Animal feed licence

Businesses that make, use, or supply animal feed must register to control potential food hazards at every stage of production.

Regulation 183/2005 requires that all feed businesses will need to either be registered or approved as a feed business with their local authority if operating in any stage of the feed processes listed below:

  • Manufacturing including pet foods or treats
  • Importing
  • Production
  • Processing
  • Mixing
  • Storing
  • Transporting
  • Supplying surplus foods or co-products of the food industry for use as feed
  • Livestock farms including fish farms (subject to certain exemptions, see below)
  • Arable farms growing, using or selling crops for use as animal feed
  • Distributing

Feed business operators (FBO’s) must not operate without the appropriate registration or approval. Registration is free, but a fee is required for activities requiring Approval.

Registration and Approval exemptions

Your business does not need registration or approval if you are:

  • producing feed for your own animals, which are not kept for food production, or which are kept for your private domestic consumption only,
  • feeding animals which are not kept for food production, or which are kept for your private domestic consumption only,
  • produce and supply only small quantities of primary products at local level to final consumers, or to local establishments directly supplying the final consumer, or to local farms for use on those farms,
  • a retailer of pet food (please note, if you sell feed for horses, chickens or rabbits you do need to register with us)

Approval

Your business will only need to be approved if you carry out higher risk operations such as manufacturing, importing or marketing certain ingredients or additives or pre-mixtures of feed additives. Please see the list of A codes .

If you are unsure whether you need to be approved, please contact us on 01473 264859 or e-mail tradingstandards@suffolk.gov.uk for advice.

Type of approval Fee
Manufacture only or manufacture and placing on the market of feed additives or of premixtures of these additives £451
Placing feed additives or premixtures of these additives on the market £226

Apply

Apply online using the form below.

If you carry out feed mixing at more than one premises in Suffolk each premises will need to be registered. Please complete a form for each premises.

Start the form

Further information and guidance

The Food Standards Agency has guidance on starting an animal feed business and the key legislation affecting businesses involved with animal feed. 

Farmers producing animal feed or those involved in mixing with additives and pre-mixtures must be aware of the requirements for registration, record-keeping, animal feed hygiene and mixing of animal feed. Guidance is available from the Food Standards Agency.

Contact us

If you have any questions about business feed registration or approval, contact the Trading Standards team.

Email: tradingstandards@suffolk.gov.uk

Telephone: 01473 264859