quality assured is it worth the hassle?

Lano Lynn

for those of you who are QA is it worth the hassle?
for example
given a bonus of 5c a kilo average lamb carcase 20kg

100 ewes @ a lamb and a half =150euro

Conmaicne Mara

Lano Lynn wrote: »

for those of you who are QA is it worth the hassle?
for example
given a bonus of 5c a kilo average lamb carcase 20kg

100 ewes @ a lamb and a half =150euro

The biggest plus I've heard about from people in it is how they see it as a dry run in case of a cross compliance inspection.

Username John

Lano Lynn wrote: »

for those of you who are QA is it worth the hassle?
for example
given a bonus of 5c a kilo average lamb carcase 20kg

100 ewes @ a lamb and a half =150euro

For me it is.

It's 10c a kilo extra from ICM. So the figures above will double.

And the inspection is very easy to be honest.

I think for what's involved, it's an easy few extra euro per lamb.

eire23

To be honest lano its not much hassle at all imo but only got into it as navan were looking for it. Had our second inspection before christmas and passed no problem. Main thing is keep the feedstuff purchases/dosing records book up to date and have the flock register right.
They give you a few weeks notice prior to the inspection and advise you on areas you need to improve on from the last inspection so it couldnt be simpler really. And dosent that 150 cover three quarters of the haulage costs on them 100 lambs?

sea12

Lano Lynn wrote: »

for those of you who are QA is it worth the hassle?
for example
given a bonus of 5c a kilo average lamb carcase 20kg

100 ewes @ a lamb and a half =150euro

Not in it yet but am applying this year. Not huge money but every bit helps. Aldo factory mentioned it to md the last few times.

dave747

sea12 wrote: »

Not in it yet but am applying this year. Not huge money but every bit helps. Aldo factory mentioned it to md the last few times.

in the same boat myself bit of tidying up around the yard to do and will be applying then. E150 is a half ton bag a meal is the way i look at it

jt65

at the moment a bonus is paid for QA stock, but I reckon we're not far from the stage where there will be a penalty for non QA

buyers will looking more and more for QA

it's no big hassle, animal remedy and flock register are the main areas

sea12

jt65 wrote: »

at the moment a bonus is paid for QA stock, but I reckon we're not far from the stage where there will be a penalty for non QA

buyers will looking more and more for QA

it's no big hassle, animal remedy and flock register are the main areas

Yep would agree with you on that one. Don't think it will be too far away either.

tomwaterford

I don't know....there doesn't seem to be the big sign-up for it with sheep like there is with beef....
I had a pen of well finished meal fed lambs and I was able to get the sameas the QA bonus for them and im not in it atal....finished lamb numbers were tight at the time alright though...
i wouldn't have a big number of sheep either

that being said I would like to sign up for it as it would be worthwhile IMO
but I heard you'd need letters off the vet to say dogs/cats etc were dosed...wouldn't be long spending what ever few quid extra id get on that!!!

if it went to 15c a kilo it would make very worthwhile for all involved:p

jt65

tomwaterford wrote: »

that being said I would like to sign up for it as it would be worthwhile IMO
but I heard you'd need letters off the vet to say dogs/cats etc were dosed...wouldn't be long spending what ever few quid extra id get on that!!!

the dog/cat worming is only a 1 (or 3 not sure which ) point penalty , you could have 30 more similar issues out a 100 and still pass

however failure to keep animal remedy records would be a straight fail I imagine animal welfare issues would be a straight fail also and maybe flock register

Farrell

But if we only sell in the mart, is it worthwhile?

Conmaicne Mara

Farrell wrote: »

But if we only sell in the mart, is it worthwhile?

Yes if you read my first post in this thread. Their inspection will cover a lot of cross compliance issues. But they can't fine you, a department inspector will. So while it won't make you money in the mart, it might save you money at home.

Lano Lynn

thanks to everyone for their posts.:)
I love producing good food in as natural and sustainable way I can
I agree that QA will become more important in the future.

please allow me to play devils advocate/rant/discuss?.

I resent the presumption of guilt that is implied to non QA producers
I know the difference between a horse and a cow.

Quality Assurance is a stick to beat us with,most of the food scares have originated outside farm gate but we take the rap.
QA is a figleaf for processors,supermarkets and beaurocrats to hide behind and exert pressure on the primary producer.
It has shag all to do with the consumers who chooses to remain blissfully ignorant to reality and swallow allsorts of ****e pedaled by supermarkets.
eg.Tesco decided that UK lamb was out of season this back end and would source its lamb from NZ!while they did eventually backed down it cost farmers a lot of money.

QA has as much to do with QUALITY as reality tv has with reality.
Putting a tag in an ear or a pile of paperwork will not make a bad product into a quality product .

the 'Authorities' ie the government and the eu have facilitated the processors and supermarkets in drawing up the rules n regulations but has failed to balance the equation by holding them adequatly to account and insist on transparency and scrutinise their margins.

thank you Con for your contribution re. the cross compliance.
considering the state of the EU economies and the vain promises of freedom to farm reducing red tape surely a cross compliance inspection should qualify as a QA inspection and visa versa thus reducing administration costs.

there are over 6 billion people in the world most of them live on non QA food (far to many of them do not have enough food.)
Hundreds of thousands of europeans all over the globe eat south american feedlot beef,Australian mutton or chicken from SE asian poultry units,Yet when they are in Europe they DEMAND the highest standards bla bla bla thats ok but if they want to fly first class make them pay first class.

Bord bia has done a piss poor job at marketing lamb ,a remarkably diverse product,but when you watch the bb add that extoles the virtues of the rain as contributing more to the product than production methods what can we expect!:mad:

The horse meat scandal has give extra power to the QA lobby.It really bugged me in the reportage that the beefburgers were 'contaminated' with horsemeat...in actual fact the beef was adultrated with horsemeat.and that horse could actualy have been better QUALITY than the beef!

the overall message I got from this thread is QA is a paper exercise need I say more.

thank you all

foxylock

Were you out in the rain all day as well ???:D:D:D

Lano Lynn

worse than that in the office all week:mad: