GMP+ — feed safety on a poultry farm
GMP+ is an international feed safety standard. It applies to farms that produce, mix, store or sell feed. We explain when it’s needed, what it covers and how to get it.
verifiedFrom the team that has organised work on poultry farms for years.
GMP+ (full name: GMP+ Feed Safety Assurance) is an international feed safety certification scheme run by GMP+ International. It confirms that feed — from production through transport and storage to trade — is safe and fully traceable. In the feed chain, GMP+ is what HACCP is to food production.
Does a poultry farm need GMP+?
Producing poultry alone does not require GMP+. The standard becomes relevant once a farm goes beyond feeding its own flock: producing feed for sale, mixing feed from components at scale, or operating within an integrated chain (for example supplying feed to other sites). Many feed mills and feed traders require GMP+ from their partners — if you are such a link, the certificate is often a condition of cooperation.
What GMP+ Feed Safety Assurance requires
The standard combines HACCP principles with feed-specific requirements.
HACCP in feed production
Hazard analysis and critical control points for feed — identifying where feed could be contaminated (microbiological, chemical, physical) and how to prevent it.
Traceability
Full ability to trace each feed batch — where the raw materials came from and where the finished product went. This is the basis for a fast recall if something goes wrong.
Contaminant monitoring
Regular feed testing for undesirable substances (e.g. dioxins, heavy metals, mycotoxins) according to the monitoring plan and the GMP+ database.
Transport and storage
Requirements for the cleanliness of transport, load sequencing and storage conditions so that feed is not cross-contaminated.
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
Procedures for hygiene, maintenance, raw-material control and documentation — written down, implemented and followed day to day.
Certification body audit
An independent audit by an accredited body at certification and every year for surveillance. The outcome decides whether the certificate is kept.
GMP+ step by step
- 1
Check whether GMP+ is needed
Work out where you sit in the feed chain: do you produce feed for sale, trade it, transport it, or only feed your own flock? If you go beyond your own feeding, check your partners’ requirements (feed mills, buyers) — they usually impose GMP+.
- 2
Choose the right GMP+ standard
GMP+ FSA has modules matched to your role in the chain — different ones for a feed producer, for trade or for transport (the GMP+ B family). Pick the one that fits your activity.
- 3
Implement HACCP and documentation
Develop and implement a feed HACCP plan, hygiene procedures, contaminant monitoring and a traceability system. This is the most labour-intensive stage — it requires writing down processes and training people.
- 4
Choose an accredited certification body
The GMP+ certificate is issued by an independent certification body accredited by GMP+ International. Choose one from the official list and book a certification audit.
- 5
Pass the certification audit
The auditor checks the documentation and practice on site. After a positive result (and closing any non-conformities) you receive the GMP+ certificate.
- 6
Maintain it — surveillance audits
The certificate requires annual surveillance audits and ongoing record-keeping. Neglected records are the most common cause of trouble at renewal.
Frequently asked questions about GMP+
Must every poultry farm have GMP+?add
No. Producing poultry alone does not require GMP+. The certificate concerns feed — you need it when you produce, mix for sale, trade or transport feed. If you only feed your own flock with feed from a certified mill, GMP+ is usually not required.
How is GMP+ different from HACCP?add
HACCP is a hazard-analysis method that GMP+ uses as its foundation. GMP+ adds feed-specific requirements: contaminant monitoring, transport rules, traceability and an independent certification audit. HACCP can be run without a certificate; GMP+ is a formal, audited standard.
How long is a GMP+ certificate valid?add
A certificate is issued for a set period (usually three years), but keeping it depends on annual surveillance audits. A negative audit or serious non-conformities can lead to suspension or withdrawal.
Who requires GMP+ from a farm?add
Most often feed mills, feed traders and buyers in integrated production chains. If you supply feed or components to other operators, a GMP+ certificate is often a condition of signing a contract.
Take control of certificates in DlaFerm.pl
In DlaFerm.pl you flag your farm certificates and keep feed documentation in one place — ready for an audit. Create a free account or write to us.
Phone
+48 796 258 151