Is GMP+ mandatory for animal feed companies?

Short answer: GMP+ is not a legal obligation. In practice, though, you often cannot avoid it, because your buyers require it. GMP+ International manages the scheme, and the European animal feed legislation does not name GMP+.

What the law does require is that you produce and trade safe animal feed, and that you are registered or approved with the NVWA (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) . How you meet that obligation is up to you. GMP+ is the route the sector itself chose to demonstrate this. See also what GMP+ is and who needs it.

When a buyer requires GMP+, it becomes a contractual obligation. That is an agreement between two companies, not a law. Always read your contracts and purchasing terms.

What does the law say?

The EU Feed Hygiene Regulation, Regulation (EC) No 183/2005, requires every animal feed company to operate safely. Companies must register with the NVWA. Activities with a higher risk require an approval. This is set out in the NVWA information sheet on the registration or approval obligation .

The law describes the result: safe animal feed and a traceable chain. It does not prescribe how you prove that. A registration with the NVWA is therefore something different from a GMP+ certificate. You need the first by law, and you do not need the second by law.

Why do buyers ask for GMP+?

Many feed chains work with their own list of requirements. A buyer wants to know that its raw materials and feed come from a company that demonstrably works safely. GMP+ is a recognisable proof for this, because every certification body checks the same standard.

Take a fictional example. Oostwaard Mixed Feed B.V. (fictional) has supplied a large pig farmer for five years. At the annual purchasing round, the pig farmer asks for a valid GMP+ certificate. Without a certificate, Oostwaard is no longer on the supplier list. Oostwaard is not legally required to hold GMP+, but the contract makes it necessary.

This pattern occurs often. A trader that supplies a supermarket chain, or a storage company that works for a large manufacturer, faces the same requirement. The chain wants certainty that every link is in order.

When is it needed in practice?

The question is not only whether GMP+ is mandatory, but for whom and for which activity. The table below shows how the different situations relate.

Situation	Legally required?	What happens in practice
Registration with the NVWA	Yes	Required for every animal feed company, separate from GMP+
Approval from the NVWA	Yes, for higher risks	Required for the activities concerned
Buyer requires GMP+ in the contract	No, contractual	Often a condition for supplying
Industry agreements or the sector’s own choice	No	GMP+ is the standard in many European markets

The question to ask yourself: which customers do I have, and what do they require? That tells you whether GMP+ is practically mandatory for you.

What happens if you do not have it?

Not having GMP+ usually has commercial consequences. Buyers that require GMP+ cannot purchase from you. You then lose revenue, and sometimes an entire customer.

Pay attention to registration. A company that is not registered or approved with the NVWA breaks the law, whether or not it holds GMP+. The NVWA can enforce this.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need GMP+ if I only buy and resell raw materials?

That depends on your buyers and your role in the chain. Traders and storage companies can fall under GMP+. Read which scope fits you on who GMP+ is for. Ask your buyers whether they require a certificate. Ask your certification body which scope you need.

Is registration with the NVWA the same as GMP+?

No. Registration or approval is a legal obligation with the NVWA. GMP+ is a voluntary certificate that you obtain through a certification body. One does not replace the other.

What if my buyer requires GMP+ and I do not have it yet?

Ask your buyer for a deadline and a clear plan. Then start with the step-by-step plan for a GMP+ certificate. The first step is reading the requirements and choosing a certification body.