GLOBALG.A.P.: Producer Groups, Plots and Harvest Scope
GLOBALG.A.P. IFA work must reflect actual primary production. A farm name alone cannot establish appropriate scope without products, production areas and post-harvest activities.
Questions for your situation
How should IFA v6 Smart and GFS be compared?
Clarify buyer acceptance and any need for GFSI recognition. Assessment rules differ, so select the route matching customer requirements rather than similar names or an apparently easier audit. The quotation should state the edition, product scope and any additional assessments required.
Must I keep my own records after joining a producer group?
Shared group management works alongside each producer's plot and practice records. Input use, harvesting and product movements should represent your activities. Membership does not mean every farmer operates identically. Internal control and external assessment responsibilities follow the relevant programme rules.
Is a newly rented plot automatically included in the certificate?
Assess its history, crop, water source and practices. Complete registration, necessary checks and the scope update. One producer's certificate does not automatically cover every area they operate. Confirm inclusion with the relevant body before presenting the new harvest as certified.
What should be disclosed when another company harvests and packs the crop?
Explain who controls each activity and where the product is handled. Match hygiene, identity, transport and mixing prevention controls to the relevant scope. Omitting an outsourced service from the file does not remove responsibility. State clearly which post-harvest activities the current certificate covers.
Does a satisfactory residue analysis establish that all cultivation records are sufficient?
Analysis concerns particular samples and substances, not the entire production history. Check input authorisation, application records and their relationship to harvest, including target market limits. One satisfactory result does not automatically resolve a record gap or bring an excluded plot into scope.
How should certified and uncertified products be separated in the same warehouse?
Maintain product identity, incoming and outgoing quantities, and physical or equivalent controlled separation under applicable rules. Assess mixing and incorrect status claims. Records should identify the producer and scope of each product. Identical packaging does not confer certified status on uncertified goods.
Share the subject, organisation or product, target market, current evidence and target date. The team can then separate consultancy, official fees, independent evaluation and realistic timing.