SQF – EAGLE has over 100 years of combined experience in managing food safety systems – food companies worldwide turn to EAGLE to certify their food safety management systems to help them produce, process, prepare, and handle food according to international and domestic food safety regulations.

EAGLE offers three distinct SQF products – SQF Certification (GFSI recognized), SQF Fundamentals Program, and SQF Fundamentals Verification Assessment (FVA)

Why SQF Certification?

SQF, Safe Quality Food, provides a comprehensive service to the food industry. Buyers and suppliers from around the world benefit from adopting a program that is truly global in nature. This enables suppliers to assure their customers that from farm-to-fork food and/or packaging has been processed, produced, prepared, distributed, and handled according to the highest possible standards, at all levels of the supply chain.

SQF Certification has several advantages:
• It is the only scheme to integrate a quality component as well as food safety
• Reduces or eliminates the need for multiple, redundant audits
• Protects a company’s brand integrity
• Assures customers the processing of food and/or packaging is continually monitored to improve quality and safety

Contact us today to start the process.

What Is SQF Certification?

SQF, Safe Quality Food, is a leading, global food safety and quality program recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). It is the only GFSI-recognized standard that offers a seamless farm-to-fork food safety certification program. The program provides independent certification that a supplier’s food safety and quality management system conforms to international and domestic food safety regulations. SQF is supported by an increasing number of U.S. and international retailers and food service providers who express a preference for suppliers who implement HACCP-based (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) food safety and quality management systems. Certification is offered at three levels on an annual basis and requires an on-site practitioner to ensure food safety compliance and consistency.

SQF Edition 9 of the code was implemented on May 24, 2021, and Code 9 changes can be found on the SQFI website including SQF Guidance, Tip Sheets, and Checklists about the Edition 9 Code.

SQF’s Food Safety Program includes 11 codes that meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements from all sectors of the food supply chain:

• Animal Feed Manufacturing
• Animal Product Manufacturing
• Aquaculture
• Dietary Supplement Manufacturing
• Food Manufacturing
• Manufacture of Food Packaging
• Pet Food Manufacturing
• Primary Animal Production
• Primary Plant Production
• Quality Code
• Storage and Distribution

Please click here (SQF Library of Codes site) to download these codes.

SQF Fundamentals Program

SQFI has created a solution for small and medium-sized suppliers who don’t have a robust food safety management program in place or want to take their existing program to the next level.

SQFI has developed the Fundamentals Program for Food Manufacturing and Primary Producers, both meeting the requirements in the GFSI Global Markets program, but are not GFSI benchmarked.

Program Features

There are different Codes for the manufacturing and primary production food sectors. Each of these Codes is broken up into two different approaches– Basic and Intermediate. The Basic Code focuses on the implementation of the Code requirements and less on documentation. Within the Intermediate Code, there is an introduction of documentation however; implementation is still the main focus.

1. SQF Basic Fundamentals is an entry-level Code for small or developing food, packaging, and pet food manufacturers. The goal of the Fundamentals Basic Code is to guide sites in building their food safety programs.
2. SQF Intermediate Fundamentals is the next step for small or developing food, packaging, and pet food manufacturers who have a Food Safety Plan in place but are seeking to further enhance their program. The program is HACCP-based, following CODEX.

To download your free Fundamentals Code and checklists, click here.

SQF Fundamentals Verification Assessment (FVA)

The SQF Fundamentals Verification Assessment (FVA) program was designed and created to offer an affordable, efficient solution – to deliver a remote verification assessment specifically for very small businesses that validate their commitment to food safety without the challenges of traditional onsite audits. Click here to view the digital seminar co-hosted with EAGLE and SQFI, and to learn more about the SQF FVA program.

It is not classified as a standard SQF certification program; however, it introduces an innovative approach to ensuring food safety and features an independently verified SQF Fundamentals remote assessment. To learn more about SQF FVA, click here.

SQF Food Safety and Quality Code Certification

Client Testimonials 

“EAGLE Certification has been the primary Auditor and Certifier for Kreider Farms for over 7 years. Their administrative and support staff has been great to work with including during the challenges of 2020 and Covid-19. All six of our locations were audited this year against the GFSI standard on time and on location. This is a testament to a strong company and professional auditors. It is reassuring to know that during a time of crisis that our partners at EAGLE were as committed to Food Safety and Quality as our company was. Kreider Farms team of front line and essential workers kept safe quality Eggs and Dairy products flowing to our customers without interruption and EAGLE’s team provided the team to reassure our customers we were doing it safely.”

Kreider Farm, Mount Pleasant, PA

“My first audit working with EAGLE was a success. Their team has been extremely helpful & kind. Auditor was very patient, gave clear explanations & what a wealth of knowledge. He made audit enjoyable.”

Henning’s Cheese, Kiel, WI

SQF Food Safety Code Certification

Customer Evidence Client Testimonials 

“Our company’s SQF journey started with our search for a certification body, we were referred to EAGLE and have never looked back. Since the beginning, and first conversations with their team, we found they are fully engaged to help us find correct audit scopes, provide flexible scheduling, and have a professional audit staff. While there is not just once specific instance to share, the service that matters most to us is that we are never left waiting. We always get a detailed and timely response from the EAGLE team whether it is an invoice, a report, or clarification of the code.”

Anchor Ingredients LLC, Culbertson, MT

“As a customer of EAGLE Certification Group for over a decade, we have always been pleased with the service we have received. Anytime I have had a question, I have been met with nothing but professionalism and friendliness, whether from our Certification Manager or Auditor, I have always received the answers I sought. Our company is looking forward to many
more years with EAGLE.”

Nelson Jameson Inc., Marshfield, WI