Documents of the QS Scheme Manual

• Guideline General Regulations
  General description of the QS scheme with its regulations such as system participation, use of the QS certification mark, sanction procedures, crisis and incident management, etc.
  
  
• 18529
  Procedures for sanctioning violations of the system contract or requirements in the QS scheme.
  
  

• 18387
  Requirements for certification bodies and auditors as well as rules for independent control (performance of audits, preparation of audit reports, audit frequency).
  
  
• 18385
  Specifications on the form and content of certificates and confirmations issued by certification bodies.
  
  
• 18386
  Overview of the sites (production scopes) in the system chain meat and meat products for which unannounced audits are to be carried out.

• 18426
  Instructions for the implementation of feed monitoring. To be used for all system partners of the feed industry level, small-scale producers of feed materials, livestock owners and laboratories.
  
  
  • Annex 8.1 Table of Parameters and Methods
    Overview of parameters and test procedures (methods) for feed monitoring.
    
    
  • 18419
    Overview of maximum levels and QS guideline values for feed in feed monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 8.3 Analysis spectrum for Pesticides
    List of test spectra for plant protection products in feed monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 8.4 Registration form for laboratories
    Application for laboratories to apply for QS recognition feed monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 8.8 Analysis spectrum for antibiotic active substances
    Additional control plans that must be adhered in addition to the annual analyses required in the QS scheme in accordance with the Guideline Feed Monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 8.6 Ad-hoc monitoring plans
    Ad hoc monitoring plans to be followed in addition to the annual analyses required by the QS scheme in accordance with the Guideline Feed Monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 8.7 Evaluation criteria laboratory performance assessment
    Requirements that a laboratory must fulfill in order to pass a laboratory competence test, as well as explanations as to which requirements must be fulfilled in order to regain QS recognition if the laboratory has lost the QS recognition in this respect.
  • 20632
    Listing of antibiotic active substances of the Stage Feed sector.
    

• Guideline Residue Monitoring Fruit, Vegetables Potatoes
  Guidance for residue monitoring of fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables and potatoes. Applicable for producers, coordinators of producers, wholesalers, sampling institutes and laboratories.
  
  
  • Annex 10.1 Control plan
    

    Overview of the current risk groups and risk source countries of the products and the resulting mandatory samples and testing methods.
    
    

  • Annex 10.2 Sampling Report
    Sampling protocol for sending the sample to the laboratory. Filled out by the sampler.
    
    
  • Annex 10.3 Registration form for laboratories
    Data entry form for laboratories to apply for QS recognition in residue monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 10.4 Evaluation Criteria for Laboratory Performance Assessment
    Evaluation criteria laboratory competence test.
    
    
  • Annex 10.5 Nitrate Quantification: Provisions for the sampling method and processing of samples
    Specifications for the sampling procedure and sample preparation for nitrate determination.
    
    
  • Annex 10.6 Consultancy Protocol
    Protocol for documenting case-related consultation after a complaint has been identified.

Pig:

• Guideline Salmonella Monitoring Pigs
  Instructions for carrying out salmonella monitoring in QS pig fattening stocks. Applicable for pig fattening farms and coordinators, abbattoirs, laboratories as well as samplers, supervising veterinarians and suppliers.
  
  
  • Annex 8.1 Record Sheet for Examination Bodies Salmonella Monitoring (pig)
    Application for inspection bodies (laboratories) for QS recognition in salmonella monitoring.
    
    
  • Annex 8.2 Declaration on the ad-hoc categorization of a pig production farm business
    Form that can be used by the responsible veterinarian as a confirmation of the implementation of sanitation measures to the coordinator.
    
    
  • Annex 8.3 Checklist for Determining Possible Sources of Salmonella
    Checklist for identifying reasons and risks of salmonella contamination. Applicable by all establishments classified in category II.

Poultry:

• Guideline Salmonella Monitoring and Reduction Program for Poultry Production
  Guidance on the implementation of salmonella monitoring in poultry meat production. Applicable to poultry farms (chicken, turkey, peking duck) and coordinators agriculture, abbattoirs, slaughtering/deboning plants, laboratories as well as samplers, supervising veterinarians and suppliers.

Cattle:

• Guideline Antibiotics Monitoring Cattle
  Instructions for performing antibiotic monitoring in cattle including calves. Applicable to owners of cattle, coordinators agriculture and veterinarians.

 

Pig:

• Guideline Antibiotics Monitoring Pig
  Instructions for the implementation of antibiotic monitoring in fattening pigs. Applicable to owners of pigs, coordinators agriculture and veterinarians.

 

Poultry:

• Guideline Antibiotics Monitoring Poultry Production
  Instructions for the implementation of antibiotic monitoring in fattening poultry and fattening poultry breeders. Applicable to livestock owners of fattening poultry and turkeys and their breeders and livestock owners of peking ducks, coordinators agriculture and veterinarians.
  
  
  • Annex 4.1 QS Veterinary Drug Catalogue for Poultry
    Listing of active substances (incl. withdrawal periods) in closed form contained in veterinary medicinal products for the treatment of QS fattening poultry.

Poultry:

• Guideline Diagnostic Data in Poultry Slaughtering
  Requirements for recording poultry slaughter diagnostic data in the diagnostic data database. Applicable to poultry abbattoirs.

• 18392
  Requirements for the produce of in feed material and compound feed, premixes and additives, trade, private labeling, storage and handling, as well as the transport of QS feeds.
  
  
  • Annex 9.1 Recognized standards
    Listing of the QM systems that can be recognized in the QS audit, as well as explanation of mutual recognitions with other standards.
    
    
  • Annex 9.2 Gate-Keeping regulation
    Requirements for gatekeepers of straight feeds, additives, premixes and primary agricultural products.
    
    
  • Annex 9.3 Certification obligation for feed companies
    Overview of all activities of feed businesses with indication, which activities are subject to certification and for which activities a participation in the feed monitoring is required.
    
    
  • Annex 9.4 Exclusion list
    Overviews of prohibited products, of feed material with release testing as well as prohibited fuels.
    
    
  • Annex 9.5 QS-list of feed materials
    List of feed material that may be used in the QS scheme.
    
    
  • Annex 9.6 Quality questionnaire for the procurement of former foodstuffs
    Agreement between QS scheme partner and food producer with requirements for the purchase of former foodstuffs from which feed is to be produced or to be used as such.
    
    
  • Annex 9.7 Supply of products from vegetable oils and fats
    Definition of vegetable oils and fats, which are based on Regulation (EU) 2015/1905, with the purpose of the purpose feed.
    
    
    

QS-Soy Plus

Together with representatives of the entire supply chain, QS developed the Add-on module Purchase of deforestation-free soy to the QS Guideline Feed Sector . As of April 1st, 2023, feed companies can get certified against this module; as of January 1st, 2024, it will be mandatory for all feed producers and traders processing or trading soy products. As a result, as of January 1st, 2024, all soy being used in feed in the QS scheme will be deforestation-free.

• Add-on module QS-Soyplus (valid from 01.01.2025)
• Annex 4.1 Soybeans products scope QS-Soyplus
• Annex 4.2 Recognized standards for the soybean production
• Annex 4.3 Recognized systems for the add-on module QS-SoyPlus for feed trade and production

Auditchecklists Feed Sector

• 18444
  Requirements for cattle production, calf production, feeder and calf rearing, dairy cattle husbandry and suckler and nurse cow husbandry.
  
  
• 18445
  Requirements for pig production, piglet rearing, gilts/boars rearing as well as sow management and piglets until weaning.
  
  
• 18446
  Requirements for poultry production, turkey rearing and production as well as peking duck rearing and production.
  
  
• 18443
  Requirements for breeding poultry (chickens and turkeys) and for breeding stock (male and female) used for hatching production.
  
  
• Guideline Hatchery
  Requirements for handling hatching eggs and chicks for the production of chicken and turkey chicks.
  
  
• Guideline Livestock Transport
  Requirements for the documentation and execution of the transport of cattle, pigs and poultry for commercial transport companies and abbattoir-owned transports.

Audit Checklist Pig Farmers

Audit Checklist Cattle Farmers

Audit Checklist Poultry Farmers

Audit Livestock Transport

• 18442
  Tasks and duties to coordinators who organize participation in the QS scheme for livestock farms, horticultural farms, animal transport companies, arable farms, and grassland and forage farms.
  
  
  • Annex 13.1: Registration of producers with GLOBALG.A.P. certificates Option 2/ Option 1 Multisite with QMS
    Requirements for coordinators when registering certificate holders and producers with GLOBALG.A.P. certificates under option 2 and/or under option 1 multisite with Quality Management System (QMS).
    
    
  • Annex 13.2: Participation in the QS scheme with GLOBALG.A.P certificates Option 2
    Requirements for certificate holders with GLOBALG.A.P. certificates under option 2 and affiliated producers to participate in the QS scheme, as well as the requirements for labeling the goods from these farms with the QS certification mark.
    
    
  • Annex 13.3: Participation in the QS scheme with GLOBALG.A.P certification option 1 Multisite with QMS
    Requirements for producers with GLOBALG.A.P. certificates under option 1 Multisite with implementation of a quality management system for participation in the QS scheme (QMS), as well as the requirements for marking the goods from these farms with the QS certification mark.

Audit checklist Coordinators Agriculture/Production

• Guideline Slaughtering/Deboning
  Requirements for slaughtering and deboning of cattle, pigs and poultry, and for companies where processing takes place, up to meat packaging for the end consumer.
  
  
• Guideline Processing Meat and Meat Products
  Requirements for the processing of meat, meat products and meat preparations and products with an addition of meat or meat products.

Audit checklist Slaughtering/Deboning

Audit checklist Processing Meat and Meat Products

• Guideline Meat Wholesale
  Requirements for the wholesale meat trade.
  
  
• Guideline Meat Wholesale
  Requirements for brokers performing trading activities with QS goods. The broker is the owner of the QS commodity without necessarily coming into contact with it.
  
  
• Guideline Logistics Meat and Meat Products
  Requirements for storage and transport of meat and meat products, which is carried out on behalf of QS scheme partners. Storage companies are not owners of the QS goods.
  
  
• 15417
  Requirements for the use of the QS certification mark for composite products such as mixed salads or ready meals.
  
  

Audit Checklist Meat Wholesale

Audit Checklist Broker Meat and Meat Products

• Guideline Pet food
  Requirements for the production of feed for pets, especially dogs and cats. Certification in accordance with these guidelines is a prerequisite for labelling pet food with the seal of the Initiative Tierwohl (ITW).
  
  

Audit Checklists Pet Food

• Guideline Production Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes (Version 2024 initially valid until 31.03.2025)
  Requirements for the cultivation, harvesting, preparation and marketing of fruit and vegetables (outdoor/protected cultivation) and potatoes at the producer.
  
  
• Guideline QS-GAP Production Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes (Version 2024 valid until 31.03.2025)
  With GLOBALG.A.P. benchmarked standard with requirements for cultivation, harvest, preparation and marketing of fruit and vegetables (field/protected cultivation).
  
  
  • Annex 9.1/11.1 Possible input substances for biogas plants
    List of possible feedstocks for biogas plants whose fermentation substrates are permitted under conditions are allowed in fruit, vegetable and potato cultivation.
    
    
  • Annex 11.2 Requirements for preparation processes
    Requirements for the production of greens, for peeling processes, and for the marketing of these processed and, where applicable, packaged products as QS goods as well as potatoes at the producer.

Audit Checklists Production Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes

• Guideline Preparation/Processing Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes
  Requirements for the processes in fruit, vegetable and potato processing and processing plants (except branches of the food retail trade).
  
  

Audit Checklist Preparation/Processing Fruit,Vegetables, Potatoes

• Guideline Wholesale Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes
  Requirements for wholesale (including agencies) of fruit, vegetables, potatoes with fresh and processed goods.
  
  
• Guideline Logistics Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes
  Requirements for logistics companies that exclusively transport and/or store fresh and processed fruits and vegetables and potatoes and, if applicable, pick them, but do not own the goods.

Audit Checklist Wholesale Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes

Audit Checklist Logistics Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes

In order to avoid double audits, QS scheme participants can have the requirements for the claim without GMO/VLOG verified defined by the Verband Lebensmittel ohne Gentechnik e. V. (VLOG) checked in the QS audit. (VLOG) can be checked in the QS audit.

• Add-on module VLOG for the feed sector
  Additional requirements that can be checked in the QS audit as a basic prerequisite for the label Ohne Gentechnik. Applicable to the feed industry.