FIA delivers a farmer-focused service, enabling good communication links with the office and assessment teams; and working with QMS and other industry partners, across multiple sectors, to increase the practical assessment on-farm and use of technology to minimise ‘paperwork burden’.
In addition, FIA ensures that where farmers are certified to more than one scheme, for example QMS and SQC, or QMS and Red Tractor Dairy, they will continue to benefit from one joint assessment.
FIA has achieved ISO 17065 accreditation following independent auditing by UKAS to ensure that the assurance schemes are being managed consistently, impartially and with experienced and proficient teams.
QMS
FIA has been chosen to carry out quality assurance for Quality Meat Scotland for the Scottish red meat industry’s three premium brands: Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork. To carry these brands, livestock must have been born, reared and slaughtered in Scotland and spent their entire life on QMS Assured holdings.
Scottish Quality Crops
Following a tendering process, Food Integrity Assurance was awarded the contract to conduct assessment and certification services in support of Scottish Quality Crops (SQC) Assurance Schemes. FIA commenced their assessment and certification services in support of Scottish Quality Crops on 1 October 2022.
Covering the production of crops in Scotland, FIA is responsible for the assessments through to the provision of certificates for the schemes that SQC currently operates.