Australia is committed to maintaining the integrity of its red meat and livestock products. Stringent standards and systems aimed at protecting product integrity have been developed which operate under independently audited quality assurance programs.
Systems protecting product integrity exist throughout the entire red meat supply chain; from the farm and the feedlot, to the saleyard and during transportation and finally during processing and distribution. SAFEMEAT ensures all supply chain stakeholders comply with these systems, which include:
- Livestock Production Assurance
- LPA National Vendor Declaration and Waybill
- Commodity Vendor Declarations
- National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme
- National Saleyard Quality Assurance
- The Australian Standard
- AQIS Health Certificate
- Microbial assessment and monitoring program
- Transport and shipping
Livestock Production Assurance
Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) is an independently audited on-farm food safety certification program that underpins the National Vendor Declaration and Waybill (LPA NVD/Waybill), which upholds Australia’s reputation as a world leader in meat and livestock food safety and product integrity.
LPA enables producers to back up claims made on their LPA NVD/Waybill which provides a mechanism for the transfer of information on the history of the livestock consigned for sale or slaughter while on the property of consignment.
LPA is integral in ensuring the product integrity of Australia’s red meat and livestock is protected from the beginning of the supply chain.
LPA National Vendor Declaration and Waybill
LPA compliant producers have access to the LPA National Vendor Declaration and Waybill (LPA NVD/Waybill) which contains information regarding the property and the husbandry of the livestock. LPA NVD/Waybills include information such as: The Property Identification Code (PIC), vendor, exposure of the animal to agricultural and veterinary chemicals, grazing history and supplementary feeding history.
The LPA NVD/Waybills are a declaration that livestock owners must sign, enabling important livestock information to be transferred throughout the supply chain as ownership of the livestock changes.
LPA enables producers to stand by what they have declared on their LPA NVD/Waybill and so the two programs combined support the overall guarantee of the integrity of Australian red meat and livestock products.
Commodity Vendor Declarations
Commodity Vendor Declarations (CVDs) are part of Australia’s red meat, grain and fodder industry’s commitment to delivering safe products. CVDs require suppliers of commodities intended for use as livestock feed or fodder to declare whether chemicals have been used during production. This information ensures that only commodities free of chemical residues are used as livestock feed or fodder and hence that the livestock are residue free.
National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme
The National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) is the quality assurance program by which feedlots producing grainfed beef for export markets must abide. NFAS ensures that the integrity of the product is maintained throughout the feedlot so that customers are guaranteed safe, quality produce.
NFAS requires the movement of cattle from the farm to the feedlot to be recorded in the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database which contributes to product integrity by ensuring the product is traceable. Strict regulations must be adhered to and thorough records enable the health and feeding history of each individual animal to be retained. Under NFAS, feedlot operators must undergo independent audits.
TruckCare protects the integrity of the product during transportation. TruckCare is an independently audited quality assurance program applied to livestock transportation and is centred on maximising animal welfare, biosecurity, meat quality and meat safety.
TruckCare is built upon quality assurance principles contained in international standards and also uses Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP). This not only minimises risk, but provides customers, governments and the wider community with the confidence that the livestock transport task is being conducted professionally at all times.
National Saleyard Quality Assurance
The National Saleyard Quality Assurance (NSQA) program advances the maintenance of product integrity into the livestock saleyard system. The National Standard for the Construction and Operation of Australian Saleyards forms the basis of the NSQA program. The Standard addresses the key quality issues and hazards within the saleyard sector including food safety, product quality, livestock identification and traceability.
The Australian Standard
Australia’s meat processing plants are stringently controlled to ensure product integrity is protected at this vital stage of the supply chain. All export licensed processing plants must comply with the Australian Standard for Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption (AS4696:2002), which is based on world’s best practice and is consistent with the ISO 9002:1994 standard.
The Australian Standard ensures that red meat is processed hygienically. The Australian government authority Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services (AQIS), verifies that the legislation is being correctly implemented.
AQIS Health Certificate
The AQIS Health Certificate certifies that meat produced by an export meat processor has received an ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection and is suitable for human consumption. This ensures that the integrity of the product has been maintained right through to this point.
Microbial assessment and monitoring program
To ensure the integrity of meat processed in Australian plants is not compromised, export processing plants must monitor E. Coli and Salmonella to comply with the Australian Standard. Further, the National Residue Survey (NRS) is a program which monitors meat for residues of agricultural, veterinary, environmental and industrial contaminants.
Transport and shipping
The final stage of protecting product integrity is the inspection of all shipping containers destined for export, with all sea-freighted containers sealed under AQIS supervision. Once sealed the Australian red meat and livestock supply chain is complete and customers can be confident that product integrity has been protected throughout. The containers cannot be opened until the container reaches its final destination.
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Did You Know...
Australia holds a disease free status for FMD and TSE (BSE or 'mad-cows' disease and Scrapie)
The Australian red meat industry works closely with state and federal government agencies to ensure Australia’s meat safety systems remain world class.
Australian red meat —
Safe, healthy and delicious.