Welcome to the Scottish Quality Crops website

Scotland has taken the lead in the development of farm and quality assurance schemes. With several mechanisms now in place Scottish Quality Crops work closely with the farmer to firmly place Scotland's combinable crops at the premium end of the UK and European markets.

Through farm assurance, Scottish combinable crop growers - in association with their trade partners - are responding positively to increasing consumer awareness about modern food production.

With the Food Safety Act 1990 placing an onus on every sector of the food chain, from production through to consumption, SQC has adopted a whole industry approach representing all sectors of the combinable crop growing, wholesaling and processing industries.

 

 

NRoSO COVID COMPASSION SCHEME

Press release

National Register of Spray Operators (NRoSO) Covid Compassion Scheme - June 7^th 2022

The Voluntary Initiative (VI) and City & Guilds are aware that during 2020 and 2021, several COVID-19 related circumstances led to difficulties for members of the National Register of Spray Operators (NRoSO[1]) obtaining continuing professional development (CPD) points.

The VI, NRoSO Advisory Board and City & Guilds have decided to extend the NRoSO suspension period (before membership cancellation) from 45 days to 90 days. This extension of the suspension period will start from 1^st June 2022 and will run until 31^st December 2022.

During this extended period, CPD points gained, will supplement any historical shortfall and lead to membership reinstatement. Members will still be required to obtain 30 CPD points for their current membership period.

Members can find how to obtain CPD points here and find their current points status by creating an online account or signing in to their account here .

If NRoSO Members have had their membership cancelled since January 1^st 2022 and feel they qualify for re-instatement please contact City & Guilds at;

nrososupport@cityandguilds.com

Postal address to send correspondence:

The NRoSO Customer Support Team, City & Guilds, 4 Red Hall Court, Wakefield WF1 2UN

Tel : 02476 857300

 

New Structure for membership renewal re. CPD points.

•             Introduction of the Covid Compassion Scheme – to be reviewed January 2023
•                 Increases number of days outside membership term (was 45 days, increased to 90 days) that members will be able to obtain any additional CPD points to gain their full 30 points
•                 Members membership will show as “suspended” on system from the day of their 3 year term ending
•                 CPD points can be gained from either historical events (such as NSTS test (1 per membership year, 3 points), agronomist meetings (2 per membership year, 2 points per meeting) or new events (such as agronomist meetings, subscriptions, EIO online learning (2, 4 or 8 point course available) if held within the Covid Compassion Scheme window – please refer to NRoSO National Register of Sprayer Operators
•                 Members can still operate under Farm Assurance during this period of suspension
•             Membership cancellation
•                 If members do not obtain their required 30 points within their 3 year period + the additional 90 days now provided through the Covid Compassion Scheme, their membership will be cancelled for 6 months
•                 Members will not be able to operate under Farm Assurance during this period
•                 After 6 months, members will be able to re-join the scheme under a new membership.

 

[1] The National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) was formed in 2003. The scheme has in excess of 20,000 members. The scheme aims to enhance human, food and environmental safety via Continuing Professional Development (CPD). NRoSO provides proof to farm assurance schemes and government, of up-to-date knowledge and compliance of spray operators, in the use of handling and application of Plant Protection Products.

 

 

SQC NEWS UPDATE

Introduction

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as your new SQC Managing Director and say how much I look forward to working on your behalf.  I would also like to pass on my thanks to your outgoing SQC Executive Director, Alistair Ewan, for all the support he has given me over the past few months – since accepting the position and working alongside him, before taking over the helm at the start of May.

To ensure you are kept up to date with what is happening within SQC, I will be providing news updates through the year – ensuring you are kept fully informed of any changes, important news or work we are undertaking behind the scenes at SQC.

Kindest regards, Teresa Dougall, SQC Managing Director

 

Reminder to annual changes on Sprayer Testing

would like to remind all SQC members that sprayer testing timescales are changing from 1August 2022. Currently minimum legal requirements are followed, which is testing sprayers with boom widths over 3 metres every three years, with the additional need of SQC members to carry out a self-assessment for the interim 2 years.  From the new Scheme year 2022/23 members are required to have their main crop sprayer tested annually.

National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS) data shows that of all sprayers presented for test, 54% have no faults.  This means that the rest, 46%, have one or more faults that are required to be repaired before the machine can pass the test.  The majority of these sprayers are tested annually but NSTS data shows that the number of sprayers needing some form of repair is much higher when testing is carried out less frequently.

Leaks and drips are the most common faults. Safe and accurate application of pesticides must be achieved from all sprayers and more regular testing helps ensure this, but will also save downtime for the operator with faults being rectified during the test.

An operator check sheet, available from the NSTS website, is similar to the self-assessment sheet currently in use and as best practice should be used at intervals during the season to keep the machine running in good condition. There is also space to record a calibration, already a requirement for SQC members.

NSTS have over 46 Test Centres in Scotland and the North of England, and more than 100 qualified machine Examiners to test sprayers. Your nearest or preferred company can be found by clicking here. 

For more information, go to the NSTS website – www.nsts.org.uk or contact them direct on 01733 207608.

 

Professional Pesticide Users Required to Register with DEFRA by 22nd June

The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 have now come into force, requiring all farm businesses using pesticides to register their details. The regulations cover Plant Protection Product (PPP - more commonly known as pesticide) use in Great Britain). If you use pesticides and adjuvants on your farm, you are legally obliged to register your business name, all addresses where pesticides are stored, and an estimated volume of pesticides you use. The registration deadline is 22 June 2022.

Register by clicking here.

 

Update on booking SQC assessments

We previously emailed all SQC growers regarding the option to pre-book your audit.  For clarification, there are 2 options available:

1.      You await your auditor contacting you to book in your audit
2.      You contact LRQA on 0131 619 2100 or email sqc-ca@lr.org to pre book your audit – possibly helping to find a date that suits

It appears that some thought there was a change to the SQC process.  However, there is no change – we are just offering another option to try and make things easier for our growers when organising their audit.

 

Reminder on SQC Passport Completion

With harvest approaching, please see below reminder regarding individuals (grower / storekeeper) obligations when completing passports.  We appreciate that the majority of passports are already correctly completed.  However, to avoid any unnecessary delays at the other end, we ask that you double check your passports once filled in to ensure that all the sections are correctly and fully filled in.

       Section 1 – Grower / Storekeeper declaration

o   Please ensure all relevant boxes filled in / ticked.  If ticking box for RED Complaint, please all ensure you sign and print your name under Section 8 (Renewable Energy Directive).  Also remember to write in the Crop Harvest Year in this section.  Despite the fact that the passport does state the harvest year, you are still required to write this in.

       Section 4 – Post Harvest Treatment

o   Please ensure you circle the relevant point (A, B or C) as appropriate – including the date and product in bottom two boxes of this section.

       Section 5 – Fusarium Mycotoxins

o   Remember to include the Mycotoxin Risk Assessment Score and complete the remainder of boxes in this section as appropriate.

       Section 6 – Confirmation

o   Do not forget to sign this section – printing your name and position in other boxes.

       Section 8 – Renewable Energy Directive

As per note above in relation to Section 1 – remember to sign and print your name in this section.

 

SQC ON THE ROAD

Your SQC Chairman, Andrew Moir, and I recently attended Fife Show – having been invited to spend time on the NFUS stand meeting with their members and taking questions.  We also made the most of this opportunity sitting down with NFUS President, Martin Kennedy, and QMS Chair, Kate Rowell to discuss farm assurance.

We will next be on the road on Thursday 23 June at Royal Highland Show and again on Tuesday 5 July at Arable Scotland – with space in the SRUC stand.  We would be more than happy to meet up for a chat – just email me on Teresa.dougall@scottishqualitycrops.co.uk

 

 

INVITATION TO TENDER - SQC

 

Scottish Quality Crops (SQC) will shortly be open to tender applications for the future provision of assessment and certification services for the Scottish Quality Crops assurance scheme.

 

Tender applications will be circulated on 09 May with the closing date for applications set for 10 June 2022.

 

The purpose of this is to appoint a third-party Certification Body (CB) contractor, to provide independent assessment and certification services to its assurance programme. The programme provides reassurance to consumers that a crop has been produced under stringent standards of food safety, environmental protection and good farming practice.  The scope of this tender includes all relevant activities related to the assessment and certification of the schemes including assessment of any new and existing assurance scheme members and continuous development of the SQC assurance schemes. 

 

For further information, please email Teresa.dougall@scottishqualitycrops.co.uk

 

SQC URGE MEMBERS TO BOOK AUDITS EARLY

 

With combine season just around the corner, Scottish Quality Crops are urging members to pre book their audit date early and ensure adequate time for the provision of crop passports.    

 

Andrew Moir, SQC Chairman, said “Planning is vital at this time of year and I know how busy things can get.  Changing weather does not help the situation – when it is good, we all want to be out there, getting the work done.  The assessors want to work with our members to make the organising of your audit as simple as possible and understand that part of this is organising a time that best suits.  However, we all need to work with our certification body and assessors – making sure that there is then adequate boots on the ground when and where needed.  And to do this, a certain element of planning is required.  I would urge all members who will need their passports in the next couple of months to contact LRQA as soon as possible and organise a date.”

 

Andrew also said, “We are working closely with LRQA to streamline the process – meaning that you do not need to wait until contacted by an auditor to set your date.  Why not organise it a time that better suits you?  At SQC, we are working hard to communicate this message widely – to allow everyone to work better together.  To book your audit, you can call LRQA direct on 0131 619 2100 or email sqc-ca@lr.org. Or, if you would prefer to speak directly to the audit planners, their contact details are:

• Sean Jackson, Lead Planning Manager, sean.jackson@lrqa.com, 0121 817 4407
• Emma Sully, Agricultural Planning Manager, emma.sully@lrqa.com, 0121 817 4150
• Jess Lawler, Planning Co-ordinator, jess.lawler@lrqa.com, 0121 817 4214

 

SPRAYER OPERATOR DATES 2021-2022

 

Sprayer Operator Dates 2021-2022
DECEMBER				FEBRUARY
				Coupar Angus	02-Feb	38337	38339
Forfar	01-Dec	38290	38291	Dunfermline	03-Feb	38340	38341
Keith	02-Dec	38294	38295	Laurencekirk	04-Feb	38343	38344
Perth	03-Dec	38296	38297	Falkirk	07-Feb	38345	38346
Inverurie	06-Dec	38298	38300	Blackford	08-Feb	38347	38348
Cupar	07-Dec	38302	38303	Banchory	09-Feb	38349	38350
Falkirk	08-Dec	38288	38289	Lanark	10-Feb		38355
Laurencekirk	10-Dec	38304	38307	Arbroath	16-Feb	38356
Coupar Angus	14-Dec	38281	38282	Musselburgh	17-Feb	38357	38358
JANUARY				Inverurie	18-Feb	38359	38360
				Cupar	22-Feb	38361	38362
Cupar	06-Jan	38308	38309	Laurencekirk	23-Feb	38363	38364
Coupar Angus	07-Jan	38310	38311	On-Line	25-Feb	38365	38366
On-Line (Dumfries)	10-Jan		38312	MAY
Ellon	11-Jan	38313	38314	Musselburgh	25-May	38367	38368
Inverurie	12-Jan	38315	38317	Keith	26-May	38369	38370
Musselburgh	13-Jan	38318	38321	Inverurie	27-May	38371	38372
Laurencekirk	14-Jan	38322	38323	Coupar Angus	30-May	38373	38374
Arbroath	17-Jan	38333	38355	Ellon	31-May	38375	38376
Kelso	19-Jan	38324	38325	JUNE
Berwick	20-Jan	38326	38327	Kelso	01-Jun	38377	38378
Rothbury	21-Jan	38328		Cupar	02-Jun	38379	38380
On-Line (Inverness)	24-Jan	38329	38330	Laurencekirk	03-Jun	38381	38382
Cupar	25-Jan	38331	38332	Falkirk	06-Jun	38382

 

Moisture Meter Calibration

Moisture meters must be calibrated as per SQC Standards. This can be undertaken by,

• Receiving a know moisture sample from your merchant or agent
• Sending Moisture Meter to a Moisture meter clinic
• Sending Moisture Meter to the manufacturer for calibration