The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, which will begin operating in 2011, will control about 647,000 outlets.

This was announced at an international seminar on the safety, launching and use of feed.

The new Food Safety Agency will combine the National Veterinary Service, National Grain and Grain Products Service, National Plant Protection Service and this part of the public health body RIOKOZ that is responsible for the food safety.

"Feed safety is a shared responsibility, which depends on a few important factors – legislation, control and compliance with production and trade rules. It is important for all of us, as consumers, to make sure that farmers use high-quality feed, as this leads to the quality of the finished product," said Svetlana Boyanova, Deputy Agriculture Minister.

The Head of the Animal Health and Food Safety Directorate at the Agriculture Ministry, Ventzeslava Taseva, has reminded that the ministry has initiated a draft for changes in the Feed Act, in order to meet the new criteria of the EU legislation. The draft is expected to be voted in the Parliament.

"The number of Bulgarian producers of mixed feed is about 159, while the farmers who produce their own feed are about 2500. The dealers of feed are more than 1500," said Taseva.

The international seminar is initiated by the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) and is organized cooperatively by the Bulgarian Association of Agricultural Producers and the European Commission, through its tool for exchange of information and support, TAIEX.

Representatives of the Union of Compound Feed Manufacturers in Bulgaria will participate in the two-day forum, together with experts from 14 countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkey, Macedonia, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia, Belgium, the UK, Slovenia, Romania, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.