The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) was a statutory board under the Ministry of National Development that regulated food safety, safeguarded animal and plant health, and facilitated the agri-food and fisheries trade sectors. AVA was disbanded on 1 April 2019, with duties being transferred to other statutory boards, Singapore Food Agency, National Environment Agency, Health Sciences Authority, and National Parks Board. History In June 1959, the agriculture, co-operatives, fisheries, rural development and veterinary divisions of various ministries were reshuffled to form the Primary Production Department, under the new Ministry of National Development. The department was restructured into a statutory board, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, on 1 April 2000. The Food Control Division (formerly part of the Ministry of the Environment) was added to the AVA in July 2002. It regulated food safety, safeguarded animal and plant health, and facilitated the agri-food and fisheries trade sectors. AVA was disbanded on 1 April 2019 with its food related duties absorbed by Singapore Food Agency (SFA) which also absorbed the duties of two other statutory boards namely National Environment Agency (NEA) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA). All non-food plant and animal-related functions of the AVA were transferred to the National Parks Board (NParks) under Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS). SFA is a stat board under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. Functions The components of AVA's food safety system includes: Review of production systems and practices at source, Risk assessment and the setting of food safety and food labelling standards, Tagging of consignments of primary produce to trace sources, and food labelling to facilitate recall, Inspection of primary produce and processed food at the points of entry into Singapore, Pre and post-slaughter inspections at local abattoirs, Inspection and accreditation of source farms, abattoirs, food-processing factories, both local and overseas, Monitoring and surveillance programmes for food-borne hazards in primary and processed food, Laboratory testing capabilities for detecting and analysing pathogens and chemical contaminants in livestock, frozen and chilled meat, live and chilled fish, vegetables, fruits, eggs and processed food, Promoting the adoption of good agricultural and manufacturing practices, and food safety assurance systems by the food industry, Close rapport with other national authorities, Close monitoring of world situation for developments in food safety and potential threats. The food safety system is backed up by enforcement of food safety standards through a legal framework as well as through food safety