a similar effect; compounds of trace elements; amino acids, their salts and analogues; and urea and its derivatives, as authorised under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing nutritional additives. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A2	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of zootechnical additives: digestibility enhancers, gut flora stabilisers and substances which favourably affect the environment.	This includes enzymes and micro-organisms.	Feed additive manufacturers producing zootechnical additives, as indicated in the activity description column. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A3	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of antioxidant additives with a maximum content in feeds specified in Regulation 1831/2003.	At the time of writing, this may include propyl gallate, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ethoxyquin, as authorised under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing antioxidant additives with maximum permitted levels. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A4	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of colorant additives: carotenoids and xanthophylls.	These products are subject to maximum inclusion rates set under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing carotenoids or xanthophylls (such as canthaxanthin). Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A5	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of proteins obtained from micro- organisms belonging to groups of bacteria, yeast, algae and lower fungi.	These substances were previously covered by Directive 82/471/EEC on Certain Products (Bioproteins) which has been revoked. They are now classified as feed materials, but establishments manufacturing or selling such products continue to require approval.
A6	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of co-products of the manufacture of amino acids by fermentation.	These substances were previously covered by Directive 82/471/EEC on Certain Products (Bioproteins) which has been revoked. They are now classified as feed materials, but establishments manufacturing or selling such products continue to require approval.
A7	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of premixtures containing vitamins A and D.	These substances are subject to maximum inclusion rates set under Regulation 1831/2003.	Manufacturers producing premixtures containing vitamins A or D. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) premixtures containing vitamins A or D.
A8	Approval	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of premixtures containing copper and selenium.	These products are subject to maximum inclusion rates set under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing copper or selenium additives. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) premixtures containing copper or selenium additives.
A11	Approval	Manufacturing and placing on the market, for feed use, products derived from vegetable oils and blended fats.	Feed business establishments carrying out any of the activities referred to in point 10 of the Section headed “Facilities and Equipment” in Annex II to Regulation 183/2005 (as amended by Commission Regulation 225/2012).	Businesses carrying out any of the following: processing of crude vegetable oil except those under the scope of EC Regulation 852/2004 (food hygiene) oleochemical manufacture of fatty acids manufacture of oils/fats from biodiesel fat blending