FOOD SAFETY
Our comprehensive food safety program incorporates industry-leading practices that uphold the overall quality of our beef.
Certifications
Our facility has earned a Grade-A audit from the BRC Standard for Food Safety, an internationally recognized GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) certification program. We welcome USDA inspectors in our plant every day and our HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) food safety assurance plan is reviewed and updated annually. Our rigorous certification program also includes an annual third-party audit published online at http://brcdirectory.co.uk
ANIMAL WELFARE
Our Commitment to
Cattle Care
Humane handling and quality beef go hand in hand. We believe that treating the cattle humanely is the right thing to do and we also know that this leads to better quality beef. Our studies have proven that cattle raised in low stress environments produce more consistent higher quality beef. We want everyone-including our employees, customers, and the families who enjoy our beef to feel good about the way we raise our cattle.
FPL Food provides for the welfare of the animals in our care by focusing on every step of the production process:
- We were the first U.S. beef processor to install Arrowsight, a third-party Remote Video Auditing (RVA) system that verifies humane handling practices.
- After arriving at the processing facility, cattle rest in pens overnight. This further reduces stress, helping to improve overall handling and produce higher-quality beef.
- Our facilities are certified according to national Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines, which help producers meet or exceed the product quality today’s consumers expect.
- All employees undergo training on humane handling including a test during their initial orientation. Refresher training is held annually for all employees handling live animals.
DNA TRACEBACK
Trace Beef Back to Its Source
We know that consumers want to feel confident about their beef purchases. That’s why FPL Food uses DNA TraceBack® from IdentiGEN to accurately track our beef throughout the supply chain. We collect a DNA sample from each of our cattle and send it back to the IdentiGEN laboratories for cataloguing and storage. In the event of any quality or food safety issues, DNA TraceBack® from IdentiGEN can identify and trace that product through the supply chain to the farm, parent or animal where it originated. We routinely sample and analyze our finished products to ensure the transparency and integrity of the meat being offered to our customers in the retail and foodservice industries.
