What's New

January 1, 2007: CQA® producer materials have been updated. Download the latest versions here »

In the enclosed package, you will find the updated CQA® materials for 2007. They include:

• On-Farm Quality Assessment Form chapter 6, The Handling of Medicated Feed, version 2.1, 2007
• On-Farm Quality Assessment Form chapter 7, Needles and Injection Techniques, version 2.1, 2007
• On-Farm Quality Assessment Form chapter 10, Medication and Vaccine Usage, version 2.1, 2007
• Producer Manual chapter D4 Medical Supplies: Use and Storage, version 2.1, 2007
• Medication and Vaccine Usage Plan On Farm form, version 2.1, 2007

Please replace the current versions of these chapters with the updated chapters provided.

Changes Effective January 1, 2007

In Chapter 6 of the Assessment Form, you will notice that there are no changes to the program requirements. It was necessary to correct some oversights and re-format a question:

• The sample Rations Used On Farm form has been updated.
• Question 10b has been shaded. This is a point that should have been shaded previously as part of question 10. The verification of withdrawal times was already part of the validation process.
• Question 11b has been separated into two parts, the first to address mixing of medicated feed on-farm and the second to address how medicated feed is delivered or transferred.

Chapter 7 of the Assessment Form includes updated program requirements:

• Question 12 has been expanded to include the hip injection protocol which has been approved by the program for use only in the breeding herd.
• Question 13 has been modified to include the new detectable needle requirement.

Question 19 of Chapter 10 is the only part of this chapter that has been modified. The term "off-label" use has been replace by the term "extra-label" use to fall more closely in line with Health Canada terminology. The note for question 19a has also been amended to include a reference to the use of active pharmaceutical ingredients and compounded products.

Also in the Assessment Form updates is an updated version of the Medication and Vaccine Usage Plan On Farm form. You will find an additional note referring to the responsibilities of the veterinarian in regards to the use of prescription medications, extra-label use and the use of compounded products.

Chapter D4 of the Producer Manual has been updated to address several items:

• The new requirement for the use of detectable needles has been added.
• References have been made to the hip injection protocol and you will find the protocol itself on page D4-14.
• The CQA® Drug Use Policy has been reviewed and updated. Veterinarians who choose to use active pharmaceutical ingredients will be required to have all products tested for identity. The CQA® program has worked with the Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians (CASV) to update the policy and CASV has developed a testing protocol.
• Additional information has been provided regarding extra-label drug use.

Please take the time to review the updated materials and to familiarize yourself with the changes. If you have any questions, please contact your provincial coordinator.