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Dear Readers,
Challenging times call for pragmatic solutions and a willingness to act flexibly. To ensure the supply of animal feed and agricultural raw materials even under difficult conditions, QS has introduced a temporary exemption for road transport (feed).
In addition, this issue contains important information for your day-to-day operations. We provide details on checklists for self-assessment, highlight how screening procedures can reduce analysis costs, and explain why corrective actions are a key component of quality assurance. Our aim is to support you in reliably meeting requirements whilst keeping the workload in your company as low as possible.
Stay up to date with QS!
Best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Alexander Hinrichs
What matters to you:
Road transport bottlenecks: Exemption extended through the end of 2026Due to low water levels and the resulting bottlenecks in the transportation sector, QS has established a temporary exemption: Under certain conditions, feed companies may act as gatekeepers for non-certified road transports to ensure the supply of feed and agricultural raw materials. Requirements:
The exemption is valid for the time being until December 31, 2026. |
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Did you know?
Screening can save moneyNot every feed sample needs to be analyzed directly using the more complex and often more costly reference method. In QS feed monitoring, more cost-effective screening methods can also be used for various parameters, such as ELISA for mycotoxins or bioassay for dioxins. If the screening yields a normal result, this finding is sufficient. Only if the cutoff value is exceeded and the screening yields a positive result is a follow-up analysis using the respective reference method or an equivalent method required. The testing methods approved in the QS scheme are specified in Appendix 8.1. An overview of the accredited laboratories and the screening methods they offer can be found here. |
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Self-assessment: QS provides checklistsThe first level of control in the QS scheme is self-assessment. Here, feed companies are responsible for verifying their own compliance with QS requirements. This allows nonconformities to be identified and corrected before they pose a risk to feed safety. The checklists provided by QS can be used to conduct the annual self-assessments. It is not necessary to address all items on the checklist; only the requirements relevant to the specific company need to be addressed. If nonconformities are identified during the self-assessment, the necessary corrective actions and their implementation can also be documented in the checklists. Click here for the checklists. |
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Why does QS do that?
From nonconformity to corrective actionIf nonconformities are identified during an audit and evaluated as C or D/K.O., the feed company proposes appropriate corrective actions. Together with the auditor, actions, deadlines, and responsibilities are defined and documented in the corrective actions report. The goal is not only to rectify the deficiency but also, where appropriate, to identify the root cause and - as the core of any quality assurance system - to ensure that the nonconformity does not recur. Important: Even if a corrective action is implemented during the audit, this does not change the evaluation of the relevant requirement. The evaluation reflects the status at the time of the audit. |
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