Jamaican Newport Mills ahead of US safety ratings

The company, based in Kingston, has just rounded off its first year of production, supplying Jamaica and the Caribbean. 

Investments totalling more than US$10 million over a five year period, and a strong quality management system, has garnered the company the ISO Quality Management systems (ISO 9001:2008), Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) quality and safety certifications. 

"The safe feed we are offering Jamaican farmers and consumers is helping to secure the future of our livestock sector," says Dr Velton Gooden, quality systems manager at Newport Mills Ltd.

The path to safe feed was accompanied by significant investments in infrastructure and equipment upgrades to the feed mill, continuous training and education of staff, and implementation of several quality management systems.

The United Sates, one of Jamaica’s major trading partners, has recently implemented new regulations, passing the Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) in January, which, among other things, requires more inspections by US Food and Drug Administration representatives.

Newport Mills’ ISO 9001, HACCP, and GMP certifications may have inadvertently put the mill ahead of those regulations.