IKM-QFL

National quality assurance system for dairy farming

IKM-QFL (Integrale Kwaliteit Melk - Qualité Filière Lait) translates the commitments of the milk producers to society through a set of good practices. It aims to valorise the know-how of its members and allows everyone to participate in a dynamic of progress that is indispensable for sustainable agriculture. MilkBE determines the content of the specifications and supervises their correct application.

PArticipation rate

99,8% of Belgian dairy farms are IKM-QFL certified. The importance of IKM-QFL certification is so high since clients of dairy processors are becoming more and more demanding, also in terms of assuming social responsibilities. Without IKM-QFL certification, it is no longer possible to guarantee the sale of milk.

Specifications

Already in 2000, the dairy sector has chosen to bundle questions from buyers concerning dairy farming in the private IKM-QFL specifications. Every dairy farmer can voluntarily decide to join IKM-QFL.

The IKM-QFL specifications are very extensive and are divided into 8 modules:

Animal health
Animal welfare
Milking
Cleaning
Environment
Notification duties
Hygiene
Sustainability

Certification and inspection

MilkBE has decided to entrust the certification activities to MCC-Flanders and Comité du Lait. They also supervise the training of the auditors, for example.

The milk producer can choose who will carry out his IKM-QFL audit from a list of independently accredited inspection bodies that MilkBE has subjected to an additional selection procedure. From 1 March 2024 to 1 March 2027, the following inspection bodies are allowed to carry out audits: