The Republican Veterinary Diagnostic Centre has received a donation of equipment to monitor milk quality using methods that comply with EU requirements.

From this month, the donated equipment will be used by farmers across the country to monitor milk quality, i.e. the level of residues of veterinary medicines in animal products. The donation, worth more than €9,000, will be managed by specialists from the Republican Veterinary Diagnostic Centre.

"Investing in the livestock sector will certainly increase local milk production. The donation, made by People In Need together with the Czech government, will enable the central laboratory to carry out improved tests so that the raw material is properly tested before it is processed and later consumed," said Iurie Scripnic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.

The activity is thus part of the implementation of the National Residue Monitoring Plan (including for raw milk) developed by the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) in accordance with GD No. 298 of 24.04.2011 on the approval of the Sanitary-Veterinary Norm on Measures for Monitoring and Control of Certain Substances and their Residues in Live Animals and their Products and in the context of the Roadmap for the Export of Milk and Milk Products.

"We want to change the paradigm, i.e. the behaviour of farmers, including through training and advice. In the case of the new equipment, they will have to ensure that they use compliant medicines and standardised doses when caring for animals. This equipment will therefore allow the quality of the milk to be monitored," said Guillermo Llinas, Country Director of People in Need Modlova.

The MILK project, funded by the Czech Cooperation and Development Agency and developed by People in Need, carries out activities aimed at supporting the milk production process, quality control, eliminating gaps in the provision of veterinary services for animals and insufficient coordination of market participants, which reduces the volume and quality of dairy products placed on the market.

"We are now able to carry out comprehensive investigations using 14 screening methods. Modern testing methods allow our specialists to be more effective and efficient, both in terms of quality and time," said Diana Curchi, head of the laboratory at the Republican Veterinary Diagnostic Centre.

As a result, the I.P. Republican Centre for Veterinary Diagnostics, through the Laboratory for Food Testing (LÎPA), has coordinated with ANSA the groups of drug residues to be carried out within the monitoring programme, so that the implementation and accreditation of methods will be in line with EU requirements. At the same time, the priority needs of ANSA for the implementation of the residue monitoring programme and the agreements were presented to the mission of the Directorate General of Health and Food Safety of the Council of Europe (DG Sante) regarding the accreditation and implementation of new methods.

Note: The MILK project ("Modernisation, innovation and use of knowledge for the milk sector in the Republic of Moldova") is funded by Česká rozvojová agentura - CzechAid and developed by People in Need Moldova. Through the MILK project, People in Need is supporting small farmers who are the cornerstone of the dairy sector in Moldova and who are currently facing existential problems as they deal with numerous challenges that threaten the development of the local dairy market.