1. Audit Overload Michelle Sprague, DVM AMVC Management Services msprague@amvcms.com (712) 563-2080

2. A veterinarian’s perspective Animal welfare should not be used as a marketing tool –Appropriate animal welfare standards are science-based and must be provided to all animals at all times –Niche markets and “feel good” standards are NOT the same as animal welfare Food safety standards are not negotiable

3. A new way of life Most larger systems have their own internal animal welfare audit programs

4. Audit overload Self-audits Second party audits Third party audits –Some farms in pools for multiple packers Upper level management spends more time conducting audits than training and implementing appropriate protocols Increased number of visits poses a biosecurity risk

5. Why do we need a standardized audit program? Industry infrastructure –Some sow farms sell pigs that end up being marketed to every packer in the country Being selected for multiple audits is very time consuming and skews the benchmarking database –Some farms “fall through the cracks” and do not get in an audit pool at all Fewer farms “flying under the radar” increases transparency and credibility

6. Why do we need a standardized audit program? Clarity –One set of standards provides definitive expectations for swine producers industry- wide Efficiency –Fewer resources required to create, conduct, facilitate and record one audit per prescribed timeframe into universal database

7. Why do we need a standardized audit program? Uniformity –Facilitates communication –Improved benchmarking Consistency –Expectation management –More comprehensive producer support –Improved customer understanding

8. Criteria for a standardized audit Animal welfare and food safety parameters Broad scope –Credibility Specific –Consistency Concise –Practicality

9. NPB Industry Audit Task Force Objectives Provide stakeholders with a consistent, reliable and verifiable system that assures on-farm animal well-being. Eliminate duplication of audits and/or minimize the administrative burden placed on producers. Develop consensus about consistent standards between and among various independent audit programs. PQA Plus could be the foundation standard with the possibility of company-specific addendums. Create a standard process that results in inter- and intra- observer consistency and protection of herd health through biosecurity protocol.

10. Program progress Much discussion and deliberation List of common standards and criteria Initial draft of an audit tool

11. Still need Your support! Broad-based support for this uniform set of standards and associated audit tool will facilitate implementation of a more efficient, consistent and credible program for the swine industry

12. Thank you!