We Care 

Pork producers understand that providing a safe, wholesome food supply for consumers is a great responsibility. We believe that each and every one of us must demonstrate our commitment to ethical animal agriculture and respect for the communities in which we live. Accordingly, we all have an obligation to affirm our commitment to:
  • Produce safe food
  • Protect and promote animal well-being
  • Ensure practices to protect public health
  • Safeguard natural resources
  • Provide a safe work environment
  • Contribute to a better quality of life in our communities
For more information visit Pork Cares
 

Pork Quality Assurance Plus

Originally introduced in 1989, Pork Quality Assurance®, has become the industry’s leading education and certification program focused on food safety and animal care. The program has been enhanced numerous times since its introduction and is now known as PQA Plus. Enhancements to PQA Plus incorporate new scientific knowledge, the latest research and new components, including an on-farm site assessment of animal care practices.

The practices and principles promoted through PQA Plus were developed in collaboration with food safety experts, veterinarians and scientists and go beyond what current regulation requires of on-farm food safety practices. 
 
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10 Good Production Practices

The PQA program’s 10 Good Production Practices serve as guidelines for safe and responsible use of animal health products and for continually and objectively evaluating and, when necessary, improving animal care.Use a veterinarian/client/patient relationship (VCPR) as the basis for medication decision-making.

  1. Use an appropriate veterinarian/client/patient relationship (VCPR) as the basis for medication decision-making.
  2. Establish and implement an efficient and effective herd health management plan.
  3. Use antibiotics responsibly.
  4. Properly store and administer animal health products.
  5. Follow proper feed processing protocols.
  6. Establish Effective Swine Identification, Medication Records and Withdrawal Times
  7. Practice Good Environmental Stewardship.
  8. Maintain Proper Workplace Safety.
  9. Provide proper care to improve swine well-being.
  10. Utilize tools for continuous improvement.  

Transport Quality Assurance

Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) is a program that helps ensure transporters and producers understand the proper ways to handle, move and transport pigs, and the potential impacts of those actions on pig well-being and pork quality. Anyone who handles or transports pigs or sets protocols for handling pigs is a potential influencer of animal well-being and pork quality. Those completing all the necessary education and training receive program certification.
 
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