Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 183/2005 establishing feed hygiene requirements, all feed market operators are obliged to report to the Veterinary Inspection and obtain, as farmers often call it, a "feed number". Collection points are often reminded of this obligation when the farmer is standing in front of the plant gate and waiting in line to unload his grain.
There's bureaucracy everywhere
Unfortunately, it is often forgotten that the definition of feed is not limited only to high-protein concentrates or granulated feeds and includes all types of materials (of plant, animal, mineral origin) that are or may potentially be intended for animal nutrition. At the same time, the feed entity is not only a giant feed factory, but also the local "Gie-eS", which supplies local breeders and a farmer who from time to time puts his grain aside for purchase. And at this point the question is often asked: "Do you have a feed number?" And so it begins…
What is this feed number?
In order to become a legally operating feed operator and be able to sell grain, you must submit an application to the nearest district veterinary inspectorate. The application should include: the farmer's data (name, surname, address), NIP number (PESEL) and ARiMR number, type and scope of activity (e.g. cultivation of cereals for sale) and location of the farm. Templates of such applications are available in individual district veterinary inspectorates. The official will give the farmer an individual identification number with a characteristic "p" (for feed) at the end – PL XXYYZZZZZ p. Finally, we have a "feed number". And that's all there is to it.
This activity should be done at the office immediately and free of charge. But remember that the register of such entities is kept in electronic form and after some time, e.g. during next year's harvest, the farmer may forget what number he actually has. Verification in the nationwide database (maintained by the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate) is of course possible, but not everyone (purchaser, feed factory or intermediary) will be able or willing to do it (i.e. waste time). Moreover, simply providing your surname may not be enough – there are nearly 1,500 farmers with the surname Wiśniewski in the database!
Therefore, the best solution is (already when submitting the application to the PLW) to ask for a certificate confirming such an entry. Then we will have a certificate with all the farm data in our hand and a photocopy of such a document can be presented during grain purchase. It is true that issuing such a "convenience" involves paying a stamp duty of PLN 17, but then we will never forget our "feed number".
