Germany: New QS requirement for pig farmers from 2026
As QS announces, QS-certified pig farmers will be required to conduct an individual biosecurity risk assessment of their farms starting January 1, 2026. The QS system is thus following the recommendations of an ad-hoc working group on biosecurity and disease prevention, which is responding to the increasing risk of an animal disease outbreak on farms.
High risk of animal disease outbreaks
With this new requirement in the revised guidelines, QS aims to further raise awareness among all livestock owners regarding biosecurity. In addition to disease control, the fundamental goal is to prevent the introduction of pathogens into or from one farm to another. This applies equally to large and small livestock herds
Audit from July 2026
QS-certified farms have a six-month preparation period. From July 1, 2026, livestock owners must provide proof of their farm's risk assessment during the audit. Those who already assessed their farm's biosecurity using a risk assessment system or an official biosecurity concept in 2025 can use this evidence; a repeat assessment by mid-2026 is then not necessary.
Risk indicator and other tools
Livestock farmers can, for example, use a digital risk assessment tool to systematically evaluate biosecurity on a farm-specific basis. In the online tool, farmers anonymously answer multiple-choice questions about location, structure, management, operational procedures, and hygiene management.
Alternatively, proof of a risk assessment via an officially recognized biosafety concept, such as the Lower Saxony biosafety concept, is also possible.
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