The Beef Quality Assurance Scheme operated by Bord Bia is designed to enable beef plants meet the ever increasing demands of customers and consumers. The scheme is kept under review to ensure that it continues to reflect the emerging requirements of the marketplace.
The BQAS is an integrated scheme involving the farmer, the beef plant and participating customers. While quality and safety must begin at farm level the beef plant acts as the pivotal basis of control. The beef plant as both the purchaser of cattle and the seller of the product is uniquely placed to marry both the supply and demand links and in addition also has the core expertise and facilities to demonstrate compliance through audit. Because of its central role the beef plant can ensure that cattle are purchased only from approved farmers and at the same time can ensure that the product does not loose quality during subsequent handling, storage and despatch.
The Producer
Given that quality and safety can never be inspected into beef the controls must begin on the farm. Farmers who participate in the scheme must:
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Give a signed declaration.
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Agree to abide by a code of practice covering issues like stockmanship; welfare; nutrition; use of veterinary medicines; animal traceability and environmental controls.
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Allow a detailed farm inspection first by a trained meat plant inspector and subsequently on a random basis as part of Bord Bia's overall audit of compliance with the requirements of the scheme.
Meat Plants
Within the beef plant the scheme lays down a number of key essential requirements covering both product and process. For example cow beef is not eligible; only certain classification categories can be included; there are procedures covering hygiene, chilling, and product traceability along the productive chain. Member plants must develop a food safety management plan based on the principles of HACCP.
Controls
Control of the scheme is by audit rather than intensive inspection. Plant audits (which include within their scope random farm inspections) are routinely carried out. The audits are carried out by independent auditors contracted by Bord Bia. Plants that meet the requirements of the quality assurance scheme are entitled to use the quality assured logo on produce, packing and/or point of sale materials.