Truck Care is a quality accreditation program designed by the Australian Livestock Transporters' Association (the ALTA) in consultation with animal welfare authorities and livestock transport operators. When accredited by the ALTA, a livestock operator is deemed to have policies, procedures and records in place, certified by an approved quality auditor, to prove the quality of the transport operation in its delivery strategies with specific regard to animal welfare.
TruckCare procedures provide an operator with proof of paddock to plate in the operator's handling of livestock on behalf of the operator's customers. This is achieved through delivery records, and the investigation of poor loading facilities and complaints either from a customer or other person involved in the livestock transport task.
The main components of the program require procedures for the following:
- traceability for every load showing how all livestock is penned (this is usually a delivery docket with a printed or drawn loading diagram)
- training for all personnel involved in the handling of livestock
- identification of poor loading facilities
- suitability of livestock crates to ensure no damage is caused to livestock
- identification or poorly spelled livestock
- identification of stock unfit for travel
- procedures to be followed for downer animals
- procedures for dealing with complaints from customers
- procedures for dealing with loading problems
- procedures on the recommended method of loading for the various types of livestock
Livestock operators have strong support through various State organisations and the ALTA who work with other organisations within the food supply chain. On behalf of operators, they also provide a united voice on proposed regulatory issues which could adversely affect the transport of livestock.
Again, we set up the policies, procedures and records which meet the Standards of the TruckCare accreditation and train you in the processes.
The requirements are not burdensome and you will find that you are already meeting the majority of the requirements. What you will need to do differently is to formalise some of the record-keeping of the process to be able to produce an auditable trail.