Law on Animal Husbandry No. 32/2018/QH14

Identification and legal basis

Law No. 32/2018/QH14 on Animal Husbandry was adopted by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, based on the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The excerpt cites the Constitution as the principal authority for promulgation.

The Law was passed on 19 November 2018 and took effect on 1 January 2020. It is the comprehensive framework law governing the husbandry sector, replacing previous fragmented regulations on animal breeds, animal feed and livestock production conditions.

Scope and subjects of application

The Law regulates husbandry activities, including management of animal breeds, animal feed, husbandry conditions, waste treatment, and humane treatment of livestock, as well as production, trading, import and export of livestock and livestock products. It applies to domestic organizations and individuals and foreign organizations and individuals involved in husbandry activities in Vietnam, and to state management agencies responsible for the sector.

The Law establishes general principles for husbandry development, State policies and strategies, application of science and technology, development of disease-free husbandry zones, production linkage and cooperation, international cooperation, and the national database on husbandry. It also defines prohibited acts in husbandry.

Management of animal breeds and feed

For animal breeds, the Law provides for management of animal breed genetic resources, including collection, conservation, exploitation, development and exchange of valuable and rare genetic resources, and sets order and procedures for such exchange. It regulates genetically modified and cloned livestock, sets quality requirements for breeding males and females and breed products, and provides lists of animal breeds requiring conservation and prohibited from export. It governs import and export and international exchange of animal breeds and breed products, and conditions for production and purchase of breeding animals, semen, embryos and ova, including quality management systems, dossiers for monitoring of quality indicators, and use of breeding males of clear origin.

It also regulates testing, examination and recognition of new livestock lines and breeds, including conditions for testing establishments, principles for naming new lines and breeds, and rights and obligations of testing establishments and of establishments producing and trading in breeding animals.

For animal feed, the Law prescribes quality requirements for commercial feed, disclosure of information on compound feed and feed supplements, procedures for amending disclosed information and for disclosure of other feed products, and testing of feed. It sets conditions for production and for purchase of feed, issuance, re-issuance and revocation of Certificates of eligibility for feed production, import and export of feed, state inspection of feed quality, sampling and testing, and specific rules for feed containing antibiotics, labeling and advertising. It defines rights and obligations of feed production, trading, import-export and use establishments and of feed testing establishments.

Husbandry conditions, waste and product handling

The Law classifies husbandry scale, defines livestock unit and planting density, and requires declaration of husbandry activities. It distinguishes farm-scale husbandry and smallholder husbandry, prescribing conditions for farm-scale husbandry such as adequate water sources and infrastructure, and eligibility for support in case of damage and for restoration of production for declarants, as well as obligations regarding biosecurity and environmental protection.

It provides for issuance, re-issuance and revocation of Certificates of eligibility for farm-scale husbandry, and for waste, noise and waste-treatment product management. Smallholder waste must be treated to avoid environmental pollution, while farm-scale waste treatment must meet technical standards. It also regulates production of waste-treatment products and their production establishments.

Specific management regimes are set for rearing of swiftlets (including luring), honey bees, dogs and cats, sambar deer and other animals. Provisions on humane treatment of livestock cover rearing, transport, slaughter and scientific research, and the Law sets conditions for slaughter, purchase, preliminary processing and processing of livestock products, preservation, market forecasting, and import and export of livestock and livestock products.

Effect and transition

The Law applies uniformly nationwide from its effective date. Detailed implementation is guided by decrees and circulars of the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Organizations and individuals engaged in husbandry must comply with conditions on breeds, feed, declaration, certification and environmental and humane-treatment obligations, and are subject to inspection, handling of violations and transitional arrangements for previously licensed establishments as prescribed by law.