The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) requires all pork exporters to verify the pork and pig offal that they export meets the food safety requirements of the importing country.

“Both AQIS and exporters have agreed that from 1 January 2007, pigs may not be accepted for export process if producers are not able to include a current QA certification number on each PigPass NVD form,” Mr Spencer said.

As a result of the looming January 2007 deadline, APL have developed a simplified onfarm QA system, PigPass QA, to assist in managing food safety risks and providing supporting evidence for the answers giving on the PigPass NVD.

“PigPass QA is a simplified alternative to the full Australian Pig Industry Quality (APIQ) certification and allows producers to quickly meet the new requirements and maintain their supply to export markets without interruption,” Mr Spencer said.

PigPass QA should only be considered as an interim measure, with the intention of moving all producers onto APIQ in the future. APL will use feedback from PigPass QA to simplify APIQ and the transition required by producers to move to full APIQ certification.

APL is urging all pork producers, not yet certified under APIQ or equivalent SQF1000, to contact their buyer/s to determine what training is required to qualify them for certification.

There are three options available to achieve PigPass QA certification.

• Attend a sponsored training day, organised through export processors, and walk
  away with a provisional PigPass QA certification
  (Please note in Western Australia the training sessions are being organised by
  the West Australian Pork Producers Association WAPPA)
  
• Contact a APIQ auditor in your state and walk away with a provisional PigPass
  QA certification, or
  
• Complete the PigPass QA manual yourself and work through in your own time.

ThePigsite News Desk