GLOBALG.A.P. is a brand of farm assurance standards based on Good Agricultural Practice, owned by FoodPLUS GmbH. First created in the late 1990s by several

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...

chains and their suppliers under the name EUREPGAP, standards were developed using the

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Hazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP (), is a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological hazard, biological, chemical hazard, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished ...

(HACCP) guidelines published by the

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates t ...

, and is governed according to the ISO/IEC 17065 for product certification schemes. GLOBALG.A.P. standards are voluntary and developed in collaboration with sector stakeholders – including producers, certification bodies, and retailers – and cover production processes in

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

floriculture Floriculture (from ) is the study of the efficient production of the plants that produce showy, colorful flowers and foliage for human enjoyment in human environments. It is a commercially successful branch of horticulture and agriculture found ...

aquaculture Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. Nelu ...

animal feed Animal feed is food given to domestic animals, especially livestock, in the course of animal husbandry. There are two basic types: fodder and forage. Used alone, the word ''feed'' more often refers to fodder. Animal feed is an important input ...

manufacturing, and

chain of custody Chain of custody (CoC), in legal contexts, is the chronological documentation or paper trail that records the sequence of custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of materials, including physical or electronic evidence. Of particul ...

. The

certification Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...

system is based on

audits An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon." Auditing al ...

by accredited and independent third party certification bodies. Each registered producer is assigned a unique 13-digit GLOBALG.A.P. Number (GGN), which can be searched in the public GLOBALG.A.P. database. In February 2009 GLOBALG.A.P. launched 'ChinaGAP' following successful completion of the benchmarking of ChinaGAP against the GLOBALG.A.P. Good Agricultural Practice reference code. In 2023, there were more than 190,000 producers under GLOBALG.A.P. certification across 137 countries. Certified production processes for plants account for more than 4.5 million hectares annually. Aquaculture products from certified production account for over 2.6 million tons in the market each year.

Standards and certification

GLOBALG.A.P. standards are organized in three categories: entry-level assurance for producers in emerging markets, internationally recognized certification, and add-on assessments which expand the scope of certification on specific topics. Standards are audited/assessed each year by an independent and accredited third-party certification or verification body. The certification status of each producer can be verified in real-time via the public GLOBALG.A.P. database. The consistent implementation and delivery of standards is overseen by the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program, which monitors and assesses the key aspects of the third-party certification process. This covers certification body training and approval, certification integrity, complaint management, and customer support.

Entry-level assurance

The Primary Farm Assurance (PFA) program – formerly “localg.a.p.” – is a stepwise, entry-level assessment of good agricultural practices designed for smallholder fruit and vegetable producers in emerging markets. For flower and ornamental producers, the entry-level Impact-Driven Approach to Sustainability (IDA) module supports the collection and analysis of farm data. Both assessments result in a letter of conformance that can help achieve local, national, and regional market access.

Internationally recognized certification

GLOBALG.A.P. operates a range of internationally recognized standards for primary production and the supply chain. The flagship GLOBALG.A.P.’s standard is Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA), which is a frequently requested trading requirement by retailers and buyers worldwide. IFA is applicable to the production processes of fruit and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, hops, combinable crops, plant propagation material, tea, and aquaculture (finfish/crustaceans/molluscs/seaweed). Other standards include the Compound Feed Manufacturing (CFM) standard for aquaculture and livestock feed mills, the Produce Handling Assurance (PHA) standard aimed at postharvest pre-processing activities, and the GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody standard for supply chain stakeholders trading products originating from GLOBALG.A.P. certified production processes.

Add-on assessments

Expanding the scope of certification, GLOBALG.A.P. add-ons include farm-level audits and assessments such as workers’ health, safety, and welfare (GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice, GRASP), water stewardship (Sustainable Program for Irrigation and Groundwater Use, SPRING) and

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

management (BioDiversity). Other add-ons are aimed at specific topics, such as demonstrating compliance with the US Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (FSMA PSR), implementing a biosecurity plan against the TR4 disease in banana/plantain production, and guiding optimization efforts through farm data comparison and analysis.

Standard setting

GLOBALG.A.P. standards are created in collaboration with supply chain stakeholders to reflect both market needs and the daily realities of producers on the ground. Building on a scientific baseline provided by GLOBALG.A.P. technical experts, draft standards undergo public consultation to capture feedback from across the relevant sector.

Industry recognition

GLOBALG.A.P. standards are recognized by a range of sector initiatives, NGOs, national governments, and trade associations, including: * Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) * Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) * Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) * Sustainability Initiative Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV) * International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) * World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Spain * US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

History

First standards and accreditation

In 1997, "EUREPGAP" (Euro-Retailer Produce Work Group Good Agricultural Practice) was formed by European retailers to proactively address consumer concerns on

food safety Food safety (or food hygiene) is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling, food processing, preparation, and food storage, storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. The occurrence of two or more cases of a simi ...

. They decided to harmonize their standards by developing an independent certification system that also covered topics such as workers and the environment. The first scheme for fruit and vegetables was presented and trialed during 2000, with EUREPGAP receiving ISO 65 accreditation and issuing the first certificates in 2001. Following the success of the standard, retailers requested a version for flowers and

ornamentals Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

, which launched in 2003. With NGO support, the first

standard was launched in 2004. One year later, the livestock standard was introduced, marking the foundation of what is now the flagship "Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA)" scheme. A standard for feed manufacturing was published in 2005 as the first solution to cover both aquaculture and livestock feed mills. In 2007, to reflect the global reach of the EUREPGAP standards, a name change to GLOBALG.A.P. was completed.

Capacity building and integrity programs

In 2008, the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrity Program was created as the first of its kind in food certification, monitoring the delivery and implementation of GLOBALG.A.P. standards worldwide. A new standard for

plant propagation Plant propagation is the process by which new plants grow from various sources, including seeds, Cutting (plant), cuttings, and other plant parts. Plant propagation can refer to both man-made and natural processes. Propagation typically occurs as ...

material was also published. To boost capacity-building efforts, GLOBALG.A.P. launched the first "TOUR stops" in 2010, aimed at connecting with stakeholders on the ground. Events were held across five continents, marked by the launch of the "localg.a.p." assurance program for smallholders. A network of licensed agricultural experts was then founded in 2011 under the name "Farm Assurers" (now "Registered Trainers"), facilitating training and consultation for producers preparing for certification. In 2011, version 4 of the Integrated Farm Assurance standard was launched and GLOBALG.A.P. North America – a subsidiary of FoodPLUS GmbH – was established in the US to further the growth of GLOBALG.A.P. standards in the region.

Launch of the GGN label initiative

The GLOBALG.A.P. Academy, providing training and support for a range of stakeholder groups, was established in 2012. GLOBALG.A.P., the International Trade Centre (the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations), and SAI Platform signed the "Declaration of Abu Dhabi" in 2014, establishing eight commitments to new approaches that make it easier for farmers around the world to adopt safe and responsible production practices. In 2016, FoodPLUS GmbH launched the GGN label as the first consumer communication channel, offering on-product assurance based on GLOBALG.A.P. certification. Initially for products from certified aquaculture farms, the GGN label established an online portal that consumers can use to trace the products they buy. The GGN label expanded to cover flower and ornamental products in 2017.

Foundations for future development

The 200,000th producer achieved GLOBALG.A.P. certification in 2018. At the GLOBALG.A.P. SUMMIT event in Peru, a call to action was signed with the World Banana Forum to fight the spread of the destructive TR4 disease. This resulted in the creation of a dedicated GLOBALG.A.P. solution for banana and plantain producers. In 2019, the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board was expanded to include representation from Latin America and the Asia-Pacific regions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, GLOBALG.A.P. conducted a virtual “World Consultation Tour” on the development of the new version 6 of the IFA standard. New procedures were also developed to counter travel restrictions, such as the “Remote Procedure” aimed at remote audits. The GGN label was relaunched in 2021 as cross-category, uniting the individual labels for agriculture, aquaculture, and floriculture under a single, new-look logo. 2022 saw the publication of IFA version 6, marking a major shift towards smarter, streamlined, and data-driven standards.

Accreditation

For certification bodies to gain approval in the GLOBALG.A.P. system, they must meet international standards through formal

accreditation Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

. This requirement is the ISO/IEC 17065 – an internationally recognized standard defining requirements for organizations certifying products, processes, or services. Key elements of the ISO/IEC 17065 standard include impartiality and integrity (operating without bias or external influences that could compromise objectivity), competency (employing personnel with specialized skills and knowledge to conduct the certification process), operational consistency (establishing and documenting procedures, allowing reliable and repeatable results), transparency and confidentiality (protecting clients' proprietary information), and complaint/appeal mechanisms (mandating systems to uphold accountability and stakeholder trust). Accreditation bodies must sign a memorandum of understanding with FoodPLUS GmbH, be a member of the International Accreditation Forum, and be a signatory to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement for product certification.

GGN label

The GGN label is a cross-category consumer label that stands for "certified, responsible farming and transparency". Owned by FoodPLUS GmbH, the label aims to offer relevant assurance and orientation throughout retail stores. Product labels or packaging feature a unique 13-digit tracking code (a GGN or CoC Number) that can be used to trace products back to the farm on the GGN label portal website. The label requirements are based on GLOBALG.A.P. standards for the relevant scope: agriculture, aquaculture, and floriculture. After fulfilling the requirements and obtaining a license, the GGN label can be applied to a range of products including fresh, potted, and cut/mixed/frozen fruit and vegetables; fresh, frozen, and packed farmed seafood; and cut flowers, flower bulbs, and non-edible potted plants. As of December 2023, there were GGN label license holders in 31 countries, with products available in 40 countries worldwide. There were over 2,000 individual products in stores featuring the GGN label on packaging. The label has been awarded the highest classification of “top quality label” by independent Dutch sustainability foundation Milieu Centraal.

Criticism

GLOBALG.A.P. has been criticized for not preventing illegal water use, substantial gaps in the environmental standards, and not preventing labor exploitation.

Notes

External links

GLOBALG.A.P. Website
{{authority control Standards organisations in Germany Agricultural organisations based in Germany