The Ministry of Health issued Decree 2016 of 2023, regulating the operation of municipal slaughterhouses in the self-consumption category.
This decision seeks to ensure that farmers regain the possibility of marketing their meat products, facing the rise in internal prices imposed by refrigerators.
The Minister of Health, Guillermo Jaramilloemphasized that this action will also contribute to the reduction of livestock transportation costs, mitigate the problem of cattle rustling and prevent the slaughter of animals in uncontrolled pastures.
However, Jaramillo warned that these slaughter centers must comply with strict conditions of care and health, supervised by health authorities, in collaboration with the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima).
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Content of the Decree:
Decree 2016 establishes specific criteria for the authorization of animal benefit plants in the self-consumption category:
The plant must be located in a category 5 or 6 municipality according to Law 617 of 2000.
There should be no national category animal benefit plants in the same municipality.
It must be included in the Animal Benefit Plant Rationalization Plan adopted in the department or not be covered by said plan.
Once authorized, the owners or holders of these plants are responsible for maintaining the required sanitary conditions. In addition, Invima may reclassify animal benefit plants from national category to self-consumption to address supply problems in category 1, 2 and 3 municipalities.
The decree also addresses aspects such as microbiological verification, hazard analysis and critical control points, transportation, environmental regulations, and territorial planning requirements, among others. The full implementation of the dispatch cooling system is also part of these provisions.
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