SQF Checklist: Primary Animal Production - Edition 9

5.1.1.1 The farm and facilities shall have a risk assessment conducted to evaluate and document the risk to animal production due to prior land use, adjacent land use, and other environmental factors including structures and equipment. Consideration shall be given to the following:

• History of land and building use;

• Topography;

• Adjacent land use; and

• Other factors that may impact the ability to supply safe animal products.

5.2.1.1 Pens, yards, and other open areas where livestock are housed shall be designed, located, constructed, and maintained so as to minimize stress, injury, or disease and have minimal impact on the surrounding area and natural resources. The following shall be included:

• The site, yard, pens, or field entry points prevent the entry by unauthorized visitors either by a lock or other control entry devices;

• Entry and exit points to the site are equipped for cleaning and sanitizing of vehicle wheels;

• Electric fences, where used, are controlled in a manner to avoid stress or discomfort to fenced livestock;

• Fences, gates, and other surfaces in pens and yards are free from paints, dips, sanitizers, and other materials that are likely to cause contamination through ingestion, inhalation, or contact.; and

• Animals, when held for extended periods in pens and yards, have access to adequate supplies of water and food.

5.2.1.2 The design, location, and construction of intensive housing system shall be fit for purpose and protect the animals in expected extremes of climate. The housing and design shall include the following:

• Meet regulatory or industry/national codes of practice;

• Provide sufficient space to enable the animals to lie down and allow freedom of movement;

• Have minimal impact on the surrounding area and natural resources;

• Provide adequate ventilation for a satisfactory living environment and designed to enable effective drainage and a firm footing; and

• Ensure signs are posted or other forms of controlled entry (refer to 5.2.1.1) that controls entry of unauthorized persons.

5.2.1.3 Laneways, races, entrances, exits, and loading/unloading ramps shall be designed, constructed, and maintained to:

• Take advantage of the social behavior and movement of the species and maintained to prevent any potential injury points to animals;

• Ensure that flooring is non-slip to prevent slips and falls;

• Ensure there are no sharp objects that may damage animals; and

• Ensure there is no risk of contamination to the animals as a result of ingestion, inhalation, or contact.

5.2.2.2 Chemical storage locations shall:

• Be compliant with national and local legislation;

• Be designed to ensure there is no cross-contamination between chemicals, proper ventilation to the exterior, and spill control or containment (including tank capacity);

• Be equipped with details of purchase, appropriate and compliant labels, vendor approval, and an up-to-date inventory of all chemicals contained within and removed from the storage location; and

• Be equipped with personnel health and safety requirements, such as signage, safety data sheets, instruction, emergency wash facilities, and other labor law requirements.

5.2.2.5 The site shall dispose of chemical waste and empty containers in accordance with regulatory requirements and ensure that:

• Empty chemical containers are not re-used;

• Empty containers are labeled or rendered unusable, isolated, and securely stored while awaiting collection; and

• Unused and obsolete chemicals are stored under secure conditions while waiting authorized disposal by an approved vendor.

5.2.3.1 The methods and responsibilities to ensure that farm machinery, equipment, vehicles, tools, utensils, forage harvest containers, storage tanks, and other items or materials used in farming operations do not pose a risk to animal product safety shall be documented and implemented. Procedures ensure that these items are:

• Designed and constructed to be fit for purpose, allow for the efficient handling of animal product, and those surfaces in direct contact with animal products are constructed of materials that will not contribute to contamination;

• Identified and included in preventive maintenance, inspection, and cleaning schedules;

• Stored in such a way as to avoid contamination of agricultural inputs or animal products; and

• Not used for non-harvest purposes, unless this is clearly identified, and the items or materials are not returned to use for harvest.

5.3.2.2 The pest prevention program shall:

• Describe the methods and responsibility for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the pest prevention program;

• Record pest sightings and trend the frequency of pest activity to target pesticide applications;

• Outline the methods used to prevent pest problems;

• Outline the methods used to eliminate pests when found;

• Outline the frequency with which pest status is to be checked;

• Include on a site map the identification, location, number, and type of bait stations set; and

• List the chemicals used. Chemicals are required to be approved by the relevant authority and their Safety Data Sheets (SDS) made available.

• Records of pest inspections and pest applications shall be maintained.

5.3.4.1 The cleaning of animal housing, pens, yards, lairages, feed contact equipment, animal health equipment, and sanitary facilities shall be documented and implemented. Cleaning procedures and schedules shall include:

• A list of equipment, animal health and feed handling tools, sanitary facilities, animal production areas, and storage areas that require periodic cleaning;

• Instructions on how cleaning is performed for the various areas and equipment;

• The frequency of when cleaning is to be completed;

• Personnel responsible for performing and verifying or evaluating the cleaning; and

• Records of cleaning activities.

5.4.1.1 A documented and implemented procedure for personal hygiene and personnel practices shall ensure that personnel engaged in the handling of livestock and feedstuffs use appropriate personal hygiene practices. The procedure shall include provisions for:

• Jewelry and other loose objects that pose a threat to animal health and safety of the animal product are not be worn or taken onto any product handling or storage operations; and

• Eating, drinking (potable water is available for employees), and clothing (refer to 5.4.3) requirements where animal health and safety of animal products is at risk.

5.4.2.1 Toilet facilities shall be provided and designed, constructed, and located in a manner that minimizes the potential risk for product contamination.

• There shall be sufficient toilet facilities for the maximum number of personnel, and they shall be constructed so they can be easily cleaned and maintained;

• Handwash basins with clean and potable water, hand soap, disposable towels or effective hand drying devices, waste bins, and a tank that captures used handwash water for disposal (if not connected to drains) shall be provided inside or adjacent to toilet facilities;

• Signage in appropriate languages shall be provided adjacent to handwash basins instructing personnel to wash their hands after each toilet visit;

• Racks for protective clothing used by personnel shall be provided;

• Toilets shall be located to provide easy access for farmworkers; and

• Toilet and wash stations shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. Tools/equipment used for cleaning toilet rooms shall not be used to clean operational areas.

5.4.2.2 Personnel shall have clean hands and hands shall be washed by all personnel:

• Before handling animal product;

• Before putting on gloves;

• After each visit to a toilet;

• After using a handkerchief, handling dirty or contaminated material; and

• After smoking, eating, or drinking.

5.5.1.2 The methods and responsibilities for the care, handling, and management of livestock shall be documented and implemented. It shall ensure:

• Employees are trained and competent in animal handling and welfare and are able to recognize the early signs of distress and disease and minimize animal stress;

• Animals have an adequate source of clean feed and uncontaminated water at all times;

• Animals are herded and housed in such a way as to avoid damage or stress to the animals;

• Animal manure and contaminated yard water is regularly removed and stored;

• Measures are in place to inspect for physical hazards, and procedures to remove physical hazards;

• Diseased or medicated animals are segregated from healthy animals; and

• Personnel dealing with or treating diseased animals are not in contact with healthy animals.

5.5.1.3 The methods and responsibility for loading, transport, and unloading of livestock and/or animal products to ensure that product integrity is maintained shall be documented and implemented. Training and supervised employee practices shall include:

• The inspection of vehicles or other modes of transport are clean and functional;

• Verification that appropriate animal product handling conditions are maintained during transportation to the final destination;

• Prevention of cross-contamination with other hazards and spoilage;

• Appropriate animal product rotation practices; and

• Recording and maintaining documents for vehicle inspection, transport conditions, and animal product rotation.

5.6.3.2 A water management plan describing the methods and responsibilities for managing the different types and uses of water at the farm shall be documented and implemented. The plan shall include:

• Description of where and how water is used (e.g., animal drinking water, equipment cleaning, medicated water etc);

• Maintenance and cleaning of the water system (refer to 5.3.1 and 5.3.4);

• A hazard analysis and resulting preventive controls that are to be applied for the use of water during livestock and animal product production including monitoring, verification, and corrective action for each control measure; and

• Documentation and records referenced.

Control measures may include:

• Water treatment and/or testing;

• Water temperature;

• Re-circulation, aeration;

• Source alteration or change scheduling;

• Timing of use or application; and/or

• Temporary or permanent protection of water sources from possible contamination (e.g., livestock yards, sewage treatment, human habitation, heavy rains, flooding).

5.6.3.3 Water used for livestock production, mixing feeds, cleaning feed and veterinary equipment, mixing sanitizer solutions, and handwashing shall be monitored to ensure it complies with potable water microbiological and chemical standards or criteria established in the country of production and destination. The monitoring procedures shall include:

• A schedule indicating the location and frequency of monitoring (refer to 5.6.3.2), which shall be decided by the risk assessment, best practices within country of production, or applicable legislation;

• Reference to the potable water criteria or standards;

• List of microbiological and/or chemical testing being conducted;

• Reference to the approved laboratory that is accredited to ISO 17025 or equivalent;

• Corrective actions that will be undertaken if water does not meet established criteria or standards, including further water treatment, other source possibilities, non-conforming animal product that might be affected, or other alternative actions; and

• Records maintained for monitoring and/or corrective actions.

5.7.2.1 The methods and responsibilities outlining the use of a vaccine or medication for a target disease shall be documented and implemented (i.e., animal health plan). The plan shall include:

• All vaccines and medicines are used in accordance with label instructions, including withholding periods;

• Off-label use of medications are approved and documented only by a registered veterinarian;

• Training and competency for personnel administering a vaccination medication (e.g., knowledge of maximum residue levels, methods of administering medication, and withholding periods);

• A quarantine systems and corrective measures for use when livestock is affected with infection of a notifiable disease;

• A disposal process for unused animal medications, expired medications, empty containers, and disposable instruments as per 5.2.2.5; and

• A current medication register and records of all medication purchased and used.

• Where veterinary medication is required to be dispensed in feed, medicated feed, or water it shall be separately identified and stored.

5.7.2.2 The methods and responsibilities to maintain the safety and integrity of all animal feed, whether purchased, or produced on-site, shall be documented and implemented (i.e., feed management plan). The plan shall include:

• Animal feed meets regulatory requirements and is managed to minimize the potential for microbiological or chemical contamination;

• A risk assessment, preventive controls, monitoring, verification, and corrective actions (refer to 2.4.3 food safety plan);

• A feed quality testing plan (refer to 2.4.4.1) to verify that it complies with the established microbiological and chemical standard or criteria;

• A hold system with corrective measure for use when animal feed is found to be contaminated or otherwise unsuitable for use (refer to 2.4.5);

• Records of animal feed production control, testing, and purchase

5.7.3.1 A spray or crop protection program indicating the applications used for a target pest or disease and the threshold levels that initiate application shall be documented and implemented. Records of all chemical applications shall include:

• The chemical used;

• Crop information;

• Date, method, concentration, and frequency of application; and

• Evidence that the timing between chemical applications and harvest complies with the approved harvest interval for the chemical application.

5.7.3.2 The person making decisions on chemical application shall:

• Demonstrate knowledge of, and access to, information regarding chemical applications and the maximum residue limits allowable in destination markets;

• Use only chemicals approved for cultivation of the specified products and approved for use in the intended market; and

• Demonstrate competence and knowledge of chemical application and crop withholding periods.