Assured Code of Practice
In view of the distinctive nature of specialist cheesemaking, the Specialist Cheesemakers Association (SCA) recognised that it would be helpful to issue guidance on good hygiene practice for small cheesemakers and the enforcement officers who come into contact with them. The SCA Code of Best Practice, first produced in 1997, become a benchmark for good cheesemaking practice.
In 2013, the SCA set up a co-ordinated Primary Authority partnership with Cornwall Council covering food hygiene and standards in specialist cheesemaking. Cornwall Council worked with the SCA Technical Committee to build on the existing Code, making it more comprehensive and resilient. The resulting document, known as the Assured Code of Practice (ACoP), was agreed by Cornwall Council as ‘Assured Advice’ in 2015 and forms the basis of the interpretation of legal requirements in the event of a dispute between a cheesemaker and a local authority in England. It also supports the SCA-specific version of the Safe and Local Supplier Approval Standard, known as SALSA plus Cheese.
The ACoP is not intended to be an authoritative guide to cheesemaking – its prime aim is to provide guidance on good hygiene practice and quality that is vital for specialist cheese production. It addresses the application of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), hygiene pre-requisites, the law and food law inspections.
The ACoP is regularly reviewed by the SCA Technical Committee and Cornwall Council. The latest version is the Assured Code of Practice Edition 3, 2025. The ACoP is available online to all fully-paid-up members of the SCA and enforcement officers.
SCA members can access the Assured Code of Practice (Edition 3, 2025) and updates in their Member Hub under Tools & Links Module.
Enforcement officers can access the Assured Code of Practice (Edition 3, 2025) from the Primary Authority Register.
Please note that ACOP Edition 3 must only be used for the purpose of local authority enforcement work in relation to the SCA and their members. It must not be shared with others outside the local authority or SCA membership.
If you are a member of the SCA Primary Authority Scheme it is a requirement that you have access to the SCA Assured Code of Best Practice and any updates to it, and that you are working to it, or an equivalent level of control. You will also need the Assured Code to comply with your SALSA plus Cheese audits.