Trading standards inspections

[flowerpot]

We are not dairy, but the last time we had Trading Standards they were interested in paper work, records - feed mixing on site with vitamins, movement book, the medicine book, and ear tags.

I thought they might want to see horses's passports too (panic) but they didn't, and I seem to remember they gave us a few days notice as I had time to telephone the pony's owner who promised to send his passport, but hadn't, and still hasn't.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

If you're bothered by the prospect, you are probably more conscientious than average and likely to be absolutely fine. Nothing wrong with wanting to do things properly anyway.

If they do find anything wrong they are more likely to advise how to resolve it than throw you in jail.

Make sure to appear interested and concerned about everything they say and willing to make any changes they recommend; they are usually made for a reason.

The other thing to watch out for is it's possible that they like to have a few farms which do things properly so they can run up a few inspections and pass them quickly, so it looks like they are working very hard...

 

[Skintagain]

So since they're starting up again, and I've obviously never had one I'm assuming I'm likely to be near the top of the list. Do they give any notice as to when they're coming? What do I need to look out for?

I didn't sleep much last night so woke up early and pressure washed the dairy, I scrubbed the ceiling, purlins, walls and floor with hypo before and after milking and will go and get paint today to so that I can repaint everything. I've washed and polished the bulk tank as well and will pressure wash the parlour tomorrow, hypo everything then pressure wash again and then repaint all the steel work, girders, walls etc again.
I'm hoping dad will fill a couple of holes that aren't draining in the dairy for me, what else do I need to look out for?
Do I need to wash and paint the outside of the parlour again? What about my store room - it's not attached to the parlour and only has my chemicals, medicine, calf feeding stuff and ai flask in there but it's messy, full of sh!t and dirty, will they look in there? It needs cleaning anyway but will take a few days and I haven't really got time atm

You need to calm down a bit with the job or your going to have a heart attack. You can tie yourself in knots about what could be, but most of it never happens and when it does it’s not the end of the world

 

[Jackov Altraids]

If you're bothered by the prospect, you are probably more conscientious than average and likely to be absolutely fine. Nothing wrong with wanting to do things properly anyway.

If they do find anything wrong they are more likely to advise how to resolve it than throw you in jail.

Make sure to appear interested and concerned about everything they say and willing to make any changes they recommend; they are usually made for a reason.

The other thing to watch out for is it's possible that they like to have a few farms which do things properly so they can run up a few inspections and pass them quickly, so it looks like they are working very hard...

I really don't believe the last part is true. They have an endless supply of work to do without inventing any. I got flagged [wrongly] and it took nearly 2 years for me to get a visit when I was at the top of the list!

Trading standards are on the side of the average, tax paying, law-abiding public.
They have always seemed to be fair to me. They are there to stop fraudulent or unsafe practices.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

So since they're starting up again, and I've obviously never had one I'm assuming I'm likely to be near the top of the list. Do they give any notice as to when they're coming? What do I need to look out for?

I didn't sleep much last night so woke up early and pressure washed the dairy, I scrubbed the ceiling, purlins, walls and floor with hypo before and after milking and will go and get paint today to so that I can repaint everything. I've washed and polished the bulk tank as well and will pressure wash the parlour tomorrow, hypo everything then pressure wash again and then repaint all the steel work, girders, walls etc again.
I'm hoping dad will fill a couple of holes that aren't draining in the dairy for me, what else do I need to look out for?
Do I need to wash and paint the outside of the parlour again? What about my store room - it's not attached to the parlour and only has my chemicals, medicine, calf feeding stuff and ai flask in there but it's messy, full of sh!t and dirty, will they look in there? It needs cleaning anyway but will take a few days and I haven't really got time atm

Get ya some women around there and worry about them

 

[Zippy768]

Trading standards told me that they don't visit as often if your farm assured

This just about sums it all up!
Pay ya money and they protect you

 

[som farmer]

If you're bothered by the prospect, you are probably more conscientious than average and likely to be absolutely fine. Nothing wrong with wanting to do things properly anyway.

If they do find anything wrong they are more likely to advise how to resolve it than throw you in jail.

Make sure to appear interested and concerned about everything they say and willing to make any changes they recommend; they are usually made for a reason.

The other thing to watch out for is it's possible that they like to have a few farms which do things properly so they can run up a few inspections and pass them quickly, so it looks like they are working very hard...

it's a be polite time, interested in what say, listen to what they say etc.
to be fair, most trading standards/min vets etc, are pretty fair people, they have a job to do, help them to do it. RT, on the other hand, don't seem helpful.
Most of us make mistakes, wouldn't believe anyone that says they don't, so they expect 'something'. But getting worked up, save that for the EA,

 

[glow worm]

There's 2 tranches of trading standards that can do visits. Dairy hygiene and feed hygiene.
They will want to look at/for the things specific to their remit. Including paperwork

Historically they were unannounced visits. Nowadays they will need planning.
I've not long had the feed division here, this was the list of stuff he wanted:
View attachment 1005539

Initial visits are advisory, after that they will be risk based or random.
My visit was a random one, picked because he knew I could supply the paperwork

Your parlour is fine, easier said than done when you're new but don't lose sleep over it

Why are they duplicating everything red tractor have already demanded of us? When we were first enrolled into trading standards many years ago, a lady came wearing very high heels and perched on top of a silage bale in the middle of a not very clean yard to do the paperwork! How things have changed!!

 

[Blue.]

Had my 1st dairy hygiene visit a couple of years ago,chap said I’d dropped off the radar,have an antibiotic failure and expect them in a couple of weeks.

 

[Agrispeed]

Local (does pretty much the whole SW) dairy inspector is a decent chap, if massively overworked. As long as your tank room is clean and rodent proof, parlour well maintained, and tanker area not sh!t high and you do all the correct prep (wash, wipe, strip, cup each cow), which he will likely politely remind you to do. He is pretty laid back

Red tractor is much more faff. The dairy inspectors are there for a reason and have a job to do so as long as you aren't taking the pee or doing anything dangerous to the public they'll normally give you some leeway.

 

[Jdunn55]

Thanks all, so truth be told I've got more than the parlour to worry about
Will check my paperwork is all present and correct which it obviously is

 

[Jdunn55]

Calm down

You need to calm down a bit with the job or your going to have a heart attack. You can tie yourself in knots about what could be, but most of it never happens and when it does it’s not the end of the world

I'm afraid the word 'calm' is not often featured as part of my vocabulary, stressed and panicked however...