Home About the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme
National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS)

The quality assurance program for Australian feedlots is called the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS). As stipulated in Export Meat Orders, this program is mandatory for feedlots producing grainfed beef for export markets. The objective of the NFAS is to develop a quality system for beef feedlots that impacts positively on product quality and acceptability and for which lot feeders maintain responsibility. The National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) is an industry self-regulatory quality assurance scheme that was initiated by the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association and is managed by an industry committee, the Feedlot Industry Accreditation Committee (FLIAC).

To be accredited a feedlot operator must:

  • Have documented specific feedlot procedures in place which meet the requirements of industry standards;
  • Maintain records that these procedures have been adhered to for all cattle prepared at the feedlot; and
  • Undergo a third party audit of these procedures, records and facilities at the feedlot. For more information on NFAS see the AUSMEAT site or contact 1800 621 903

The elements of NFAS are:

Animal welfare

The NFAS includes procedures to ensure the health and welfare of cattle are not compromised by the persons responsible for their care and wellbeing. These procedures ensure prompt and remedial action is taken if and when required.

Accredited feedlots are required to implement “The National Guidelines for Beef Cattle Feedlots” which refer to requirements in the “Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Cattle”. Feedlot cattle are also submitted to regular health inspections, feedlot managers must undertake contingency planning with respect to emergency response management and must report incidents of abnormal levels of morbidity or mortality.

Environmental management

The NFAS requires that environment management procedures are established and implemented in adherence with the National Beef Cattle Feedlot Environmental Code of Practice.

These procedures ensure clear and achievable environmental objectives are outlined and performance indicators, operational practices and monitoring programs are documented. Feedlot management must be aware of and adhere to their environmental legislative requirements. Employees must be aware of and adhere to their environmental management responsibilities through adequate training.

Environmental performance is reviewed on an annual basis or as required by the regulatory authority. Awareness of current and developing industry wide practices is maintained to achieve objectives of the Environmental Code.

Stocking density

Feedlots must ensure that stocking density is managed in the range of 9 to 25 square metres per head per standard cattle weight (male bovine weighing 600kgs) unless an exemption has been granted.

Stock identification systems

A stock identification system must be implemented to enable maintenance of appropriate management records, traceability of stock on the property and when dispatched from the property. The NFAS requires that all individual animals be uniquely identified by some permanent method.

These requirements help maintain the integrity of product described as “grain fed” and help prevent veterinary chemical usage prior to expiry of withholding periods or export slaughter intervals.

Livestock transactions and movements

Livestock transactions and movements on and off the feedlot are to be recorded and records maintained to ensure traceability.

Carcase quality, bruising and skin or hide damage

Cattle handling procedures are to be implemented to minimise carcass bruising and hide damage. To ensure this, feedlot pens and associated yards and loading facilities are to be constructed and maintained in a manner so as to minimise bruising and injury.

Safe and responsible chemical use

Property managers are to ensure the safe and responsible administration of veterinary chemicals to cattle in the feedlot.

Cattle treatment records

All cattle treatments are to be recorded. All cattle are to be evaluated for their suitability for human consumption prior to sale.

Feedlot rations

Ration analysis records are to be maintained which are to conform with the average metabolised energy content of the fed ration. Stock feed used for cattle must not contain animal products in accordance with State and Territory legislation.

Feed commodity control

Property managers are to implement procedures to minimise the risk of unacceptable chemical contamination from introduced stock feed for product intended for human consumption.

Emergency response management

Feedlots are to take steps to minimise the likelihood of disease entry into and spread from the defined feedlot area. The feedlot must establish appropriate procedures to ensure satisfactory action would be undertaken should an unusual or emergency situation occur. The feedlot must also establish notification and incident reporting procedures.

Persistent chemicals in soils

Risk assessment procedures are to be implemented at the feedlot to minimise the risk of cattle and agricultural produce being unacceptably contaminated with organochlorine, heavy metals or other persistent chemicals.

Obtaining and storing agricultural and veterinary chemicals

Property managers shall ensure that only legally obtained properly labelled chemicals are available for use on the property and procedures are to be implemented to ensure their safe and appropriate storage.

Paddock, crop and grain treatments

Paddock, crop and grain treatment records and withholding periods for the grazing of livestock, harvesting, sale or release for end-use of produce and grain, or cutting of crops or pastures for fodder shall be observed and only approved chemicals shall be used.

Training

Appropriate staff training shall be provided to ensure that staff are suitably able to perform the duties required of them.

Internal auditing and corrective action

Periodic internal audits are required to verify on-going compliance with the NFAS Accreditation Rules & Standards. Corrective & Preventative actions are required for any non-conformances identified, or for deficiencies identified which cannot be immediately rectified.

Quality Records

Records shall be kept to provide documentary evidence of compliance with the NFAS Rules & Standards. These records shall provide a mechanism to assist in the independent auditing of the system.

Document control

A list of all documents shall be maintained, and procedures put in place, to ensure that out of date documents are replaced by new versions.

For more information on NFAS see the AUSMEAT site or contact 1800 621 903