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NIFCC AGM - business expansion and cost savings

26th October 2009

“We are now providing inspection and certification to nine quality assurance schemes across the agri-food sector and delivering total cost savings in the region of £350,000 per year “ Colin Duffy, chairman of NI Food Chain certification (NIFCC) told the annual general meeting this week.

He said that the Directors are very pleased to be announcing these services which is the final step in realising the initial vision of NIFCC which was to provide cost-effective and efficient certification schemes throughout the agri-food supply chain in Northern Ireland.

He added “ In addition to providing cost effective and efficient certification schemes, NIFCC is also assisting the food chain to ensure high standards of food safety, traceability, animal welfare and environmental care.”

The Directors report stressed that the core business of NIFCC continues to be the service delivery of the Northern Ireland Beef and Lamb Farm Quality Assurance Scheme (FQAS). During the year, a total of 7,935 inspections were completed, thus surpassing the initial target   of 7,730. This included 30 combined Cereals, Beef and Lamb inspections which afforded even further savings as NIFCC is in a position to audit all of these enterprises thus saving the farmer the time and cost of individual audits. The number of Approved Producers in the  Beef and Lamb FQAS now stands at 9,910 while membership of the Cereals FQAS is currently  1,070.

Colin Duffy told the AGM that this success did not encourage the NIFCC to sit back on its laurels but was the impetus for the organisation to spread its wings even further and seekadditional business outside these schemes. This entrepreneurial attitude has brought the Assured British Meat, Assured Chicken Production and Assured Dairy Farm Schemes into the portfolio.

Thus there are currently 40 assured livestock hauliers and 22 assured markets registered with  the Assured British Meat  Livestock Transport and Livestock Market schemes, while the acquisition of the Assured Chicken Production Scheme has been good news for the poultry industry providing a cost savings for the 540 approved producers.

During the forth quarter of the year, dairy farmers enjoyed similar cost savings when NIFCC commenced inspection and certification of the Assured Dairy Farms (ADF) scheme on behalf of United Dairy Farmers.  To date, 150 applications have been received and 90 of these producers have attained approval and certification under the scheme. 

But perhaps the most significant development during the year was the expansion of the business to offer inspection and certification services to the food processing sector.  This initiative includes inspection and certification of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety and the extension of the Assured British Meat Scheme to include Abattoir, Cutting and Packing Plant Standards and the Beef Labelling Verification Scheme. 

Pictured above: The top table at the Northern Ireland Food Chain Certification AGMin Lisburn, included from left: Valerie McCann, secretary, Colin Duffy, chairman and Noel Lavery, operations manager.

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