i.1 Introduction

The BMPA Quality Pork Charter is owned and managed by the BMPA through its Pigmeat Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC). This committee consists of representation from existing charter participants and other BMPA stakeholders who have the relevant technical knowledge and processing experience to offer guidance in the technical content and ongoing development of the charter. 

The charter provides the pork supply chain with integrity and quality assurance for pork products. Approval and product certification against the individual pork modules and gives assurance to retailers and consumers about the pig welfare, biosecurity, food safety, integrity, provenance and traceability of the pork products they manufacture. The BMPA Quality Pork Charter requirements are above current legislation and are indicative of best commercial practice in line with the recommendations made in the ‘Elliot Review into the Integrity and Assurance of Food Supply Networks’. 

The requirements are periodically updated to ensure that the charter remains current and relevant by providing food manufacturers, retailers and most importantly consumers with quality assured pork and pork meat products. 

The routes for participation in the BMPA Quality Pork Charter are outlined below: 

Charter participants undergo announced and unannouced surveillance audits carried out by BMPA approved service providers who are required to have accreditation to the international standard for bodies certifying products, processes and services (ISO17065) assessed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). UKAS provide an assurance of the competence, impartiality and integrity of conformity assessment bodies.