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3rd party audits: Are you prepared?
Sow Bridge Lecture Series
May 2014
Amber Stricker MS, DVM
Suidae Health and Production
515-341-7044 amber_stricker@suidaehp.com
Audit:
u Definition:
u (noun) -an official inspection of an individual's or organization's accounts, typically by an independent body.
u synonyms: inspection, examination, verification, scrutiny, probe, investigation, assessment, appraisal, evaluation, review, analysis
u Typically invokes anxiety and defensiveness
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Our opponents
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Our industry is changing
u Audits are now a part of raising pigs and are here to stay.
u Your farm WILL eventually be audited
u Being prepared in advance makes for a better experience
u Showcase your farm and your passion for caring for animals
u PQA +, TQA, Packer requirements
u Tool for personal development
u Enhances consumer confidence
u Provides for an insurance policy against animal neglect/abuse allegations and food safety liabilities
u Sets guidelines for what the industry considers to be best practices
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About the auditors
u All audits conducted by Validus trained auditors
u Validus:
u Independent certification company that prepares food companies and producers for changing market demands.
u Based in Urbandale, IA
u Created audits designed to meet the specs for each packer= proprietary
u Hormel and JBS audits are identical
u Tyson will accept a JBS/Hormel audit
u Auditors have knowledge of swine production and should be familiar with basic farm terminology
u Temporarily suspended auditing due to PEDv
u Auditors preparing to be out in full force come May
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If When your farm is selected for an audit:
u Notified by hog buyer in advance
u Validus auditor will contact you to ask about your farm’s biosecurity requirements
u Audits typically take 6-8 hrs for a sow farm and 5-6 hrs for a grow-finish farm.
u Records
u Animal observations
u Interviewing caretakers
u Based on a point system
u Animal observations make up the most points
u Documentation makes up fewer points
u Need to have 80-85% to pass the audit
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Critical failures
u Require immediate corrective action to be submitted within 24 hrs.
u Include the following:
u Failure to have emergency back-up equipment
u Solid sided buildings must have alarm and generator that can be started up within 30 min. of the power failure.
u Curtain sided barns must have auto-magnetic curtain drops and a generator or alarm
u Euthanasia technique
u Must be an approved technique in accordance with the AASV/NPB Guidelines for Euthanasia of Swine
u Equipment should be readily available, functioning and properly stored
u Timely euthanasia
u Animals must not be kept in a state of suffering
u Refer to PQA Plus handbook for definition of timely euthanasia
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Critical failures continued…
u Terminal C-sections must not be practiced
u Non-ambulatory animals
u Animals that are loaded onto transport vehicles must be able to walk on all four limbs.
u Electric prod use
u Must not be used on piglets, weanlings or feeder pigs
u Must not be used more than twice on any one animal
u Must not be used in pens
u Must not be used in sensitive areas
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Critical failures cont..
u Failure to have an animal welfare policy
u Policy must be posted
u Must state that there is zero tolerance for animal abuse or mistreatment
u i.e. no willful acts of abuse, dragging of live animals, swinging gates on animals,etc.
u Failure to provide documentation of daily observation of the sick pen
u Need to track individual animals on a daily basis
u Should match the standard operating procedure for sick pen management
u Failure to provide access to food at least 1x/24 hrs or water at least 2x/day
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Consequences for failures
u Vary depending on packer
u Critical failures require immediate action
u Written corrective action reports will be requested
u Major non-conformances or critical failures will result in a follow-up on-farm audit
u Farm may be responsible for bearing the cost
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Summary of additional requirements:
u Site information
u Standard operating procedures
u Protocols and policies
u Packer specific information (Tyson)
u PQA+ and TQA documentation
u Site Records
u Be familiar with your packer’s program specifications.
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Site information:
u “No entrance to site” sign posted in a prominent location
u Premise ID number
u List of current caretakers
u Emergency contact sheet
u VCPR certificate
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Standard Operating Procedures
u A set of written instructions that detail all the steps and activities of a process or procedure followed by an operation.
u Should reflect day to day procedures on the farm
u Reviewed at least annually with all caretakers
u Should be dated at each revision and accessible to all caretakers
u Written in a language that all caretakers can understand
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Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
u Examples of SOPs to include:
u Caretaker training
u Site biosecurity
u Animal handling
u Daily pig care
u Broken needles
u Medication and treatment
u Facility repair and maintenance
u Record keeping and retention
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Protocols and Policies
u Written animal care policy
u Includes zero tolerance of willful acts of abuse or neglect
u Any occurrence of neglect or abuse must be reported ASAP
u Consequences relating to abuse or neglect including disciplinary actions
u Must be dated, signed by all caretakers and posted
u Animal abuse reporting policy
u Written policy including email or phone number with voicemail that caretakers can report abuse or improper care.
u Contact information posted and reviewed annually
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Protocols and Policies
u Written euthanasia action plan for each stage of production
u Posted in a prominent location
u Must be an approved technique in accordance with the AASV/NPB Guidelines for Euthanasia of Swine
u Blunt force trauma is approved for use only in suckling piglets <12 lbs.
u Must include an alternative method
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Packer specific information
u Tyson
u Certificate of understanding
u Signed by all caretakers prior to working with pigs
u Kept on site for review
u Internal animal care audits
u Conducted monthly on grow-finish sites and weekly on sow farms
u Kept on site for review
u Tyson annual competency exams
u Completed by all caretakers annually
u Kept on site for review
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PQA Plus and TQA certification
u PQA Plus and TQA reference material on site for review
u PQA Plus site status is current
u PQA Plus certification is current for all caretakers
u TQA certification is current for all caretakers
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Site Records u Visitor sign-in log
u Caretaker training records
u Daily observation records u Kept by room/barn
u To include initials of caretaker and temperature recording
u Daily observation of pigs in the treatment area
u Medication and treatment records u Must contain minimum FDA required information
u Out of feed events record
u Annual dead and non-ambulatory in transit
u Annual mortality records
u Monthly site maintenance checklist
u Monthly warning system and back-up equipment check
u Activated alarm record
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Resources
u Packer program specifications
u Tyson, Hormel, JBS- all have written details of expectations
u PQA Plus and TQA materials
u Herd veterinarian or PQA advisor
u Animal care services
u Several services exist to aid producers in getting into compliance
u Suidae Health and Production-Animal Care and Training Service (ACTS)
u Develop site specific protocols and record templates, face-to-face review of materials with caretakers, on-farm audits with caretakers to review current practices.
u Learn more at www. suidaehp.com
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Final words of advice
u If marketing to more than 1 packer:
u Request the auditor does the most comprehensive audit of the packers you work with
u i.e. Market to Tyson and JBS- Request auditor to conduct the JBS audit which will suffice for both.
u Should not be audited more than 1x/3 yrs
u Still eligible for NPB 3rd party verification audit
u Ask for help from your veterinarian, PQA Plus advisor, etc.
u Pre-audit walk-throughs are valuable
u View audits as a chance to learn and improve
u BE PREPARED!
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Thank you for your time! Questions?
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