Food Safety and Health

This Pillar has been selected for purposes of this Project because as a supplier of a foodstuff (eggs) to the public and consumers, Corporations in the Egg Industry have various duties and responsibilities – including to ensure that food is safe. Additional duties arise to limit the spread of animal diseases and others in respect of public health. The methods of production in industrialised animal agriculture including the intensive farming of chickens raise not only serious animal welfare concerns but have major implications on food safety and human (and animal) health.

Part A of this Pillar sets out the rationale for its selection; the main national government departments with mandates in respect thereof and connects it with information from our Stakeholder Report in Section IV. Part B sets out background information as to how the Pillar connects with the Egg Supply Chain. Part C provides an overview of selected governance issues associated with this Pillar in the context of the Egg Supply Chain in South Africa.

For purposes of our requests to our Selected Stakeholders, we requested reports, licenses, permits, warnings, citations, notices directives and similar enforcement and compliance records, both internal and external, specifically in relation to compliance and/or non-compliance with Relevant Legislation as well as records related to Adverse Findings in respect of such legislation. Of relevance for this Pillar is legislation regulating issues of food health and safety including the Meat Safety Act and the Animal Diseases Act. Records received from Selected Stakeholders in this respect would provide insight into compliance by the respective Selected Stakeholder with legislation related to ensuring food safety although no specific ratings have been made in respect of this Pillar for purposes of this Initial Report.