On-farm quality assurance programs: A survey of producer and industry leader opinions

To assess interest in implementing a California dairy quality assurance pro gram, practices and opinions of dairy producers and industry leaders were s urveyed by a mailed questionnaire and by focus groups. The majority of the 55 participants in the focus group were dairy producers; processor marketin g executives, extension dairy advisors, packinghouse executives, and dairy veterinarians were represented. The consensus among the focus groups was th at a quality assurance program should be voluntary, be managed by creamerie s, and confer an economic advantage to participants. Focus group members li sted chemical and microbial food safety (in both meat and milk), environmen tal health, and animal welfare as issues that should be addressed. Of the 1 440 questionnaires mailed with producers' milk checks, 413 were returned. I nformation was collected regarding opinions and practices pertaining to adm inistration of drugs to animals, medical records and animal identification, culling practices, manure management, cow welfare, and feeding of animal p rotein. An overwhelming 99% of producers believed they were responsible for the safety of meat and milk leaving the farm. Sixty percent of producers s aid that they would consider joining a California-specific quality assuranc e program, whereas 9% indicated that they would not. Producers would be mor e likely to join if their processor believed it would impart a market advan tage and if the program standards were controlled by producers.