Finnish Food Authority
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Finnish Food Safety Authority (2006–2018)
- Agency for Rural Affairs (2007–2018)
- National Land Survey of Finland's IT Service Centre (2015–2018)
| Ruokavirasto Livsmedelsverket | |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2019 |
| Preceding agencies |
|
| Jurisdiction | Government of Finland |
| Headquarters | Alvar Aallon katu 5, 60100 Seinäjoki, Finland |
| Employees | 1,066 (2023)[1] |
| Annual budget | €2.1 billion (2023)[2] |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | ruokavirasto.fi |
Finnish Food Authority (Finnish: Ruokavirasto, Swedish: Livsmedelsverket) is a government agency in Finland. It was established at the beginning of 2019 through the merger of the Finnish Food Safety Authority, the Agency for Rural Affairs, and part of the National Land Survey of Finland's IT Service Centre.[3] The agency's Director General is Dr. Leena Räsänen, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
The Finnish Food Authority's main office is located in Seinäjoki, which was also the headquarters of its predecessor, the Agency for Rural Affairs.[4]
The Finnish Food Authority began operations in early 2019. Its establishment aimed to enhance the effectiveness, customer focus, and cost efficiency of the oversight of the agriculture and food chain. The consolidation also sought to clarify the division of responsibilities among authorities, standardize inspection systems, and modernize operational methods and administrative culture. A key goal was to unify the sector's information systems and improve digital services.[5]
The office of the Food Market Ombudsman was also established under the Finnish Food Authority.[6] Approximately 1,000 employees started working at the agency, spread across 20 locations. The headquarters was set in Seinäjoki.[5]
During its first year, the agency faced financial challenges, leading to budget cuts and internal restructuring. In October 2019, it initiated cooperation negotiations to balance its finances. However, in November 2019, these negotiations were suspended when the Finnish government allocated an additional €5 million to the agency in a supplementary budget.