| Q: |
When was PQA Plus® made available to producers? |
| A: |
June 2007. |
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| Q: |
What are the main differences between PQA Plus and PQA™? |
| A: |
PQA Plus expands the animal well-being of the original PQA content. PQA Plus, like the current PQA, has a producer education component, but it adds an on-site assessment of animal well-being. |
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| Q: |
Who will help producers be certified in PQA Plus? |
| A: |
Veterinarians, Extension specialists and ag educators with a B.S. or equivalent in animal science or a related field, two years of recent, documentable swine production experience and PQA Plus Advisor training taken from a PQA Plus Trainer. |
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| Q: |
How will producers achieve PQA Plus certification and PQA Plus site status? |
| A: |
When producers certify in PQA Plus or recertify (if their current PQA certification expires), they must go through the training program with a PQA Plus Advisor.
After receiving PQA Plus certification, producers may obtain PQA Plus site status for a production site by having an assessment of animal well-being practices at that production site. Producers can request that a PQA Plus Advisor perform the on-site assessment. Or, producers can self-assess their site after receiving training and endorsement to do so from a PQA Plus Advisor.
Like with PQA, there is no fee associated with PQA Plus other than the fees/honorarium incurred in by working with an advisor. |
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| Q: |
How long are PQA Plus certification and PQA Plus site status valid? |
| A: |
PQA Plus producer certification and PQA Plus site status are valid for three years. |
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| Q: |
What is the purpose of the survey component of the program? |
| A: |
The purpose is to survey the success of the PQA Plus program, not to certify each operation or to find production sites out of compliance. |
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| Q: |
How will the survey component work? |
| A: |
Production sites receiving PQA Plus site status will be entered into a pool from which a statistically valid sample of sites will be eligible for third-party surveys. Surveys are scheduled to begin in 2009. |