QS audit
The basis for the participation of husbandry farmers in the QS system is a successfully completed audit carried out by a neutral certification body. Each farmer determines themselves which branches of the business are to be audited. But it is also possible to monitor the entire farm.
The most important testing criteria for husbandry are:
- Ackerschlagdatei
- Sowing
- Fertilisation
- Pest management
- Harvest
- Storage of fertilisers, pest control media, harvested products
- Transportation of harvested products
The frequency of the monitoring processes is determined according to the results of the last check. The better a company does, the longer the time period until the next audit. Companies for which deviations have been detected, must introduce and implement corrective measures to improve the production situation.
Violations against the specifications of the QS system can lead to sanctions. The QS sanction council appointed by the QS executives decides the measures to be implemented based on the severity of the violation. These range from follow-up audits and an increased frequency of audits through to warnings and contractual penalties and even to the exclusion from the QS system.
The maintenance of the QS criteria is monitored within the framework of the audit by authorised certification bodies. The certification bodies are employed by the coordinators .
Table: Audit interval for the individual testing stages, depending on status 1
| Test stage QS status | Agriculture/production, animal transportation company | Animal feed, agricultural/production coordinators, slaughter/deboning, processing, meat wholesale, retail food trade (no cooperations), wholesale Fruit and vegetables | Butchery |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 3 years | 2 years | 1 year |
| II | 2 years | 1 year | 9 months |
| III | 1 year | 6 months | 6 months |
1 Other specifications that deviate from this may apply if international agreements have been concluded
Detailed information regarding the QS audits can be found in the Certification guideline, special requirements made of mixed animal feed manufacturers as well as mutual audit recognition processes are summarised in a working documents for the Animal feed industry guideline.
Guidelines, Checklists and other Downloads can be found here.
