¹ This order sets out the general requirements to be met by the controls on operations that are to be registered under s. 3 of the order of 23 November 2005 on primary production ¹ .

² It applies to controls carried out under the following orders:

A.

Primary production order;

B.

Order of 20 October 2010 on the control of milk ² ;

C.

Veterinary medicinal products order of 18 August 2004 ³ ;

D.

Order of 27 June 1995 on epizootic diseases ⁴ ;

E.

BDTA order of 26 October 2011 ⁵ ;

F.

Order of 23 April 2008 on the protection of animals ⁶ ;

G.

Order of 28 October 1998 on the protection of water ⁷ ;

H.

Order of 23 October 2013 on direct payments ⁸ ;

I.

Order of 23 October 2013 on contributions to particular crops ⁹ ;

J.

Order of 31 October 2012 on breeding ¹⁰ .

² It is addressed to the cantons and the bodies which carry out checks pursuant to the orders referred to in para. 2.

¹ Basic controls are used to verify that the provisions of the orders referred to in s. 1, para. 2, in the areas mentioned in Annex 1, are complied with throughout the operation.

² Instructions for certain basic controls are set out in Appendix 2.

³ Basic checks may be carried out by means of different methods of control, subject to other provisions of the orders referred to in Art. 1, para. 2.

¹ Each operation is subject to basic controls for each field, in principle in each production unit and for each industry. The length of time between two basic checks shall not be longer than the period laid down in Annex 1 for each field, since the end of the calendar year concerned shall be understood as the end of the period.

² The cantons shall ensure the coordination of basic controls so that an operation is not, in principle, checked more than once per calendar year. Exceptions to coordination are possible in particular for:

A.

Basic controls that do not require the presence of the operator;

B.

Basic controls on the following types of direct payments:

1. ¹

Contributions to biodiversity for level II quality and networking,

2.

Contribution to the quality of the landscape

3.

Contributions to resource efficiency.

³ At least 10 % of the basic checks on the protection of animals and contributions to animal welfare are carried out without prior notice.

¹ In addition to the basic controls referred to in s. 3, controls are carried out according to the risks presented by each operation. Risks are identified based on the following criteria, including:

A.

Gaps identified in previous controls;

B.

Suspected failure to comply with the requirements;

C.

Significant changes in an operation;

D.

Extraordinary events, such as diseases or epizootics;

E.

Important elements that could not be controlled within the framework of the basic control.

² In addition to the basic controls referred to in s. 3 and the controls referred to in para. 1, controls are carried out on randomly selected farms.

³ As regards contributions to biodiversity for the quality of Level II, the controls provided for in paras. 1 and 2 are carried out each year in at least 1 % of the announced farms. During these inspections, compliance with operating expenses is verified for a selection of advertised surfaces. ¹

⁴ With regard to holdings whose products are certified in accordance with the Ordinance of 22 September 1997 on organic farming ² , it must also take into account s. 30 of the Ordinance on Organic Agriculture in the Determination of Basic Controls under Art. 3 and additional controls according to paras. 1 and 2.

Farms with fewer than 0.25 standard labour units and less than three large livestock units and fish and bee farms are not subject to the provisions of ss. 3 and 4. The cantons determine how often these holdings are to be controlled.

¹ If another body governed by public law, the cantonal executing authority, or a body governed by private law, carries out the checks, the cooperation with the cantonal executing authority must be settled in a written contract. The cantonal execution authority must ensure compliance with the contractual provisions and ensure that the requirements of the Confederation concerning the carrying out of the controls are complied with.

² The bodies of private law must be accredited in accordance with the order of 17 June 1996 on accreditation and designation ¹ According to the standard "SN EN ISO/IEC 17020 General criteria for the operation of different types of inspection bodies" ² This provision does not apply to the control of data on surfaces, contributions to particular crops and the following types of direct payments:

A.

Contribution for the extensive cultivation of cereals, sunflowers, pulses and rapeseed;

B. ³

Contributions to biodiversity for Level II quality and networking;

C.

Contribution to the quality of the landscape

D.

Contributions to resource efficiency.

³ ... ⁴

⁴ Other provisions concerning accreditation resulting from, where appropriate, the legal bases specific to the various fields are also decisive.

⁵ If the person in charge of the control finds a clear and serious breach of the provisions of one of the orders referred to in s. 1, para. 2, this failure must be announced to the competent implementing authorities, even if that person has not been given the task of monitoring compliance with the relevant provisions.

¹ Each canton shall designate a coordination coordination service responsible for the coordination of basic checks in accordance with Art. 3.

² The canton or the control coordination unit shall communicate to each supervisory body before the start of a period of control:

A.

Which areas must be controlled on which farms;

B.

Whether to carry out the controls with or without notice;

C.

When it must perform the controls.

⁴ The Control Coordination Service shall keep a list of the implementing authorities and their areas of competence.

The Federal Office of Agriculture is monitoring the execution of this order, in cooperation with the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs, the Federal Office for the Environment and the Federal Unit for the Industry Food.

¹ The ordinance of 26 October 2011 on the coordination of controls ¹ Is repealed.

² The amendment to other Acts is set out in Schedule 3.

This order shall enter into force on 1 ^Er January 2014.