New agency launched with goal to strengthen food security and safety, from farm to fork

[SINGAPORE] Work has begun for 815 employees at the new Singapore Food Agency (SFA), which brings together experts from food related departments at three agencies and whose mission is to ensure and secure a supply of safe food locally.

Launched on Monday, the statutory board will address all food-related issues, from food production to food hygiene.

The now-defunct Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) will see 565 of its food security and safety officials transferred to the new agency.

They will be joined by 219 inspectors and other staff from the National Environment Agency (NEA), and 31 food scientists from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

The staff started work on Monday at the new agency's premises at Jem in Jurong East.

The agency's logo depicts fish and leaves entwined together, to represent progressiveness, and the collaboration and partnership between the SFA and the various agencies and industry partners joining it.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) Masagos Zulkifi welcomed the SFA to the MEWR family during his tour of the agency's premises on Monday, adding that he is looking forward to working with it to "write the next chapter of the Singapore food story".

"The formation of SFA will consolidate the NEA and AVA's capability's in licensing, compliance management and investigation, and HSA's expertise in testing," said Mr Masagos, adding that its formation signals the government's commitment to strengthen food security and safety, from farm to fork.

THE STRAITS TIMES