Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA), makers of award-winning dairy products under the Tillamook® brand name, announced that its production facilities in Tillamook and Boardman, Ore., were awarded Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 2 certification under the Global Food Safety Initiative.
“Tillamook’s commitment to producing the highest quality dairy products starts by ensuring that the products are safe,” stated Mark Wustenberg, TCCA’s vice president of quality and member services. “We recognize that consumers are more knowledgeable about the source of the food they eat, how that food is prepared and if it is safe for their family. Achieving SQF certification validates our food safety program.”
SQF certification is achieved when a company demonstrates exceptional quality control and food safety practices. A third-party audit is conducted by a qualified inspector to evaluate different aspects of a company’s food safety program, including: personnel practices, plant maintenance and cleanliness, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HAACP) plans, and food safety programs. It provides validation to many national and international retailers and food service providers that a company has food safety programs in place and that those programs are followed. SQF is a globally recognized certification as a food safety management system and is administered by the SQF Institute.
“Achieving SQF certification validates our food safety program and exemplifies our continued commitment to providing safe, high quality dairy products to the marketplace. This is an achievement of which our farmer-owners and employees can all be proud,” said Wustenberg.
TCCA’s Tillamook plant, which is also the site of the company’s headquarters, received its certification in October. The Boardman plant, known as Columbia River Processing, Inc., received Level 2 certification in August.
About Tillamook County Creamery Association
Established in 1909, the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) is a cooperative of 110 dairy farming families guided by century-old values of quality, cooperation, integrity, stewardship and responsiveness. Quickly becoming one of the top dairy brands in the country, Tillamook is most famously known for its award-winning, naturally aged Tillamook cheddars and also offers a variety of other cheeses, ice cream, butter, sour cream, and yogurt.