What is GlobalGAP?
The basis of the GlobalGAP policy is EurepGAP policy. EurepGAP is an initiative of European major retail markets that came together in 1997 to ensure that the agricultural products in their departments are not harmful to human health and environmental conditions. Simply put, EurepGAP is the standard of Good Agricultural Practices in the European retail sector. This standard can be said to be the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) protocol of the European Retailers Working Group on Agricultural Products (EUREP). EUREP holds a share of the European market close to 80.
EurepGAP, which was quite effective until 2007, changed its name to GlobalGAP on this date and updates were made in this standard in 2013. On the other hand, it is working to prepare an international standard by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and to free manufacturers from multiple document issuing situations. With these studies, standards such as Hazard Prevention Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), EurepGAP principles and criteria, ISO 9000 Quality Management System standards, British Retailers Association Technical Standard and International Food Standards (IFS) are taken together and a new ISO 22000 Food Safety It is aimed to establish the Management System standard.
Today, GlobalGAP certification studies are continuing. The GlobalGAP standard applies to both individual agricultural producers and producer organizations such as cooperatives and large consortia. However, large producer organizations are required to comply with the Quality Management System principles and fulfill their requirements.
The GlobalGAP protocol encompasses all agricultural production processes, from planting of agricultural products to soil, that is, from seed properties to packaged products. However, the requirements of this standard do not include harsh conditions, such as in organic food production. At its simplest, the use of pesticides in the production of organic food is prohibited. However, the use of pesticides under GlobalGAP conditions is only permitted if the conditions indicated on the label are followed. For this reason, the GlobalGAP standard is an easily adaptable standard in our country and effective in the marketing of agricultural products.
Why is GlobalGAP Important?
Companies that produce agricultural products in accordance with the GlobalGAP protocol in their enterprises may apply to an accredited certification body and obtain a GlobalGAP certificate. In this case, with the GlobalGap certificate, these enterprises do not use chemical substances harmful to human health in their production activities, that agricultural products do not contain chemical, physical and microbiological residues, that they produce without harming the natural balance of the world and polluting the environment, they do not negatively affect people and all other production and production activities. During the course of our activities, our country and the country where the product will be consumed has proved that they comply with the legal regulations.
In particular, the large retailer companies in the European Union question whether the producer companies have the GlobalGAP certificate in the importation of fresh fruits and vegetables, ornamental plants, cattle and sheep and aquaculture products. For this reason, the main benefits that manufacturers will obtain by having this certificate are as follows:
- Producer companies and producer associations ensure that the agricultural products produced are prioritized in the export markets.
- The GlobalGAP standard supports the continuous development of methods and technologies for safe food and agricultural production in the enterprise.
- The GlobalGAP standard increases the quality, reliability and value of agricultural products.
- Thanks to the GlobalGAP standard, agricultural products are no longer required to be individually controlled by customers. This makes it easier for manufacturers to enter the markets.
- Thanks to the GlobalGAP certificate, manufacturers are becoming more preferred in the domestic market.
The areas where the GlobalGAP standard is applied are agricultural products, livestock products and aquaculture. The major GlobalGAP standards are:
- GlobalGAP fruit and vegetable standard
- GlobalGAP flower and ornamental plants standard
- GlobalGAP field crops standard
- GlobalGAP green coffee standard
- GlobalGAP tea standard
- GlobalGAP aqua aquaculture standard
- GlobalGAP livestock standard (bovine and ovine breeding standard, poultry standard)
- GlobalGAP compound feed standard
In many respects, the GlobalGAP standard is recognized as an integrated farm security system for checkpoints and compliance criteria. Clearly, eliminating the problems and risks encountered in the food sector in the context of globalized world trade is one of the most important issues today. GlobalGAP aims to meet the growing consumer needs of world countries with agricultural production within the scope of good agricultural practices. GlobalGAB is a private organization that designs voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products grown in the world.
The aim of the GlobalGAP organization is to develop different crop application capabilities in global agricultural production and to provide a solid reference for good agricultural practices (GAP).
The GolbalGAP standard creates a system that covers all production activities starting from seed and seedling stages and certification of farm products produced by farm applications.
GolbalGAP certification studies are performed in more than one hundred countries today. All food manufacturers can get this certificate from farm to table. During the certification studies, unannounced inspections, additional inspections and annual inspections are performed at the manufacturing companies.
The GlobalGAP standard is constantly being improved to take account of developments in the market and technology. This standard, which was generally revised every three years, was last updated in 2013.
Today, around 80 of major manufacturers or retailers in Europe are registered with the GlobalGAP organization, and the GlobalGAP standard has become a recognized and applied standard all over the world.
About GlobalGAP Regulation
The regulation consists of five articles. The introduction article first describes the GlobalGAP Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard. This standard is the on-farm standard, which includes all production processes, starting from planting before planting or from animal products entering the production process unprocessed. Descriptions of the terminology used in GlobalGAP General Regulations and Control Points and Compliance Criteria. GlobalGAP certification is only available for products included in the GlobalGAP Product List.
The second article concerns general regulations. This describes the basic steps, considerations and certification controls for manufacturers to obtain and maintain GlobalGAP certification.
The third article describes the additions to these general regulations and the points excluded from the system.
The fourth article contains legal notices.
Finally, the last article is about copyright.
