Simple Steps to VBP Enrollment & Registration

Participating in the VBP program is simple and straightforward.



VBP Enrollment (Training) 

  • Enroll into the VBP program by: attending a VBP workshop, or completing on-line (internet) training. Workshops are scheduled throughout the province, for small or large groups of producers. Click here to sign up for training  

  • There is no obligation to participate further. Producers who have completed VBP training can choose to only implement a few of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and simply maintain a; "Enrolled in the VBP program" status. However, if you choose to fully implement the program you can move to the full VBP Registration stage, where your production practices and records are audited.

 

VBP Registration (Verification)

  1.  Eligibility - Meet the following eligibility criteria for registration (verification)
     under the VBP program:
           i.    Training - One person from your beef cattle operation has completed the VBP
                 training (workshop or on-line).
           ii.    Practices - All applicable required practices “Must Do’s” (grey shaded items in
                 the VBP Producer Manual) have been implemented.
           iii.   Records - The necessary records have been established for the on-farm food
                 safety related practices. Cow/calf operations must have at least six months of 
                 records and feedlot operations must have least three months of records.

  2. Determine  Readiness  - Determine if you are ready for the verification audit by reviewing The VBP Program Checklist. This checklist can help you determine whether you have in fact implemented all the required practices. Click here to get the checklist. 

  3. Request Audit - Request a Verification Audit by completing the on-line verification form. Click here for the Verification request form, or contact the Provincial Coordinator,
    Eileen Leslie at: 1-866-242-7404 or eileen@beefsafety.ab.ca

  4. Set Time & Date - The assigned auditor will contact you by email or phone to schedule a mutually agreed upon date and time for the verification audit.

  5. Payment - The on-farm verification audit will take about two hours to complete and involves a cost of $500 for a non-medicated feed operation and $850 for a medicated feed operation to have the trained third-party auditor visit your operation and assess practices and records. You will be mailed an invoice for this cost after the audit has been completed.

  6. Registration Certificate - Upon successful completion of the audit and any possible corrective actions, your operation will be issued an official VBP Registration Certificate,
    a VBP gate sign, and you can market your operation as VBP-Registered. 

  7. On-Going Commitment - To maintain your registration status from one year to the next you will need to submit either a sample of records or a self-declaration each year to the Provincial Coordinator.