Quality Assurance Programs
Established in 1989, the Pork Quality Assurance Program is a certification program that focuses on improved animal well-being and food safety standards. Responsible pork producers and individuals who work with pigs should have at least one of these certifications.
Pork Quality Assurance PLUS®
Pork Quality Assurance® PLUS (PQA PLUS®) is a producer-driven program they can use to ensure U.S. pork products are of the highest quality and safe, and animals raised for food are cared for in a way ensuring their well-being. The program was revised repeatedly, approximately every three years, with updated content taken from new scientific knowledge, and to address the evolving industry and changing production practices.
Transport Quality Assurance®
Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA®) is a program that helps swine transporters, producers and handlers understand how to handle, move and transport pigs and the potential impacts of those actions on pig well-being and/or pork quality. Anyone who handles or transports pigs, or sets protocols for handling pigs, is a potential influencer of animal well-being and pork quality.
