On August 8, 2024, with the support of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP) and the Swiss-Ukrainian Program “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), an oblast seminar "Raw Milk Control Program in Ukraine and the Status of its Implementation in Kyiv oblast" was held.

The purpose of the seminar was to raise awareness of the SSUFSCPʹ specialists at the rayon level, as well as food business operators (representatives of milk production holdings, milk collection points, and milk processing establishments) about the legal requirements for raw milk quality and safety.

Igor Lotskin, Director of the Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine of the SSUFSCP, delivered a welcoming speech. He emphasized that the Dairy Component of the QFTP is one of the most successful international assistance projects implemented in Ukraine, which involved the SSUFSCP. Thanks to the coordinated work of QFTP experts, the SSUFSCP, and food business operators, the Raw Milk Control Program, a national program equivalent to those in the European Union, was implemented. This was achieved through the formation of a regulatory framework, training of the SSUFSCPʹ specialists and strengthening of the material and technical base of laboratories and trainings for food business operators, implementation of the Dairy Module, and establishment of communication between all program participants.

During the seminar, the following topics were discussed:

• the specifics of state control during martial law;
• the responsibility of food business operators for non-compliance with legal requirements;
• legislative requirements for the circulation of raw milk and the current state of the Raw Milk Control Program implementation in Ukraine;
• the SSUFSCP’s information and communication system (Dairy Module) as a tool for traceability and quality and safety control of raw milk;
• the actions of state inspectors/state veterinary inspectors and authorized persons in response to Dairy Module notifications of raw milk non-compliance with established criteria, and the actions of food business operators.

"We are pleased to support the initiatives of the Main Administration of the SSUFSCP in the Kyiv oblast in rolling out the Raw Milk Control Program. Last year, within the framework of the QFTP, laboratory equipment was provided for milk sample testing, regular training for inspectors and awareness-raising activities were conducted, and registered dairy farms had the opportunity to receive hygiene supplies as humanitarian aid from Switzerland. It is crucial to preserve the potential of the oblast's dairy sector for trade development, particularly in external markets and following European Union requirements," noted Iryna Vysotska, Coordinator of the Dairy Sector component, QFTP.

The event was held in a hybrid format, allowing a wide audience to participate— a total of 92 participants attended the seminar. All relevant information on the Raw Milk Control Program is available in a dedicated section on the SSUFSCP’ website at: https://dpss.gov.ua/bezpechnist-harchovih-produktiv-ta-veterinarna-medicina/prohrama-kontroliu-syroho-moloka.

During the event, the participants discussed the status of implementation of the Raw Milk Control Program in Kyiv oblast. Representatives of the public and private sectors agreed to cooperate to resolve the issues that arose during the implementation of the Raw Milk Control Program in the oblast.