Companies looking to differentiate their products can do so with a variety of different marketing claims: organic, all vegetarian-fed diet or no antibiotics ever (NAE). But, it is not just enough to make these claims on a product label – they have to be true. One way to not only have these claims verified by a third party but also make products stand out is to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Process Verified Program (PVP).
Jeff Waite, chief, audit services branch, Quality Assessment Division, Livestock and Poultry program, USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), explained the program and its benefits to the agriculture industry on October 9 at the Delmarva Poultry Industry 2018 National Meeting on Poultry Health, Processing and Live Production.
USDA’s PVP is a voluntary program to facilitate the marketing of agricultural products and objectively evaluate PVP programs. According to Waite, the program provides independent verification that specific production practices or processing points, with or without marketing claims, are clearly defined, implemented and transparent, as well as verifies a company can produce a consistent, reliable product. Companies develop their own criteria for the PVP, and then AMS auditors verify these PV points and supporting processes.
Jeff Waite | Photo by Alyssa Conway
Waite clarified that the PVP program is not a regulatory program or a label-approval program, as labeling is regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). He noted that the quality management system criteria, which are the basis of the PVP, were founded on the ISO 9001 quality management standard.
Benefits of the program
Waite pointed to a number of marketing benefits for companies that choose to qualify for PVP. Companies can market their products as “USDA Process Verified” as well as use the PVP shield logo on their products. Additionally, approved companies are listed on the public-facing AMS PVP website, which shows companies’ approvals, allowing them to “brag more” about the standards they are meeting.
Currently, Waite said there are more than 50 companies from various industries participating in the program with more than 190 PVP claims verified by AMS, including claims like “Responsible Antibiotic Use,” “Raised without antibiotics” or “Non-GMO.” Among companies he mentioned that are currently using the program as it relates to the poultry industry are Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s.
PVP approval process
Waite outlined the steps needed to apply for the PVP program, saying, “It’s a straight line process.”
To begin with, companies must develop a process and quality manual. This includes a documented program that describes the processes being verified and not only what you do, but also how you do it. Applicants can then submit this with a cover letter and the application to AMS. Once received, AMS reviews the information with a desk audit to ensure program requirements are accounted for and documented in the quality manual. Following this, AMS auditors conduct an on-site audit of all phases of the operation, which can vary by size and scope of the operation and the standards a company is looking to verify. Successfully approved companies then receive a certificate from AMS with their certification number and can market their products in accordance with the PVP guidelines.
