At BOCM PAULS we are acutely aware that the care and control we apply throughout our business, from selection of raw materials to delivery of finished products, means we can provide our customers and food chain partners with real Safe Feed for Safe Food. Our commitment to this principle is central to the successful operation of our business.

Food safety has always been important but now it is under the microscope like never before. Food scares are with us along with growing concern and distrust. This is exacerbated by a vast communication gap between consumers and the farming industry. BOCM PAULS is doing everything in its power to close the gap so that reassurance flows right from the raw materials used in our compound animal feeds to the Sunday roast or glass of milk.

Feed Secure

Our farming customers and food chain partners also need to be confident that BOCM PAULS offers a reliable and secure source of compound animal feed to the UK market. For this reason we have a range of processes, procedures and controls designed to give our customers confidence in the feeds they buy. Together, we call them Feed Secure. Quite simply, Feed Secure is a comprehensive assurance which allows customers to have confidence in the feed they purchase and consumers the reassurance they demand.

Feed Secure leads the UK animal feed industry in all its major areas:

· raw material supply
· laboratory procedure
· manufacturing process
· production integrity
· information technology
· feed security and traceability

UKASTA Feed Assurance Scheme

Complimentary to Feed Secure is the company's pro-active role in the development of the UKASTA Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS for short), which is now regarded as the UK feed industry's benchmark for the safety and quality of animal feeds. UFAS covers compound and blended feeds as well as feed materials (straights) which are destined for use on farm. It is reassuring to note that all BOCM PAULS compound feed mills, as well as key departments such as the National Laboratory, the Raw Materials Purchasing Department and the Straights Sales Department are all UFAS approved.

Raw Material Sourcing

One of the most important stages in the process of ensuring feed safety, as well as nutritional quality, is the sourcing of raw materials. The Company's view is that all reasonable and practical measures must be taken to ensure the safety and suitability of raw materials prior to arriving at any of our feed mills. We only purchase from known reliable sources and apply strict rules:

· we agree strict supplier procedures
· we regularly audit suppliers.

Every batch of raw materials arriving at our mills is identified, sampled and recorded and samples are further tested at the BOCM PAULS National Laboratory in what is currently the most comprehensive testing facility in the UK feed industry. Every year the laboratory conducts over 140,000 tests on raw materials alone. This is central to our commitment to feed safety and nutritional integrity.

Traceability

If customers have queries for their own information or on behalf of their customers, we can provide a Feed Traceability Report obtainable by phoning the BOCM PAULS Sales Support Desk on 08457 22 88 53. This report lists all the feeds delivered to the farm over a specified period of time, what they were and when they were delivered. The report also gives the unique reference number that enables us to trace the history of that feed right back to the suppliers of the raw materials. The importance and value of these records cannot be underestimated. They support the principal links in the traceability chain.