Q.When will my farm be assessed?


A. Assessments are carried out on an annual basis, with the assessment year running from November to July. Initial assessments are normally carried out within 4 weeks of application being received.

Q. If I have an additional farm unit how much will membership cost?


A. If the additional unit is within 25 miles of the main farm there will be no fee. If the unit is over 25 miles then an additional fee of £60.00 plus VAT applies if the unit is used as a grain storage facility.

Q. Is it possible to have more than one business under one membership?


A. Each individual business must hold its own membership

Q. Can I take over SQC membership from the owner of the farm I have just bought?


A. The SQC membership remains in the name of the business it was originally allocated to. If you are already an SQC member your membership address will be transferred to your new property. If you are purchasing an accredited SQC farm then you must re-apply in your own name

Q. What will my assessment entail?


A. On initial contact from the assessor a pre-assessment check will be carried out and the assessor will explain the requirements of the assessment. It will be necessary for various records to be made available on the day of assessment eg. Pesticide, fertiliser, rodent etc.

Q. I am a member of another farm assurance scheme, can I have them assessed together?


A. We have several assessors who carry out audits for various different farm assurance schemes. If you inform the SQC office that you require an integrated assessment, where possible we will try to audit all schemes on the same day.

Q. How do I know if my membership has been approved?


A. After your assessment report has been considered by the Technical Advisory Committee, you will receive a letter from the SQC office detailing the outcome of your assessment and listing any non-compliances found at your assessment. If non-compliances are found it is necessary for these to be attended to and written confirmation sent to SQC on completion.

Q. What does provisionally pending membership mean?


A. If you have been informed by the SQC office that your membership is provisionally pending this means that you must carry out the corrective actions highlighted on the letter before your grain can be sold as “assured”.

Q. How often is membership renewed?


A. Membership is renewed on an annual basis.