Belgian meat industry launches standard for pork
On January 1st, 2021 the new BePork quality standard was introduced by Belpork vzw. The generic quality assurance system combines the former Certus test seal program for pork with the CodiplanPLUS system for live pigs and corresponds to current market requirements. The standard provider of the new seal of approval remains the non-profit organization Belpork vzw, located under the umbrella of Flanders' agricultural marketing office VLAM in Brussels. The interprofessional Belgian organization founded in 2000 brings together all players in the pork value chain. The aim of the organization is to sustainably promote the quality of Belgian pork through the management of quality assurance systems and innovative projects. This creates added value that has a positive effect on the image of Belgian pork. The focus is on a high quality and tasty product that is competitive on the national and international market.
More than 60 percent of Belgian pig farmers are involved in this quality assurance system. This corresponds to 80 percent of Belgium's pork production. Both Certus and CodiplanPLUS have existed side by side for some time. With the Certus seal of approval, fresh pork could be delivered into the German QS scheme; the CodiplanPLUS certificate, on the other hand, made it easier to export pigs live. Both specifications contained a number of standards that went beyond the legal norms.
As an exclusive generic quality manual, BePork now combines both standards. Animal welfare, sustainability and animal health play a central role in this. In addition, the cross-level quality assurance is an essential plus point. Thanks to the higher quality standards, BePork products have added value to both customers and consumers.
System participants benefit from the more efficient handling of audits. The system is transparent, clear and has an enormous impact, as the vast majority of pig farmers are involved. In addition, it is designed in such a way that professional third parties can set individual accents. Control and system administration are tailored to the exclusive needs and, taking into account the current guidelines, are poured into a customized audit format for the various stages. The extremely efficient data flow in combination with the audit guarantee and the use of existing structures saves time and money.
Just like Certus and CodiplanPLUS, BePork strives for equivalence with other European quality assurance systems. At the end of March 2021, BePork's QA capability was contractually sealed between the German QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH and Belpork vzw. After a transitional phase in which the previous certificates are still valid, slaughterhouses and cutting plants can only deliver into the QS scheme from January 1, 2022 and agricultural operations from January 1, 2023 on the basis of BePork certification.
New BePork logo, source: VLAM.be
