The USDA Animal Protein Free Verification (APFV) Program was developed for the U.S. Poultry Industry to facilitate the international trade of eligible U.S. poultry and poultry products to customers who request products be derived from poultry that has not been fed animal proteins. The USDA-APFV Program is a voluntary, user-fee service available to poultry producers and processors to provide verification that poultry have never been fed animal protein, animal fats, or animal by-products. Suppliers who wish to meet the APF requirements under the APFV Program must meet these requirements through an approved
USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program (PDF). The QSA Program provides companies that supply agricultural products and services the opportunity to assure customers of their ability to provide consistent quality products or services. It is limited to programs or portions of programs where specified product requirements are supported by a documented quality management system.
Once suppliers are approved under the APFV Program to supply APF products identified as meeting the requirements, they are added to the Official Listing of APFV Suppliers. In addition, eligible APF products must be produced under an approved Program and be identified as meeting the requirements of the applicable USDA APFV Program. Products approved under the APFV Program that also meet Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) requirements may be issued a FSIS Export certificate which includes the applicable statements as listed in the FSIS Library of Export Requirements. The APFV program requirements are outlined in the AMS, Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program, Grading Division,
PAMP 104.0 Animal Protein Free Verification Program (PDF).
