There is an interesting paradox; there are more companies with a GMP+ transport certificate than for any other certification scope (almost 10,000), and yet many feed producers acknowledge that transport is sometimes a bit of an afterthought.
In reality, transport is a critical part of the feed and food chain. Without it, feed products cannot get where they’re needed, and if it’s unsafe the risk of spreading contamination is serious.
But transport is also its own industry, with its own practices and pressures that at times pose a risk to safety. That’s why we offer a range of support so if you’re going to be transporting feed, making it safe is as practical as possible.
By road, rail, or water
Transport companies range from huge international logistics companies managing millions of shipments a day, to a person with a truck who helps out on weekends. At any point in the chain, feed materials are being transported by rail, by water, and most often by road. And certification is crucial for every one of those companies, big or small.
GMP+ has three main scopes for transport certification; road, inland waterways or short sea shipping and rail. Put simply, to prevent contamination loading compartments need to be clean and suitable for transporting materials that enter the feed and food chain. Certification assures that those companies know what records they need to keep, what hazards need controlling, and they know when, how, and how much, to clean.
It sounds simple enough, but we know transportation is a busy sector that is full of small businesses. They face logistic and planning pressures, regulations, and tight margins that demand efficiency. As a transport company we know you can’t afford for your loading compartments to be empty, and that the same loading compartment will carry different products from load to load. Yes, this increases contamination risks, but there are thousands of companies out there just like you who use GMP+’s certification and services to understand and manage these risks every day.
Smoothing out bumps in the road
So, you want to transport animal feed. Great! Where to begin?
Requirements for transport activities
A good place to start is with our certification requirements. We make these publicly available; all GMP+ Feed Certification scheme documents are published online and in multiple languages, and they are updated regularly in cooperation with our GMP+ Expert Committees.
Start with our general requirements: R1.0 Feed Safety Management Systems Requirements, and then our Transport requirements: TS1.9 Transport activities (for Road and Rail) and TS3.3 Inland waterway transport and short sea shipping of feed.
Transport Q&A
If you have questions about the scheme documents, a great resource is our Q&A Transport which provides information on the background, scope, and practical implementation of the GMP+ transport requirements.
Interactive HACCP Excel
We want to maintain a safe feed chain without over burdening companies; if there is a risk it should be controlled, and if there isn’t a risk then we don’t expect unnecessary actions. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is the risk-based tool for clarifying and controlling the different risks when handling feed.
Many transport companies may not have worked with HACCP before, so we have additional support available. For road transport, we have an interactive Excel document that helps you make your own HACCP analysis. The document lists the most common risks and corresponding control measures, making it adaptable to the specific circumstances of each individual transport company. You can download the document, and a guide on how to use it, here.
International Database Transport for Feed
Ok, so you know what risks you need to manage and when to clean, but how should you clean? Fortunately, GMP+ International together with other feed safety schemes maintains the ‘International Database Transport for Feed’ (IDTF).
IDTF is an international database of allowed previous loads and corresponding cleaning regimes to ensure the safety of the feed you transport. Some products are too risky to be transported before feed – such as animal dung, diesel oil, or household waste – these ‘forbidden loads’, and any products not listed in the IDTF may not be transported as freight prior to the transportation of feed products. On the IDTF website you can also find information on what disinfectants and cleaning materials you can use.
IDTF is robust and widely used, but if you have something to add then companies can apply for a product and cleaning regime to be added to the database.
GMP+ Company database
Crucial to ensuring the feed remains safe throughout the whole feed chain is that all suppliers in the feed chain are also GMP+ certified. So where can you find them?
The GMP+ Company database lists all GMP+ certified companies so you can easily check a supplier’s status. But also, when you’re certified then potential customers can find you on the database – in fact, the GMP+ Company database is used over 10,000 times a month, which is a lot of potential customers.
GMP+ Academy Learning
But what if you’re just starting and want to learn a bit about how to transport feed safely? Microlearnings (short online courses) are ideal for new employees, or as refresher courses for staff, and on the GMP+ Academy they are available in multiple languages.
The GMP+ Academy has microlearning modules for various aspects relating to transport; such as the application of HACCP principles, basic conditions, transport planning, use of the IDTF, loading and unloading, and cleaning loading compartments.
Registered Consultants
And still, we know getting certified can be a big ask, especially if you’re a small transport company without a large team, and you need someone to guide you through the process. That’s often where GMP+ Registered Consultants can help.
Registered Consultants advise companies about the requirements and implementation of the GMP+ Feed Certification scheme, and can help you prepare for, and maintain, your GMP+ certification. More than 30 Registered Consultants operating around the world are able to assist with various aspects of transport and transshipment.
Some other organisations in the transport sector are also able to assist, such as affreightment companies who often work with fixed pool of barges and are familiar with what is needed.
GMP+ Helpdesk
Still have questions? The GMP+ Helpdesk is always there for you. We have knowledgeable experts who can clarify answers to your questions.
Go the distance
Thinking of offering your transport services in the animal feed market? GMP+ certification gives you access to that market and helps you operate safely and with confidence once you’re in.
But it’s about more than the commercial opportunity. With the right cleaning regimes, clear documentation and a risk-based approach to every load, you significantly reduce the chances of rejections, claims, or costly recalls. In a sector where margins are tight and planning is commonplace, fewer disruptions mean more reliability, more predictability, and more dependability.
In that way, GMP+ certification signals that you understand the risks that come with transporting feed and that you control them, rather than relying on others to catch issues downstream. That level of ownership is what customers look for in a transport partner. It keeps your operations moving, your reputation strong, and the feed chain safe at every step of the journey.