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Qu a l i t y A s s u r a n c e .
Fr om f a rm t o s h o p .
QS – Report 2012
Outlook 2013
Advisory Board Beef,
Veal and Pork
“
Accentuate the main
points together in an active
dialogue”
What dominated the work of the advisory
board in 2012?
The Advisory Board Beef, Veal and Pork had to
get involved intensively last year with the subject
of animal welfare. At a special meeting in July, we
discussed whether and how additional animal
welfare criteria can be implemented above the legal
standards. What is clear here is that there can only
be more animal welfare on a voluntary basis. In
addition to this, farmers have to receive financial
compensation for the additional expense and effort.
What were the most important resolutions
passed in 2012?
With our decision to introduce unannounced
audits in the QS scheme, we took an important
step towards more transparency and reliability.
From 2013, either regular audits will be conducted
without prior notification or unannounced spot
audits will be conducted in addition to scheduled
regular audits. These spot audits focus mainly on the
visual inspection of operating processes – above all
animal welfare and hygiene – and the examination of
traceability.
On top of this, we installed a monitoring programme
for the recording of all antibiotics prescriptions in
pig production within the QS scheme with effect
from 1 September 2012. This will give us a proper
overview of the use of antibiotics in pig production.
Furthermore, the comparison of businesses should
help farmers and vets to introduce measures which
will further reduce the use of antibiotics.
Advisory Board Poultry
“
Justify consumers’ trust
through transparent
processes”
What dominated the work of the
advisory board in 2012?
The poultry industry turned word into actions in
2012.
With its decision to introduce unannounced
spot audits and an antibiotics monitoring, the
advisory board for poultry made a decisive
contribution towards further increasing transparency
in poultry production.
What were the most important resolutions
passed in 2012?
One focal point of the work of the advisory board was
the establishment of antibiotics monitoring. Within
a very short space of time, we adopted a guideline
in which the responsibilities as well as the type and
extent of the data to be recorded are clearly regulated
along with access rights. We initiated the build-up
of an antibiotics database and clarified the funding.
Only four months after the initial decision was made,
we were able to start recording data on 1 April 2012.
From the advisory boards
The chairmen reply
Where do you see the challenges for the QS
scheme in 2013?
One of the main tasks will be to bring to life our
resolutions from last year. We have to ensure that the
value added by unannounced audits and antibiotics
monitoring becomes clear to everyone both inside
and outside the QS scheme. In addition, we have
to actively continue the dialogue on animal welfare
with everyone involved. We have to take the initiative
here by ourselves.
Johannes Röring,
Chairman of the Advisory Board Beef, Veal,
Pork and President of the agricultural association
Westfälisch-Lippischer Landwirtschaftsverband e.V.