§ 5 — Functions of Agency

5.—(1) The Agency has the following functions:(a)

to support regulation of the production of primary produce and animal feed to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of food supply in Singapore;

(b)

to support regulation of the handling and supply of food to ensure that it is safe and suitable for human consumption and to promote public health;

(c)

to support assessing and otherwise requiring that food produced in or imported into Singapore complies with Singapore food standards so as to ensure that it is safe and suitable for human consumption;

(d)

to support regulation of the construction, hygiene and operating procedures of premises, vehicles and equipment used for the handling or supply of food;

(e)

to support regulation of businesses engaged in the handling or supply of food so as to minimise food safety risks and to ensure the provision of information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices;

(f)

to undertake or facilitate the education and training of persons engaged in the handling or supply of food to enable them to minimise food safety risks;

(g)

to support regulation of street hawking and trade fairs, whether or not engaged in the handling or supply of food;

(h)

to develop food education initiatives, including the publication of information to increase public awareness of food supply resilience, food safety, food standards and food labels;

(i)

to protect and conserve fisheries and to regulate the fisheries industry, including the use and control of fishing ports and harbours;

(j)

to promote and develop the food industry, including any enterprise based on or using agri‑biotechnology, agrotechnology or food biotechnology;

(k)

to develop, manage and control the common property of the food processing facilities, food‑distribution facilities and fishing ports in Singapore, and to provide and improve services or amenities to persons working in these facilities or ports to enhance the operations of businesses operating in them;

(l)

to advise the Government on matters relating to the food industry and to food, food safety and food supply, and on matters that may be included in food standards;

(m)

to represent the Government internationally on matters relating to fisheries, and to food, food businesses, food safety, food supply and on matters that may be included in food standards;

(n)

to collect, compile and analyse data about food, the food industry, food businesses, food safety, food supply and matters that may be included in food standards, and to publish the results of any such compilation and analysis or abstracts of those results;

(o)

to accredit, or facilitate accreditation by others in Singapore of, persons in the food industry;

(p)

to promote or undertake research into matters relating to food, the food industry, food businesses, food safety, food supply and on any matter which may be included in food standards;

(q)

to cooperate and collaborate in particular with —(i)

any public officer or other public authority or Health Officer in the administration of the Infectious Diseases Act 1976;

(ii)

the Health Sciences Authority in the administration of the Health Products Act 2007;

(iii)

the Director‑General of Public Health in the administration of the Environmental Public Health Act 1987; and

(iv)

the National Parks Board in the discharge of its functions;

(r)

to perform such other functions as may be conferred on the Agency by any other Act.

(2) In performing the functions conferred on the Agency by subsection (1), the Agency is to have regard to —(a)

the protection of public health and safety;

(b)

the resilience of the food supply chain for Singapore and the need to enhance the capacity of parties involved in the food supply chain to better prepare for and manage the impact of natural or man‑made disasters, climate change and other adverse disruptions on food sources and supply;

(c)

the extent of consistency between food standards in Singapore with those used internationally, based on the best available scientific evidence;

(d)

the provision of adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices and to prevent fraud and deception;

(e)

the promotion of fair trading in food; and

(f)

the promotion of trade and commerce in the food industry.

(3) In addition to the functions conferred by this section, the Agency may undertake such other functions as the Minister may assign to the Agency, by notification in the Gazette, and in so undertaking —(a)

the Agency is deemed to be fulfilling the purposes of this Act; and

(b)

the provisions of this Act apply to the Agency in respect of those other functions and duties.

(4) Nothing in this section imposes on the Agency, directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court to which the Agency would not otherwise be subject.

—(1) The Agency has the following functions:(a)

to support regulation of the production of primary produce and animal feed to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of food supply in Singapore;

(b)

to support regulation of the handling and supply of food to ensure that it is safe and suitable for human consumption and to promote public health;

(c)

to support assessing and otherwise requiring that food produced in or imported into Singapore complies with Singapore food standards so as to ensure that it is safe and suitable for human consumption;

(d)

to support regulation of the construction, hygiene and operating procedures of premises, vehicles and equipment used for the handling or supply of food;

(e)

to support regulation of businesses engaged in the handling or supply of food so as to minimise food safety risks and to ensure the provision of information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices;

(f)

to undertake or facilitate the education and training of persons engaged in the handling or supply of food to enable them to minimise food safety risks;

(g)

to support regulation of street hawking and trade fairs, whether or not engaged in the handling or supply of food;

(h)

to develop food education initiatives, including the publication of information to increase public awareness of food supply resilience, food safety, food standards and food labels;

(i)

to protect and conserve fisheries and to regulate the fisheries industry, including the use and control of fishing ports and harbours;

(j)

to promote and develop the food industry, including any enterprise based on or using agri‑biotechnology, agrotechnology or food biotechnology;

(k)

to develop, manage and control the common property of the food processing facilities, food‑distribution facilities and fishing ports in Singapore, and to provide and improve services or amenities to persons working in these facilities or ports to enhance the operations of businesses operating in them;

(l)

to advise the Government on matters relating to the food industry and to food, food safety and food supply, and on matters that may be included in food standards;

(m)

to represent the Government internationally on matters relating to fisheries, and to food, food businesses, food safety, food supply and on matters that may be included in food standards;

(n)

to collect, compile and analyse data about food, the food industry, food businesses, food safety, food supply and matters that may be included in food standards, and to publish the results of any such compilation and analysis or abstracts of those results;

(o)

to accredit, or facilitate accreditation by others in Singapore of, persons in the food industry;

(p)

to promote or undertake research into matters relating to food, the food industry, food businesses, food safety, food supply and on any matter which may be included in food standards;

(q)

to cooperate and collaborate in particular with —(i)

any public officer or other public authority or Health Officer in the administration of the Infectious Diseases Act 1976;

(ii)

the Health Sciences Authority in the administration of the Health Products Act 2007;

(iii)

the Director‑General of Public Health in the administration of the Environmental Public Health Act 1987; and

(iv)

the National Parks Board in the discharge of its functions;

(r)

to perform such other functions as may be conferred on the Agency by any other Act.

(2) In performing the functions conferred on the Agency by subsection (1), the Agency is to have regard to —(a)

the protection of public health and safety;

(b)

the resilience of the food supply chain for Singapore and the need to enhance the capacity of parties involved in the food supply chain to better prepare for and manage the impact of natural or man‑made disasters, climate change and other adverse disruptions on food sources and supply;

(c)

the extent of consistency between food standards in Singapore with those used internationally, based on the best available scientific evidence;

(d)

the provision of adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices and to prevent fraud and deception;

(e)

the promotion of fair trading in food; and

(f)

the promotion of trade and commerce in the food industry.

(3) In addition to the functions conferred by this section, the Agency may undertake such other functions as the Minister may assign to the Agency, by notification in the Gazette, and in so undertaking —(a)

the Agency is deemed to be fulfilling the purposes of this Act; and

(b)

the provisions of this Act apply to the Agency in respect of those other functions and duties.

(4) Nothing in this section imposes on the Agency, directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court to which the Agency would not otherwise be subject.