A team of 10 trainees, existing certified auditors and staff visited Centurion Poultry’s Grandparent stock Breeding Farm as part of their periodic training of existing and new auditors of the USDA-APHIS Compartmentalization Program. Auditors-in-training followed a rigorous 4-day training event coordinated by USDA-APHIS and hosted by the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network in Gainesville, GA.
The extensive training program not only included many courses on the theory around biosecurity and handling during disease-outbreaks, but also included hands-on experiences at a feed-mill, hatchery, egg-depot, production offices and breeder farm. We, at Centurion Poultry, were honored to have been asked to help in providing the breeder farm element for their program.
Compartmentalization status allows companies and / or production units to obtain a “clean” status in time of a reportable disease outbreak in the country or region which would prohibit the company / production unit to move their products (e.g. hatching eggs or day old chicks) causing obvious negative impacts on the normal routine of business for both sending as well as receiving parties.
In order to obtain such compartmentalization status, companies and their production units have to undergo a difficult certification and verification process to guarantee that the systems in place will protect the integrity of the production units and the procedures around the daily management (the people) in order to maximize the protection of the production unit in time of disease outbreaks which in turn would facilitate (guarantee?) safe
movement of product to reach the desired destination disease-free.
When there is a reportable disease event, (such as Avian Influenza?), in the US, food systems around the world that are depending on this breeding stock from the US, are jeopardized. Compartmentalization status of a breeding company can help safeguard for a continuous supply of breeding stock in such times of veterinary restrictions and uncertainty.
We were honored to be requested by USDA-APHIS to host them for training purposes for several new auditors from around the country. We were very fortunate to have the beautiful Georgia weather cooperate where we were able to perform an extensive audit at our facilities for a thorough training. The auditors-in-training were able to carefully inspect one of the production units and discuss various scenarios in detail. The training at our facilities
along with other facilities of renowned primary layer and broiler breeding companies have offered auditors valuable inside knowledge and hands-on training to help in the success of the Compartmentalization Program.
Centurion Poultry is honored to have hosted the USDA-APHIS auditing team for the second time in past years. We wish much success to the new auditors and the USDA-APHIS Compartmentalization Program as a whole.
