Farm assurance
Encyclopedia
Farm assurance is product certification
for agricultural
products that emphasises the principles of quality assurance
. The emphasis on quality assurance means that, in addition to product inspection, farm assurance schemes may include standards and certification for traceability, production methods, transport, and supplies.
In the United Kingdom and Australia, the major farm assurance programmes are based on a quality management system for food safety that originated with the US space agency NASA, known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
(HACCP). In these and other countries, assurance is underpinned by principles and standards for good manufacturing practice
(GMP), good agricultural practice (GAP), good hygienic practice and good trade practice.
Examples of farm assurance schemes include:
In 2004, 65% of United Kingdom farm production was farm assured, and by 2006, £6 billion worth of food was packed annually under the United Kingdom's Red Tractor farm assurance mark, including over 90% of the country's pig and dairy production.
Some farm assurance schemes are given legal force, either by use of trademarks or by oversight by government regulators of agriculture and food standards.
While mostly associated with food production, farm assurance can be applied to other agricultural products, such as textiles, flowers, tobacco
and biofuels.
In order to obtain farm product certification, assurance may be required for farm supplies.
For example, the UK's Red Tractor scheme is supported by assurance programmes for fodder
(UFAS, FEMAS) and fertiliser (FIAS).
One example of such a programme is the United States Quality Standards for grading, certification and verification: the USDA beef grades depend on physical attributes of the meat, plus the age of the animal.
Product certification
Product certification or product qualification is the process of verifying that a certain product has passed performance tests and quality assurance tests or qualification requirements stipulated in contracts, regulations, or specifications...
for agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
products that emphasises the principles of quality assurance
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance, or QA for short, is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to maximize the probability that minimum standards of quality are being attained by the production process...
. The emphasis on quality assurance means that, in addition to product inspection, farm assurance schemes may include standards and certification for traceability, production methods, transport, and supplies.
In the United Kingdom and Australia, the major farm assurance programmes are based on a quality management system for food safety that originated with the US space agency NASA, known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
Hazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP , is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection...
(HACCP). In these and other countries, assurance is underpinned by principles and standards for good manufacturing practice
Good Manufacturing Practice
"Good manufacturing practice" or "GMP" are practices and the systems required to be adapted in pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality control, quality system covering the manufacture and testing of pharmaceuticals or drugs including active pharmaceutical ingredients, diagnostics, foods,...
(GMP), good agricultural practice (GAP), good hygienic practice and good trade practice.
Examples of farm assurance schemes include:
- organic certificationOrganic certificationOrganic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. In general, any business directly involved in food production can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, [food] processors, retailers and restaurants.Requirements vary...
- The Non-GMO ProjectThe Non-GMO ProjectThe Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization, created by representing all sectors of the organic and natural products industry in the U.S. and Canada, to offer consumers a consistent non-GMO choice for food and products that are produced without genetic engineering or recombinant DNA...
, a US organization whose Product Verification Program certifies products that follow best practices to avoid GMO contamination - Red Tractor mark, a UK quality assurance programme for animal products and crops
- Freedom Food, animal welfare assurance from the RSPCA
- Grainsafe, Indiana-based programme
- IKB (Integrated chain control system), Netherlands programme
- the Australian dairy industry's range of HAACP-based programmes
In 2004, 65% of United Kingdom farm production was farm assured, and by 2006, £6 billion worth of food was packed annually under the United Kingdom's Red Tractor farm assurance mark, including over 90% of the country's pig and dairy production.
Some farm assurance schemes are given legal force, either by use of trademarks or by oversight by government regulators of agriculture and food standards.
While mostly associated with food production, farm assurance can be applied to other agricultural products, such as textiles, flowers, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
and biofuels.
In order to obtain farm product certification, assurance may be required for farm supplies.
For example, the UK's Red Tractor scheme is supported by assurance programmes for fodder
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
(UFAS, FEMAS) and fertiliser (FIAS).
Other quality standards
Other widely used agricultural quality standards are based entirely on product inspection, and do not rely on other aspects of quality assurance.One example of such a programme is the United States Quality Standards for grading, certification and verification: the USDA beef grades depend on physical attributes of the meat, plus the age of the animal.
See also
- Certified Naturally GrownCertified Naturally GrownCertified Naturally Grown is a non-profit alternate farm assurance certification program created for small-scale organic farmers, and striving to strengthen the organic movement by preserving high organic standards and removing financial barriers that tend to exclude smaller farms that are selling...
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control PointsHazard Analysis and Critical Control PointsHazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP , is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection...
- Quality Assurance InternationalQuality Assurance InternationalQuality Assurance International is a U.S.-based international organic certification company that is authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture as “a USDA-accredited certifying agent that operates globally to certify organic operations to National Organic Program standards.” It is...
- Soil AssociationSoil AssociationThe Soil Association is a charity based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1946, it has over 27,000 members today. Its activities include campaign work on issues including opposition to intensive farming, support for local purchasing and public education on nutrition; as well the certification of...
External links
- UK Farm Assurance Factsheet from the Institute of Grocery Distribution
- Farm assurance statistics from the United Kingdom government
- Farming assurance schemes and standards – UK DEFRA
- Freedom Food – UK scheme from RSPCA
- Red Tractor Assured Food Standards – umbrella programme for several major UK schemes
- Inspection & Grading - What Are The Differences? – Fact sheet from the United States federal Food Safety and Inspection Service (125 papers presented at the 19th ASEAN/1st APEC Seminar on Postharvest Technology held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from 9 to 12 November 1999. PDF downloads.)