Posted Nov. 19, 2009
Iowa pork producers have overwhelmingly embraced an industry-wide quality assurance program launched in mid-2007.
In a little more than two years, more than 10,000 Iowa pork producers, employees and other personnel have become certified in the industry’s Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus) program.
PQA Plus, as well as the Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA) program, is part of the We Care responsible pork initiative established by the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council. By participating in this initiative, pork producers demonstrate their commitment to safe food, animal well-being, public health, the environment, employees and their local communities.
PQA Plus certification reminds pork producers how to use antibiotics responsibly, maintain adequate records and provide proper care to ensure animal well-being.
“The producers I’m working with are already doing these things and the documentation being requested is above and beyond their normal routine,” said Dave Stender, an Iowa State University Extension swine specialist who has facilitated many of the PQA Plus training sessions. “It proves they’re willing to go the extra mile to ensure that pork production is animal welfare-friendly and a safe product is produced.”
PQA Plus is a two-part program. First, producers receive individual certification by meeting and reviewing 10 good production practices with a PQA Plus advisor. After achieving certification, producers are asked to complete a PQA Plus Site Assessment to achieve site status. During this process, a PQA Plus advisor — generally a livestock veterinarian or extension specialist — evaluates the producer’s operation and makes any necessary recommendations to improve facilities, record keeping, air quality and animal well-being on the farm. Individual certification and site assessments must be completed every three years to maintain PQA Plus certification and site status.
“More than 1,300 pork production sites in Iowa have achieved PQA Plus site status,” said Tyler Bettin, Iowa Pork Producers Association producer education director. “Pork producers want to show consumers they are doing everything possible to provide the proper care for their animals.”
Additionally, nearly 5,100 individuals in Iowa have been certified in the TQA program. TQA helps swine transporters, producers and handlers understand how to properly handle, move and transport pigs and the potential impact of those actions on animal well-being and pork quality.
“I believe [the certifications] shows the commitment of our pork producers to the industry and that they’re doing the right thing, taking care of the animals, the environment and producing a safe, wholesome product for consumers,” said National Pork Board President Tim Bierman, a PQA Plus-certified producer from Larrabee.
IPPA and the National Pork Board are encouraging all producers to become PQA Plus-certified and achieve PQA Plus site status prior to Dec. 31, 2010.
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