Erudus… showcases Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Certification

One of these attributes is certifications, so users can see which industry certifications a product holds. And in this series we explore the range of certifications you can add to an Erudus product specification, and what they mean.

First up was BRCGS, followed by Red Tractor, British Lion, SALSA, RSPCA Assured, MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) Certified, Fairtrade, Quality Meat Scotland and LEAF Certification.

This time the spotlight is on Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Certification…

What is Farm Assured Welsh Livestock certification?

Farm Assured Welsh Livestock certification is a piece of certification possessed by those Welsh farms in compliance with the Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Beef and Lamb Scheme (FAWL).

This assurance scheme comes from Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd (WLBP), a cooperative owned by over 7500 Welsh farmers.

To achieve certification, farms must be declared to have met FAWL standards by Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd (QWFC).

Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd (QWFC) is a Certification Body accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ISO17065, an internationally recognised standard for certification bodies.

What is the aim of Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Certification?

Farm Assured Welsh Livestock exists to hold up the quality and sustainability of livestock farming in rural Wales, where it is a significant industry.

FAWL describe themselves as an increasingly important link in the supply chain, not only a means for FAWL assured producers to prove their own expertise and integrity, but also allows them to contribute to the improved marketing of Welsh Beef and Welsh Lamb.

Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Certification seeks to demonstrate to consumers that they can be confident in superior quality when purchasing Welsh Beef and Welsh Lamb.

What is the Farm Assured Welsh Livestock mark?

The green Farm Assured Welsh Livestock mark can be shown on products that demonstrate a commitment to maintain high standards of animal welfare and husbandry by meeting FAWL standards set by Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd (WLBP).

Who do Farm Assured Welsh Livestock work with?

Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd (WLBP) is a cooperative owned by over 7500 Welsh farmers, but any farmer or producer of beef and/or lamb in Wales is eligible to apply for Farm Assured Welsh Livestock certification.

What are Farm Assured Welsh Livestock standards?

FAWL Standards cover 2 main areas - Food Safety and Animal Health and Welfare. Below are some of the criteria a FAWL assured producer must be able to meet when being assessed for certification:

• Stock to view
• Annual Health & Welfare review completed by the vet
• Up-to-date, lockable medicine cupboard
• Fuel tank compliant with Oil Regs Wales
• Cattle and Sheep facilities in a good state of repair
• Up-to-date FAWL Management record book
• Up-to-date Herd/Flock register, medicine purchases and administration records
• Feed and plastic waste receipts
• NPTC, NSTS and Transportation Authorisation certificates
• Feed storage and Vermin Control policy

Visit this page for the full outline of FAWL Standards.

You can find the following resources here on the Farm Assured Welsh Livestock website:

• FAWL assessment
• FAWL Producer Manual
• FAWL Management Record Book
• Medicine Book
• Direct Debit Manual
• FAWL Standards Revision
• Annual Health & Welfare Review

How do you gain Farm Assured Welsh Livestock certification?

To get Farm Assured Welsh Livestock certification a farmer or producer must be in Wales, complete an application form and provide further information required by the scheme.

There is a fee for the scheme (and annual FAWL membership subscription is £139.50 plus VAT = £167.40), which must be paid prior to assessment.

The post-application assessment is undertaken by a qualified adjudicator and determines whether the applicant fulfils and can continue to fulfil the requirements of the Scheme Standard.

The scheme asks that applicants make sure they are ready and prepared before undertaking assessment - the scheme’s Standards should be read carefully and any potential non-conformances rectified.

For more information about Farm Assured Welsh Livestock visit the website.