Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are a set of food safety practices used on the farm to reduce the risk of fresh fruits and vegetables being contaminated with harmful germs, chemicals or foreign objects. Most produce is eaten raw or with little processing, so food safety has to start in the field, long before the produce reaches a packhouse, a supermarket or a customer’s table. A GAP audit is an independent, on-site check of a farm’s growing and harvesting practices. It confirms that the farm has put food safety controls in place, follows them every day and keeps records that prove it. PDCA International Ltd. carries out GAP audits for farms, growers, farmer groups and agricultural exporters. Our auditors give an impartial, evidence-based view of how well your farm manages food safety risks.
Our auditors have hands-on experience in HACCP, ISO 22000 and food safety audits, and understand the risks that are specific to fresh produce. With operations in 18 countries, we use local auditors who know regional crops, climate and farming practices, and who can communicate clearly with farm teams. Our audits are objective and based on evidence, which gives your buyers trustworthy results. Our reports explain what was found, why it matters and how to fix it, not just a pass or fail. Every certificate has a unique number and QR code that buyers can check on our website. We plan audits around your crop and harvest seasons so that harvest activities can be seen in action. Gap assessment, training and certification audit are all available from one trusted partner. Farms that also pack their own produce can do GAP and GHP audits in one visit, which saves time and cost.
A GAP certification audit is a full on-site audit of farm operations against GAP requirements, leading to a Certificate of Conformity. An annual re-certification audit is a yearly audit to keep certification valid and show continued good practice. A GAP pre-audit or gap assessment is a trial audit that finds weaknesses before the certification audit, so you can prepare with confidence. A food safety plan review is a review of your farm food safety plan, risk assessments and record formats. An agricultural water risk assessment is a review of water sources, how they are protected, testing records and the risk of how water is applied. A soil, manure and fertilizer review is a check of how organic and chemical fertilizers are stored, treated and used. A pesticide and chemical use review is a check of approved product use, spraying records, pre-harvest intervals and chemical storage. A worker hygiene and field sanitation check is a review of toilets, handwashing facilities, hygiene rules and training records. A harvest practices audit is a check of harvest tools, containers, handling and how produce moves from the field. A traceability and mock recall test is a test of whether produce can be traced back to its field and harvest date. Farmer group or multi-site audits are audits for cooperatives and grower groups with several farms. GAP awareness and implementation training is training for farm owners, managers, supervisors and field workers.
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