GLOBALG.A.P. Good Agricultural Practice Framework

This service is linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

GLOBALG.A.P. is a joint initiative by companies in the European food and agricultural retail sector, the Euro Retail Produce Working Group, with the aim of:

• establishing globally accepted standards,
• developing a framework for Good Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.),
• the continuous improvement and understanding of good practice, and
• to foster open communication between consumers and the production sectors, including producers and exporters and importers. 

The Good Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.) Framework includes the implementation of:

1. integrated pest management (IPM) systems
2. integrated crop management (ICM) systems

with the aim of achieving short-term improvement and sustainability, and the application of HACCP principles in conjunction with compliance with national and international legislation.

The purpose of implementing GLOBALG.A.P. is to address growing consumer concerns regarding:

• Maintaining confidence in food safety
• Minimising harmful effects on the environment
• Minimising the use of agrochemicals
• Improving the efficiency of natural resource use
• Ensuring a positive approach to workers’ health and safety  

For GLOBALG.A.P. certification, the following requirements apply to each inspection category:

Category 1: Requirements for Individual Producer Certification

• Annual internal audit in accordance with the requirements of the GLOBALG.A.P. protocol (carried out by the producer)
• At least one annual routine audit in accordance with the requirements of the GLOBALG.A.P. protocol (by the certification body)
• 10% of all inspections carried out by the certification body must be unannounced (by the certification body)

Category 2: Requirements for the Certification of Producer Groups

• The producer group must maintain a control and procedures manual
• All members of the group must operate under the same system
• All members of the group are audited by an internal or external auditor
• The internal audit covers all GLOBALG.A.P. requirements and is carried out annually
• The sample of producers to be audited for certification is equal to the square root of the total number of producers (IAF guidelines)
• 10% of all inspections carried out by the certification body are unannounced

The necessary documents for the GLOBALG.A.P. scheme are:

• GLOBALG.A.P. Protocol: This sets out the system requirements with which the producer must comply
• GLOBALG.A.P. General Regulations: These set out the system’s management regulations
• GLOBALG.A.P. Checklists and Compliance Criteria: These include specific information on how the producer must comply with each requirement of the system
• GLOBALG.A.P. Questionnaire: Audit points with which the producer must comply during the annual internal audit. 

Link: GLOBALG.A.P.

For any further information regarding the certification process, please contact us.