Mr Cunningham said the premises would be expected to meet the council's strict hygiene and food safety requirements and would be routinely inspected by officials.

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The recent Food Safety Modernization Act extends these guidelines with new requirements for FDA regulated food companies to establish food defense plans to protect these highest risk production and storage areas.

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The main requirements are long-term agricultural improvements as well as institutions and safety-nets to respond to food crises fast cash-for-work programmes, for instance, or food vouchers to stop people selling their animals out of desperation.

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