Sale Yards

National Saleyards Quality Assurance Programme

Over the past fifteen years there has been a steady move throughout the livestock and meat industries to embrace the principles of Quality Assurance as a means of addressing the demands of the market place.

Quality Assurance in turn is simply a management system that provides a means of organising and managing all of those things that are a necessary part of operating a successful business.

The Saleyards Selling Industry recognised the merit of using Quality Assurance to underpin the National Standard for the Construction and Operation of Australian Saleyards and the NSQA Program was thus developed specifically for Saleyards.

By adopting Quality Assurance and developing the NSQA Program the Saleyards Selling Industry has completed the continuum of Quality Assurance Programs under which livestock can now be managed throughout all sectors of the Industry.

Why Obtain NSQA Accreditation?

By becoming accredited under the NSQA Program, a Saleyard is saying to the Industry and to the Community that they are serious about product quality and integrity and the other issues that concern the market place.

NSQA Accreditation is a commitment by a Saleyard to meet and maintain recognised national standards in the handling of livestock through all stages of the prime market and store/re-stocker market, Saleyard System.

Australia is a major meat exporter as well as being a significant domestic market in its own right. We have a good reputation world wide and by adopting Quality Assurance we are demonstrating to the world that by using modern management practices we are committed to maintaining our pre-eminent position.

NSQA Accreditation makes sound business sense both in terms of adopting a sustainable method for running the business and also demonstrating commitment to stakeholders across all sectors of the Industry and the Market Place.

How to Adopt NSQA

To join the NSQA Program, application must first be made to NSQA Ltd. This can be done by contacting the Secretary of NSQA Ltd as follows:

Once a Saleyard has joined the NSQA Program the steps towards accreditation are as follows:

• Training of staff in the development and management of the Quality Assurance Program.
• Assessment of the existing facilities followed by modification or redevelopment as necessary to meet the requirements of the National Standard.
• Development of the Quality Assurance Manual using the guidelines provided by NSQA Ltd.
• Submit the manual for a desk audit and have it approved.
• Have the Saleyard assessed under a site audit over the duration of a sale.

The joining fee is currently $1000 per Saleyard, or where more than one Saleyard is owned by and entity, the second and subsequent Saleyards joining fee is $500. There is an on-going annual fee currently set at $250.00 (not payable the year of joining).

Arrangements for training and requests for copies of the National Standard and Quality Assurance System information are handled by NSQA Ltd (contact details above).

Arrangements for desk audits of Manuals and site audits at Saleyards should be made with AUS-MEAT Limited, who are the independent auditors for the NSQA Program.

AUS-MEAT can be contacted as follows:

The AUS-MEAT role in NSQA

AUS-MEAT Limited has been appointed by NSQA Ltd as auditors for the NSQA Program. As such AUS-MEAT is responsible for ensuring that both the Quality Assurance System developed by each Saleyard and the Saleyard facilities themselves meet the requirements of the National Standard for the Construction and Operation of Australian Saleyards.

This service is provided to the Saleyard Industry by AUS-MEAT's network of regionally located auditors throughout Australia.

AUS-MEAT auditors are all Certified Quality Auditors under Quality Society of Australasia rules and they are registered with the Register of Certified Auditors.

AUS-MEAT is also able to provide advisory services, including assistance with the development of Quality Assurance Systems, under normal consultancy arrangements with individual Saleyards.

When a Saleyard is ready to be assessed for accreditation, contact should be made with AUS-MEAT via one of the contact points listed below.

• Arrangements will then be made to courier the NSQA Manual to the person who will perform the desk audit.
• Following completion of the desk audit, the Manual will be returned to the Saleyard together with a report on the desk audit. If the manual needs further work it will need to be resubmitted once that work is completed.
• Once the Manual is approved arrangements will be made for an audit to be conducted on site at the Saleyards during a sale.
• The Saleyard will receive a report on the audit.
• If the audit is successful, AUS-MEAT will notify NSQA Ltd and forward a copy of the audit report to them together with a recommendation.
• The NSQA Ltd Board will assess the audit report make a final decision regarding accreditation of the Saleyard.
• Surveillance audits will be conducted annually or as required by NSQA Ltd.

Contact points for AUS-MEAT for advice on the NSQA Program and for arrangements for the conduct of audits are as follows: