PROCESS VERIFIED PROGRAM

AMS

LIVESTOCK, POULTRY AND SEED PROGRAM

QUALITY ASSESSMENT DIVISION

AUDIT SERVICES BRANCH

NCC Comm

Septem
PVP Overview

• What the PVP is and what it is not• History of the PVP• Production Claim Types• Audit Process for a PVP• Documentation and Verification• Communications
What is the PVP?

 PVP is a voluntary, audit‐based marketing Program that prov

independent verification that specific production practices o

points, with or without marketing claims, are clearly defined,

implemented, and transparent.

 PVP is based on quality management system principles/criter

require companies to manage their processes while ensuring 

reliable products and services.

 Under a PVP, a supplier's quality management system is verif

independent audits conducted by qualified AMS auditors.

 As with all of our audit services, they are user‐fee funded; th

is a cost for AMS involvement.

 To facilitate marketing, approved PVP clients and their proce

listed on AMS PVP Webpage which shows approvals and tran
What the PVP is Not...

• NOT a regulatory program or regulatory

based

• NOT a “label approval program or

process”

• Labels are regulated and approved by

USDA FSIS

• NOT a “Standard” – rather it verifies a

company’s requirements, which may or

may not be a recognized standard
History of the PVP

In 1997, an audit‐

based breed

control program

was developed

for live animals

and productsfrom such

animals.

In the late 1990s, the

Non‐HormoneTreated Cattle (NHTC)

Program wasdeveloped inresponse to the EU

discoveringprohibited growth

hormones in beef

products shipped

from the U.S.

In 1999, the PVP was

improved/revised to

included qualitymanagement system

criteria consistent with

ISO 9001 requirements.This provided the

necessary oversight and

confidence in third‐partyauditing firms thatcertified live animals tospecified marketing

claims.

In 2003, the PVP

addressed the BSE

problem in the U.S. that

triggered the closure of

most export markets forU.S. beef.In 2006, the Poultry PVP

began with PerdueFoods claiming theirchicken is raised on an allvegetarian diet at a

single complex to later

expanding their PVP

company‐wide with

multiple PVP claims.
Production Claim Types

Currently, the PVP includes 50 companies and approxima

claims. Additionally, AMS has PVP’s with 50 plus poultry r

facilities.Examples of Production Claims Verified by AMS under PV

include...

◦ Raised without Antibiotics

◦ Responsible Antibiotic Use

◦ Raised on an all vegetarian diet

◦ No Hormones or steroids ‐ companies of livestock and meat 

◦ Raised in accordance with the Industry Standards

◦ Age and source verified

◦ Non‐GMO/GE
Audit Process

QAD 1000 Procedure – QSVP General Policies and

Procedures

Application for Service

To request service, submit via email the following i

to QAD.AuditService@ams.usda.gov:

• LPS 109, Application for Service and documented 

with Quality Manual.

• A cover letter requesting services for each progra

the applicant wishes to participate.

• A complete copy of the applicant's program docu

as described in the individual program procedure
Audit Process

QAD 1000 Procedure – QSVP General Policies and

Procedures – cont’d

Initial Desk Audit

To obtain a USDA PVP, new applicants must submit a PVP quality man

have a desk audit to determine if the quality manual documents a cle

by the firm to international quality management principles.

Audit Plan and On‐site Audits

• After the desk audit review and approval, an assigned QAD audito

onsite audit and completes the official report noting approval or if 

actions are required.

• The clients with approved PVPs will undergo a surveillance audit a

annual basis but can be more often depending on the complexity o

and their adherence to requirements.

Audit Findings and Report

Correcting Identified Non‐conformances

Approval Status

Once approved, a PVP certificate is issued, and the applicant’s name 

information pertaining to their PVP is listed on the PVP web site for v

public.
Documentation

&

VerificationDocumented Program

• Describes the process being verified

Company Quality Manual

• Company’s Commitment to QMS• QMS incorporates processes to achieve producti

such as “Raised without Antibiotics”

USDA Process Verified Program

• Based on ISO 9001 Quality Management System• Provides third

‐party assurance by USDA that

a c

following their documented program.
Communications

• All PVP companies are in communication with AMS for

any changes they make to their programs or AMS

requires them to make

• All PVP companies undergo at least annual audits by

AMS to verify continued conformance to the PVP and

company’s program

• AMS communicates with sister agencies or other

governmental agencies when appropriate or

involvement is needed

• AMS communicates with potential PVP companies as

to the requirements of participation in the PVP

before, during and after the application and approval

process
Questions and Contact

Jeff Waite

Chief, Audit Services Branch

(202) 720‐4411

Jeffrey.waite@ams.usda.gov

Steve Ross

PVP Program Manager

(970) 346‐0567

Steve.ross@ams.usda.gov

...or visit our PVP site on the Web at:

http://processverified.usda.gov

Thank you!