ANIMAL PRODUCTION FOOD SAFETY IN ASIA Development of on-farm food safety in Thailand’s poultry industry

Achieving food safety, both on-farm and indeed throughout the food chain, is the responsibility not only of the government but also of the industry. The development of on-farm food safety in the poultry industry in Thailand has been successful because of close cooperation between the government sector, the industry and other stakeholders. Supportive legislation, regulations, standard operating procedures and education have played an important role in achieving this success. International trade is also an effective driving force both for the industry and for the government in order to meet the requirements set by the importing country as well as the importers. Most importantly, awareness and a clear understanding of the relevant legislation, regulations, requirements and standard operating procedures are necessary tools for the successful implementation of on-farm food safety. Suitable training and education provided by both the public and private sectors are therefore essential. However, a testing laboratory is considered to be an important tool for the success of the surveillance and monitoring system, which is the key to evaluating whether the appropriate measures have been implemented and whether the food safety objective is being achieved. Lastly, traceability is also essential for achieving food safety, since it enables investigations, corrective actions and preventive measures to be carried out.