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On Nov. 5, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) unveiled a Quality Systems Verification Program (QSVP) for establishments that wish to supply pork or beef to customers requiring verification that the meat is free of beta agonist residues and is derived from hogs and cattle that were never fed beta agonists.
The Never Fed Beta Agonists marketing claim is available to companies that produce livestock and beef and pork products and submit marketing programs to the Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program for verification and monitoring. Companies have the option to meet the requirements of the Never Fed Beta Agonists marketing claim under either a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) or the USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program. The requirements for these programs are defined in the USDA Process Verified Program GVD 1001 Procedure, USDA Process Verified Program and the USDA Quality System Assessment Program GVD 1002 USDA Quality System Assessment Program. The USDA QSVP ensures that the Never Fed Beta Agonists program requirements are supported by a documented quality management system.
To operate an approved Never Fed Beta Agonists marketing program, a company must submit a documented program that meets the program requirements outlined in GVD 1007 Procedure, as well as either the GVD 1002 Procedure for QSA applicants, or the GVD 1001 for PVP applicants.
Beef and pork meat and meat products derived from animals that meet the requirements to be labeled as Never Fed Beta Agonists are eligible for customers that require verification of a marketing claim that the meat is derived from animals that were never fed beta agonists and is free of beta agonist residues.
The approved Programs listed on the Official Listing below have been found in conformance with the requirements of Never Fed Beta Agonists Program. These suppliers have been audited and approved by AMS and have been found in conformance with the requirements of the Never Fed Beta Agonists Program and the criteria of their approved quality management systems.
Monday November 4, 2013/ AMS-USDA/ United States.
http://www.ams.usda.gov
