Audits for livestock producers will only get tougher
Accreditation requirements and farm audits are a pain. It often feels like we should be doing something more productive, but reality is, compliance is here to stay and it is only becoming tougher as time goes on.
This isn't a bad thing. These accreditation's are only benefiting the reputation of the Australian meat and livestock industry. Consumers are placing an emphasis on food products that are fresh, wholesome and have been produced under acceptable animal welfare practices. To achieve consumer trust we must show (through accreditation) that we are listening and adhering to their wishes.
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The most important and involved accreditation for Australian livestock producers is the LPA assurance program.
Livestock Production Assurance (LPA)
Let's be honest, an LPA accreditation is a must. While technically voluntary, if you're selling livestock to a processor, you need to be on-top of this one.
The LPA covers food safety, animal welfare and biosecurity. It provides evidence of livestock history and on-farm practices while transferring livestock through the value chain.
With 3000 random audits done around Australia per year, it is a must to make sure that your operation is LPA compliant, so is it? For more info on the LPA program head to the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) website.
Other Accreditation Programs
There are many more accreditation programs that could benefit your pocket, it's worth exploring the options.
- JBS Farm Assurance
Implemented in 20211, the JBS farm assurance program was created to ensure suppliers meet both food safety standards and animal welfare standards as well as quality assurance and traceability, which are all integral to the agriculture sector. The JBS Farm Assurance program is accredited and audited for integrity. - Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System (PCAS)
- European Union Cattle Accreditation Scheme (EU)
- Meat Standards Australia (MSA)
Compliance with Mobble
With the number of audits increasing and a growing number of accreditation programs, it is important to have up-to-date farm and livestock records. This is where Mobble comes in. Mobble is an app built to simplify the farm and livestock management system while making record keeping easy. It covers key audit requirements such as:
- Treatments of livestock
- Chemical inventory (batch numbers, expiry dates, WHP/ESI, etc.)
- Fodder crops, grain and pasture treatments
- Biosecurity
- + more
Free tip! - Make a habit of recording farm and livestock events when it happens. This can be done safely through Mobble. It's quick, easy and can be done by anyone on-farm. For more info on Mobble click here.
Signing off,
Jock
p.s. If you have any questions feel free to get into contact via my email at j@mobble.io or give me a call on 0448277319.