The Poultry Products Quality Assurance Scheme operated by Bord Bia is designed to enable poultry producers and processors 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 PPQAS is an integrated scheme involving the producer, the processor and the customers. While quality and safety must begin at farm level.
Poultry that meets this standard at farm and food production level is entitled to carry the Bord Bia Quality Assurance logo on the final pack.
Shoppers who choose poultry products with this logo can have confidence that it has been produced to high standards. These standards are equivalent to to similar international standards in Europe and elsewhere and are regularly and rigorously checked both by the farmer and by independent auditors.
The Bord Bia standard covers 3 broad areas:
- Food safety
- Animal welfare
- Environmental protection
Specific controls are included for a range of specific aspects of the farming operation for housed or free range chickens including:
- The farm site
- Housing
- Preparation for arrival of new stock
- Sourcing of stock
- Flock health
- Feed and water
- Farm hygiene and biosecurity
- Transport
- Health & safety on the farm
- Environment.
On each Quality Assured farm therefore, Bord Bia requires that the person in charge can demonstrate competence in the management of the birds. Training is a key factor, however, the condition of the birds in the production house during the audit is the principle measure of competence and this is examined in detail during the audit.
Because of all these controls and the verification procedures that are in place, where consumers see the Bord Bia Quality Mark they are can have full confidence that the chicken has been produced in accordance with best international practice as determined through independent audit.