Trading Standards

Agriculture Act 1970

Agriculture in Hampshire is an important aspect of its economy. Farmers spend a large portion of their capital on feeding stuffs for their animals and fertilisers for their crops. Any deficiencies of vital ingredients or additions of deleterious ingredients, can have disastrous effects on animals and crops. At best, development is retarded, at worst, animals and crops are lost.

The Agriculture Act and the Regulations made under it, give this Service powers to sample from feed mills, farms and retailers. The legislation lays down strict controls on composition and labelling of fertilisers and feeding stuffs. Most of the sampling is carried out at the mills by Trading Standards Officers. Any samples that are found to be outside the limits of variance and to the prejudice of the purchaser, may result in the producer being prosecuted.

In recent years, pet food has been brought under the control of the Act and again, this is monitored by sampling.