POULTRY FACT SHEET NO. 28

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

June 1998

Animal Production Food Safety Programs

Ralph A. Ernst Poultry Specialist Animal Science Department
University of California
530/752-3513; FAX 530/752-8960
email: raernst@ucdavis.edu

Quality assurance programs have been developed in California for producers of poultry meat (chickens, turkeys, game birds, squabs and waterfowl) and for table egg producers and processors. These are voluntary programs developed at industry request. Producers and processors can join a quality assurance program to assure their customers that products are produced under good management practices.

Cooperating Groups - California Egg Quality Assurance Plan

The egg quality assurance plan was developed by a working committee which provided suggestions for review and modification by a larger industry/agency team. The team had representation from the following:

Industry /Agency Team

• Egg Producers
• Egg Processors
• Egg Distributors
• California Egg Commission
• Pacific Egg and Poultry Association
• West Coast United Egg Producers
• California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Programs Branch
• USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services
• University of California, Cooperative Extension
• University of California, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System
• University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine
• California Department of Health Services
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Cooperating Groups - California Poultry Meat Quality Assurance Plan

The poultry meat quality assurance plan was developed by an industry/agency team with representatives from the following:

Industry/Agency Team

• Chicken meat producers
• Turkey producers
• Squab producers
• California Poultry Industry Federation
• California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Programs Branch
• University of California, Cooperative Extension
• University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine
• University of California, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System
• USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services

These teams continue to function as steering committees for the programs.

Core Program Components

Key components of the quality assurance programs are outlined in the core components. These core components include administrative, production and processing guidelines for participants. The egg program is available from the:

Pacific Egg and Poultry Association
1521 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
phone 916/441-0801
e-mail adowns@ns.net.

For the poultry meat programs contact the:

California Poultry Industry Federation
3117-A McHenry Ave.
Modesto, CA 95350
Phone 209/576-6355
e-mail <74742.31@compuserve.com>.

You can also get information from most cooperating agencies.

All programs require designation of one or more quality assurance supervisors. Quality assurance supervisors for production plans must participate in training on cleaning and disinfection, biosecurity, rodent and insect control, flock health management and development of quality assurance plans. Each participant must develop a quality assurance plan for each production or processing unit. Plans are reviewed by California Department of Food and Agriculture veterinarians. If approved, they are returned to the participant for implementation by the company/farm. Oversight is mandatory for the egg production and egg processing plans but is optional for poultry meat plans. Oversight of plan implementation and plan records is provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, as requested or required.

Plan Goals

The overall goal of these programs is to improve the safety and quality of poultry and egg products produced by plan members.

Plan Consultant

David Goldenberg has been retained as a coordinator for these programs. His address is:

D.G. Management Consultants
108 Conductor Way, Folsom, CA 95630-8017
Phone 916/985-1122
FAX 916/358-2961
email: golden59@idt.net.