Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding

Minutes of the Field Service Advisory Committee Meeting

July 23-24, 1999

Dr Jean Boyazoglu, the Secretary for the International Committee on Animal Recording (ICAR), presented a series of overheads outlining the structure and functions of the voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization.  He emphasized that their intent is to form worldwide standards for the formulation of consistent records and that they are not a regulatory agency.

Bruce Dokkebakken reviewed the schedules and document deadlines for Advisory Committee, Audit Review Committee, QCS Board, and CDCB meetings.

Paul Miller reviewed the QCS Board meeting decision to adopt the Code of Ethics and Uniform Data Collection Procedures as the standards to be measured by the QCS.  He proposed that the Field Service Advisory Committee adopt them as well.  The decision was tabled early in the meeting but approved before the meeting was adjourned.

The group discussed a variety of topics related to field services and meter centers.  They also reviewed the 1999 Quality Certification Manual for Field Service and 1995 Quality Certification Meter Center Manual in great detail. 

The following is a list of items that were approved as recommendations for the Audit Review Committee and CDCB.

1. General items

A. To require that each organization submitting records for inclusion into the GEP sign a.statement of compliance on an annual, calendar year basis
B. To publish the names, evaluation dates, and certification status of each organization evaluated on an Internet site
C. To reword the 1999 Quality Certification Manual for Field Service as required to reference the Genetic Evaluation Program (GEP) instead of the DHI system
D. To have National DHIA represent the interest of individual field service units and meter centers within their membership to meter manufacturers
E. To send post-evaluation surveys to field service units and meter centers to measure the effectiveness of the visit

2. On-site evaluations of field service units

A. To require annual, on-site evaluations of field service units
B. To continue evaluating at the field service unit level
C. To develop a specific list of items to check during on-site evaluations
D. To have the auditor suggest recommended changes during on-site evaluations
E. To provide copies of all evaluation reports to the CDCB

3. On-site evaluations of meter centers

A. To require biannual on-site evaluations of meter centers and meter technicians
B. To evaluate a portable meter center on a per-hour or expense charge basis rather than treat them as a second meter center

4. On-site evaluation schedules

A. To establish routine, annual schedules for on-site evaluations
B. To make certification proactive with documented renewal dates
C. To set the recertification deadline 15 months from the evaluation date

5. On-site evaluators

A. To have the auditing organization's staff perform all evaluations during the first year of operation
B. To use other qualified evaluators where appropriate
C. To allow field service units veto power over the first assigned evaluator when, and if, contract evaluators are offered as an option

6. Membership Agreements and Service Contracts

A. To continue to require Membership Agreements or Service Contracts
B. To require that the Membership Agreements or Service Contracts reference the UDCP and GEP

7. Field technician training

A. To keep the training requirements in the 1999 Quality Certification Manual for Field Service
B. To require training to the level of the field technician job functions
C. To evaluate training accomplishments instead of training methods
D. To eliminate field technician / independent contractor training from the list of productsand services offered by the auditing organization

8. Field technician evaluations

A. To add field technician evaluations as an auditing requirement

9. Permanent ID

A. To recommend that the UDCP be revised to add visible ID as an acceptable cross-reference

10. Verification testing

A. To have the breed associations develop a form listing the information required during a verification test
B. To have the breed associations suggest a method of verification testing to fit their needs
C. To request that the breed associations charge, collect, and pay for verification testing services

11. Bulk tank comparisons

A. To continue using bulk tank comparisons as a reasonable method of monitoring milk weight deviations
B. To table the issues regarding consistency of multiple herdcodes in one bulk tank and partial bulk tank pickups until a later date

12. Sanctions

A. To continue sanctioning at the field service unit level
B. To provide a limited time period for an organization to correct deficiencies
C. To provide a report to the CDCB stating that an organization has not met the certification requirements and have the CDCB make the certification / non-certification decision

13. Meter technician certification

A. To require meter calibration check demonstrations for meter technician recertification
B. To require meter model specific certification for meter technicians
C. To require meter technician training and certification when new models are introduced

14. Portable meter calibration checks

A. To require volumetric flasks or accurate scales to measure the initial water volume for calibration checks
B. To require the initial water volume to be remeasured after 4 meter calibration checks
C. To require a calibration check on all new meters prior to placing them in service
D. To require annual meter calibration checks, but allow up to 14 months between checks for special cases
E. To table the issue of requiring all portable meters to be ICAR approved until next year
F. To add the requirements for preliminary calibration check readings and actual calibration check readings
G. To eliminate the reference to 365 day interval requirement in the 1999 Quality Certification Manual for Field Service
H. To require verifiable documentation of meter inventory

15. Electronic meter calibration checks

A. To allow a signed statement from the meter manufacturer's representative, equipment dealer, or certified meter technician as proof that an electronic meter system has passed a calibration check
B. To eliminate the requirement that individual serial numbers and calibration check measurements be included on electronic meter calibration check documentation
C. To include the statistical analysis method of electronic meter calibration in the meter calibration manual
D. To table the issue of individual certification of electronic meter systems until a later date
E. To eliminate the requirement that dairyman must be able to provide calibration check documentation on request
F. To match the wording for portable and electronic meter calibrations wherever possible

16. Other meter calibration checks

A. To add a section in the 1999 Quality Certification Manual for Field Service referencing spring scales
B. To eliminate the requirement that new weigh jars be checked for calibration

17. Meter calibration tags

A. To continue to require tags or marks for portable meter certification
B. To eliminate the requirement on the tags for the month checked and meter technician initials

After the 1999 Quality Certification Manual for Field Service and the 1995 Quality Certification Meter Center Manual were reviewed, Michael Rector was appointed to edit both documents to include the suggested recommendations of the Field Service Advisory Committee.

Michael Rector was also selected to write the minutes of the meeting. A Minutes Review Committee was established to review the initial draft for accuracy. The Committee members are listed below:

Note: Diana Wickham, from AgSource Cooperative, called Michael on Monday and asked to be included on the Minutes Review Committee.

Instructions were given to Michael Rector to distribute the Minutes to all participants in the meeting and National DHIA members once the Minutes Review Committee had approved them.

A request was made to establish a committee to review the compliance of processing centers with the UDCP. Although there was considerable discussion, there was no action on the request.

Bruce Dokkebakken was nominated and reelected as the Chairman of the Field Service Advisory Committee.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,
Michael Rector
National DHIA / QCS

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