When You Join RSPCA Assured
What Is The RSPCA Assured Scheme?
RSPCA Assured is the RSPCA’s ethical food label. It offers farms in the UK the opportunity to adopt higher welfare farming standards and then, through a rigorous tracking programme, these products can be sold bearing the RSPCA Assured logo. Our logo gives customers the confidence to buy products from farms where the animals were raised and cared for to higher welfare standards at every stage of their lives.
How Does A Farm Become RSPCA Assured?
When a farmer or organisation wants to make a farm RSPCA Assured, their first step is to visit our website and complete the online enquiry form. We then send out copies of the relevant welfare standards together with our membership agreement.
At this point, new members fill in their online application form, specifying the species and number of animals on the farm. Once complete, our membership team will process your application and send you an invoice.
What Happens When A Farm Becomes RSPCA Assured?
With the paperwork out of the way, it’s time to move on to the practical and arrange an initial assessment with one of our trained RSPCA Assured assessors. This always takes place within twelve weeks of receiving an application, but we will always try to get out sooner if we can.
An RSPCA Assured assessment typically takes around two and a half hours, depending on the size and type of farm. However, the first time we go out to assess a new farm, it might take a little bit longer.
During an assessment, our assessors have to remain impartial; they are not permitted to give guidance and advice but only to point out areas where farms may not meet the level required in the standards.
What Happens If A Farm Doesn’t Pass Its Assessment?
If during an initial (or routine) assessment, our assessor notices points around the farm (referred to as non-compliances) which do not meet our standards, we give the farm 28 days to make the necessary amends and send us proof that they have done so.
What Else Does A Farm Need To Prove To Become RSPCA Assured?
While the physical assessment of the farm is important, the assessor will also need to see certain documents to prove that the farm and the animals are being cared for to higher welfare standards all year round. During their visit, the assessor also examines, among others, the following documents and records:
- Veterinary health and welfare plans and records
- Training records
- Production records
What Happens When A Farm Becomes RSPCA Assured?
After a farm has successfully been assessed and has become an RSPCA Assured member, products originating from that farm can be labelled and sold with the RSPCA Assured logo on their packaging.
What About After The Farm?
To be labelled RSPCA Assured, all aspects must be assessed and traceable. This includes the haulier, the abattoir and also the packing facility. Representatives from the company that conducts our supply chain audits on our behalf LRQA visit all facilities regularly to ensure that what starts on an RSPCA Assured farm is what gets labelled as RSPCA Assured.
Traceability Of RSPCA Assured Products
Only once all aspects of the assessment process are complete, can we issue a certificate to the farm, which means products originating from that farm can carry the RSPCA Assured logo.