The objectives of this Act are to: (1) ensure the quality, safety and traceability of feeds and provision of appropriate information on feeds in order to safeguard the health of animals and good quality of foods of animal origin; and (2) promote a good environment to operate for operators within the scope of application of the Act. . The Act contains 67 sections divided into the following chapters: 1) General provisions; 2) Requirements concerning feeds; 3) Requirements that apply to business operations; 4) Competent authorities and their tasks; 5) Laboratories; 6) Control; 7) Administrative enforcement measures and sanctions; 8) Miscellaneous provisions; 9) Entry into force and transitional provisions.
The Act applies to feeds and their handling, to feed business operators, laboratories and control in all production, manufacturing and distribution stages of feeds from primary production to placing on the market and use of feed. It also applies to the control of compliance with several European Union legislation concerning feeds, as listed in section 3. The Act lays down general quality requirements for feeds, which shall be genuine, of good quality and safe, and appropriate for animal nutrition. Specific rules concerning feed additives, genetically modified feeds, medicated feeds, and labelling and packaging of feeds are included. As regards the activities of feed business operators, the Act lays down rules concerning their notification obligations, their authorisation requirements to operate, record keeping and traceability obligations, etc. The two main competent authorities for guidance, monitoring and enforcing this Act are the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Finnish Food Authority.