How does GLOBALG.A.P. standard work
All certificates are issued for a particular type of crop or crops within an agricultural farm. The products that are not mentioned in the certificate are not "covered" by the standard. Associative forms, legally can obtain a certificate valid for all group members, as long as the internal control system complies with the requirements Global GAP. Moreover, this option significantly reduce certification costs on external audit annually.
The 2011 version of the standard, for fruits and vegetables, contain a three section checklist:
1. All Farms Base; - All Farms Base;
2. Crops Base; - Crops Base;
3. Fruits and Vegetables; - Fruits and Vegetables;
The requirements of each list are classified into three levels of importance:
• Major, mandatory requirements
• Minor, requirement fulfilled in proportion of minimum 95%;
• Recommended, optional requirements.
From the above, it’s clear that a farmer has reduced flexibility on certain requirements.
Each farm must meet the following requirements:
• Traceability;
• Maintain records and internal inspection;
• Varieties and rootstocks;
• Land history and management;
• Soil and substrates management;
• Fertilizers use;
• Irrigation / fertigation;
• Crop protection;
• Handling (if applicable);
• Management of administration, recycling and reuse of waste and pollution sources;
• Worker’s health, safety and welfare;
• Environment;
• Submitting claims.
More information can be found on the website maintained by the Global GAP Secretariat www.globalgap.org, along with the full text of the standard checklists used by internal and external auditors and compliance formal criteria for each question from the checklists.