The Role of the Farm Assurance Scheme in Food Safety

The Role of the Farm Assurance Scheme in solid food SafetyName Huan YuFarm assertionIn the UK, get up assurance organisations contribute consumers and businesses with guarantees that solid food has been produced to particular standards. Farm assurance aims at certification for agricultural harvestings and emphasises the principles of quality assurance. All farm assurance schemes be mainly to get word high standards of living organism welfare, and it may include standards and certification for traceability, production methods, transport as well as supplies in order to admonisher the agricultural food from farm to pack. This protocol is necessary to certify that all farm foods reach requi passing standard for food base hit (Gov.uk, 2012).A distinctive example is the UKs Red Tractor scheme, which was started by the UK farmers, food producers and retailers and was launched in 2000. The Red Tractor is a food assurance scheme which covers production standards developed by experts on sentry go, hygiene, animal welfare and the environment amongst other factors. All suppliers in the red tractor food chain are inspected and certified by an independent professional body. The red tractor certifies that food has been produced to these independently inspected standards right across the food chain-from farm to pack. The Red Tractor logo on the pack means the food or drink has met these accountable production standards and is fully traceable back to independently inspected farms in the UK (Assured Food Standards, 2015).Other schemes that are affiliated to the red tractor include soil association, quality British turkey and quality meat Scotland.Herd wellness throwMany organisations such as soil association and RSPCA Freedom Food develop, describe and purpose the herd health plan as an individual farm management tool to identify and control the particular health problems of an individual farm. Thus, improving and maintaining animal welfare, gain financial as wel l as increase farm efficacy (Anon, 2015). Herd health plan in farm assurance schemes includes calculating plan of housing, feeding and pasture management, bio-security, health magnetic discing and monitoring as well as control measures of disease. Farmers set the health plan and it is advised to notice the veterinarian involved in the elaboration as a team, and as a live document it will cover a series of record keeping policies and protocols to reduce the incidences of sickness and to make a more prolific herd.Brief summary / outline of the minimum required content of the farm assurance scheme and dairy herd health planMinimum requirements for RTA dairy herd health plan T covers as a general troika important aspects A. Routine Preventive Measures Treatment Plans and Management Procedures B. Health and Performance Monitoring C. Health and Performance ReviewThe minimum set standard to a lower place the farm assurance as well as keeping an update herd held plan are as followPlans and procedures in place to mark safe and legal food productionStaff training with on-going courses on animal handling, welfare, hygiene etc.Clear identification of livestock to deliver food chain traceabilityEffective and responsible control of birds, rodents, insects and other animals to prevent defilement and food safety risk. Sick or injured animals should have good managementFeed and water management with a good feeding programme adequate access to clean drinking water. Records of mixing formulas should be kept to ensure that the foodstuff was acquired from another assured sourceSafe, comfortable and hygienic housing for all livestock, including young animals as well as new birth animals and stocking minginess should suitableAppropriate and well maintained facilities, conditions are available for animalsEffective bio-security measures to prevent the spread of disease and protect food safety and animal healthResponsible use of medicines and veterinary treatment, prevent food contaminationLivestock transport with adequate vehicles to maintain the welfare during transport, prevents spread of diseasesEnvironmental impact rating and protection management of waste, to make sure no contamination, pollution or spread of disease.(Anon, 2015)Outline of where the farm assurance scheme and herd health plan sits in the food chain (pre-farm farm post farm)They aim to ensure that each step in the supply chain for farm production, such as meat and dairy, are food safety assured, furthermore, they provide safely produced farm food products means much lower chances of zoonotic agents present in the product when consumers purchase them.First, the aspect of agricultural supply sector (drugs, residues and hormones) attracts consumer concerns about the food they eat.Second, with on-farm, the production process (free range, organic), slaughter method, food safety aspects, such as farm bio-security measures, proper housing space etc are the role of assurance to provide infor mation and satisfy consumers.Red Tactor assurance have a range of post-farm schemes that provide effective assurance to recognised standards and a fundamental link in an integrated chain of assurance in the food chain from farms to supermarkets. It covers legislative requirements, scientific evidence, and good practice in the industry and consumer concern, such as proper vehicles, certification requirement, keep records for traceability as well as maintain sanitary conditions (Assured Food Standards, 2015).Highlight aspects of the farm assurance scheme oddly associated with food safety.The farm assurance scheme has made a great contribution to food safety and protected public health from food-borne diseases. Simultaneously, it has raised the confidence of customers on agricultural production and the awareness to monitor the safety of food. The dairy industry takes food safety seriously, pasteurization is an essential tool for ensuring that milk and dairy products are safe. Moreover , every tank load of milk entering dairy processing plants is strictly well-tried for animal residues. Cleanliness of farm quality of farm flooring and walls are also the consideration factors based on the schemes ensures food safety.Highlight aspects of the health plan particularly associated with food safetyFood safety is also ensured via near parts of the herd health plan by preventing disease occurrence and spread via vaccination and treatment. Salmonella and E. coli, have caused incidences of food poisoning and infected humans from food animals. Thus, increasing control on farm there is a reduced risk of contamination of farm products. Moreover, isolation facility to reduce spread of potentially zoonotic infectious diseases. Bio-security reduces the likely introduction of potentially zoonotic infectious diseases. Named antibiotics for use in common conditions and, therefore, increases discussion with vet of use of antibiotics in food production.DHHPs also help assess risks f or both zoonotic and non-infectious diseases, as every herd at a farm has a chance of obtaining a disease. This helps VPH issues as it gives farmers and veterinarians. Furthermore, this also ensures that when the cattle reach abattoirs and food industries, the chances of them being infected with zoonotic agents is lowered.Highlight some limitations of the schemeThe scheme require close cooperation between farmers, government, industry and other relevant sectors, in order to find a solution which can downplay the negative public health impact whilst ensuring safe and effective food-producing animals.-Difficulty in certifying compliance beyond the annual inspection-Reluctance in farmers and vets to engage the program with attested intentions beyond a bureaucratic paper exercise The relationship between credibility of quality signals and reductions in consumer quality discovery costs still take to be consideredConcluding paragraph and personal opinion on the role of the scheme and th e herd health planFarm assurance and herd health plan are the most effective measures for supervision to provide safe agricultural production to public and simultaneously the limitations are the goals that the farm assurance scheme needs to improve and achieve. Because they reduce the incidence and impact of food-borne diseases by ensuring that food reaching the consumers is safe, health, of food quality while ensuring protection of animal welfare. Therefore, they can win consumer confidence on the farmers and food products and adherence to the scheme should be strictly enforced.ReferencesAssured Food Standards, (2015)About us Assured Food Standards onlineAvailable at http//www.redtractor.org.uk/about-usAccessed 12 whitethorn 2015Anon, (2015)online Available at http//orgprints.org/13406/1/13406.pdfAccessed 12 May 2015Anon, (2015) online Available at http//www.assuredfood.co.uk/resources/000/965/981/DAIRY_standards_ONLINE.pdf Accessed 25 May 2015Gov.uk, (2012)Food certification and assurance schemes Detailed guidance GOV.UKonline Available at https//www.gov.uk/kitemarks-in-farmed-meat-and-produceAccessed 12 May 2015