The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is preparing to start with a group audit of agricultural companies. Seven of the world’s largest employers are Norwegian.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority will move away from inspections of individual facilities for fish farms and is currently equipping its staff to begin with group audits. This was revealed in the inspectorate’s annual report on animal welfare.

– We are in the process of setting up a separate team that will only work with risk-based group supervision, with targeted follow-up from the company over time, Lise Petterson, regional south and west director at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, told Intrafish.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority writes in its annual report that by 2024 it will audit the ten largest salmon companies. According to Intrafish, seven of the 15 largest salmon companies in the world are Norwegian owned: Mowi, Cermaq, Lerøy, Salmar, Grieg, Nordlaks and Nova Sea.

In 2022, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will conduct its first group audit of an agricultural company, according to the annual report. Unnamed company.

Communications manager Kristina Furnes at Grieg Seafood told Intrafish they are positive about the initiative from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

– Improving the welfare and survival of fish are some of the challenges that aquaculture has to solve, and it is very important to work preventively, structuredly and comprehensively on this, said Furnes.

(© NTB)