APIQ compliance audits

Piggeries seeking or maintaining APIQ certification must successfully pass an annual compliance audit.

APL contract AUS-MEAT Ltd to conduct all audits for the industry. AUS-MEAT Ltd are a Third Party Audit (TPA) Organisation.

Producers seeking APIQ certification
Producers renewing APIQ certification
Am I a small or large holder?

The APIQ Standards and Performance Indicators are the same for Small and Large Holders.

Small Holders are producers who have 50 or fewer sows and sell or feed to slaughter 1000 or fewer pigs in a year.

The APIQ Small Holder Manual is designed to assist Small Holders to implement APIQ on-farm.

Large Holders are producers who have 51 or more sows and sell or feed to slaughter more than 1001 pigs in a year. Large Holders typically require more complex manuals and recording systems than Small Holders.

The APIQ Implementation Manual  is designed to assist Large Holders to implement APIQ on-farm.

Options for the structure of APIQ for Small Holders

The option you choose for the structure of APIQ on your farm, will depend on your personal preference and the scale and complexity of your operation.

  • Option 1 – A simple system including use of the Small Holder Manual as your Piggery Management Manual, The Pig Management Diary (Diary) and notebooks for records and simple Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and/or Work Instructions (WIs)
  • Option 2 – Develop your own site Piggery Management Manual containing checklists, diaries, notebooks, and records for individual areas within the piggery and detailed SOPs and WIs

The primary documents used by a Small Holder are the Small Holder Manual and the Pig Management Diary.

Much of the documentation needed to demonstrate compliance with the Standards and Performance Indicators is recorded directly in the Small Holder Manual and most of the records required can be met by completing the Pig Management Diary.

The APIQ Small Holder Manual has more information about setting up your structure.

Options for the structure of APIQ for Large Holders

The option you choose for the structure of APIQ on your farm, will depend on your personal preference and the scale and complexity of your operation.

  • Option 1 – A large single site piggery using a Piggery Management Manual, checklists, diaries, notebooks, and records for individual areas within the piggery and detailed SOPs and WIs with staff induction and training records to ensure that your systems are known by staff
  • Option 2 – A large multi-site piggery operation with an overall company QA system in place. It has individual Piggery Management Manuals relevant to each site in place and detailed SOPs, WIs, and recording systems in place on all sites. Company-wide policies and practices are known to all relevant parties.

The APIQ Implementation Manual has more information about setting up your structure.

APIQ certification options

The type of piggery you have will determine which certification is right for you. You can read more about the APIQ certification and verification options here.

APIQ audit fees and charges

APIQ Compliance Audit Fees and Charges have been set and agreed to by the APL Board and AUS-Meat.