Q: How often do I get assessed?
A: SFQC must carry out an on farm assessment in each calendar year. The assessor will contact the producer to arrange a mutually convenient date for an on farm visit.
Q: Will this always be at the same time each year?
A: The time of the assessment will be varied from year to year to allow all stages of the production to be seen by the assessor, e.g. crop establishment, harvest, storage and sale of produce.
Q: What will the Assessment involve?
A: The assessment will involve an on farm visit. The assessor will want to see all the enterprises carried out on the farm. All the records relating to the farm’s activities will be examined by the assessor.
Q: What is meant by a non-compliance?
A: A non-compliance is a situation or circumstance in which the requirements of the SOPA standards have not been met on the production unit. When a non-compliant is identified the assessor will make a written report of this and agree a timescale for corrective action to be notified to the SFQC office. A copy of the non-compliance and comment report will be left on the farm. The report will not be reviewed and processed until this non-compliance form has been completed and sent into the SFQC office.
Q: Are combined audits available?
A: Yes, Under SFQC accreditation, organic audits can often be done at the same time as BRC , SALSA, QMS and SQC audits, therefore saving time and money.
Q. Can SOPA certify food processing?
A: SOPA is accredited to certify simple and complex organic food processing. This includes box schemes, farm shops, egg packers, cheese makers, abattoirs and butchers’
Q: Where can I advertise my organic produce?
A: Debs Roberts (Development Officer for SOPA) can advertise for you on the SOPA website and in the classified section in the SOPA newsletter which is published every 2-3 months. For more information please phone 0131 335 6606.
- Agriculture & Supply
- The Feed Materials Assurance Scheme (FEMAS)
- Freedom Food
- Leaf Marque
- Livestock Driver Competency Scheme
- Livestock Transport Approval Scheme
- Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Assurance Scheme- Cattle & Sheep
- Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Assurance Schemes - Feed
- Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Assurance Schemes - Haulage
- Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Assurance Schemes - Marts
- Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Assurance Schemes - Pigs
- Red Tractor Farm Assurance Assured Dairy Farms (ADF)
- Red Tractor Fresh Produce
- Safe Haven
- Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA)
- Scottish Quality Crops (SQC)
- Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS)