The State Food and Veterinary Service is a governmental institution, implementing State policy in food and veterinary fields. The main tasks of the State Food and Veterinary service:
Protect the interests of consumers, ensuring that the imported/exported foodstuffs meet the protection, labelling and other mandatory requirements determined by the legislation;
Ensure veterinary and hygiene control on all food handling stages (starting with the plants and animals nurturing for food to food supply for consumers);
Protect the territory of the country from the introduction of contagious diseases; organize animal protection from the contagious diseases and eradication of disease focuses; ensure the welfare of animals;
Encourage the integration into the European Union in veterinary and food sectors.
History. State Food and Veterinary Service was established in the year 2000, after reorganizing State Veterinary Service and its subordinate institutions, State Hygiene Inspection under the Ministry of Health and the State Quality Inspection under the State Service for Competition and Protection of Consumer Rights. The State Food and Veterinary Service overtook the functions of the above-mentioned institutions and executes food control on all food handling stages “from stable to table”.
Work organization. The State Food and Veterinary Service is headed by the director- Lithuania’s Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), who is accountable to the Prime Minister. The director has 4 deputy directors. The inner work of SFVS is organized by the heads of departments, who are directly accountable to the director.
Subordinate institutions. The institutions that are subordinate to the State Food and Veterinary Service: National Veterinary Laboratory, Border and Transport State Veterinary Service, State Inspection on Veterinary Preparations, Food and Veterinary Audit Service and also State Food and Veterinary Services of 10 counties, 4 cities and 34 districts.