What Does Good Agricultural Practice Mean?
Good Agricultural Practices are very important in terms of efficient and high quality agricultural production and safe food consumption. With this application, both the gain and competitiveness of the manufacturing companies increase and the health of the consumers is protected.
Essentially, Good Agricultural Practices cover all production and marketing processes ranging from crop land to products in front of the consumer. At the decision stage, it is necessary to know the previously cultivated products or agricultural activities in the soil and to evaluate the impact on human health and environmental conditions. Soil cannot be used for Good Agricultural Practices if there are risks that cannot be controlled.
In order to obtain the expected benefit from Good Agricultural Practices, first of all, producer companies should carry out risk assessment studies before making production decisions. In this risk assessment study, the type of soil, erosion characteristics, ground water level and quality, the status of sustainable water resources, whether the soil is contaminated with parasites and other harmful insects, and the impact of the neighboring areas must be taken into account. Producer companies are obliged to make rotational production in order to protect soil health, to ensure the highest level of plant health and to eliminate dependence on pesticides as much as possible.
All the work to be carried out during the production activities must be recorded and these records should be kept for later inspection. In these records, many details such as the type of crops, the characteristics of the geographical area of the crop, the reason of fertilization, the time of fertilizer application, the commercial name and amount of the chemicals used during fertilization, the manner of application, the number of days after application of the crop and the amount of irrigation time and amount are included. It should take.
When processing soil, methods should be used in production activities to prevent erosion and protect the physical structure of the soil. Seeds, seedlings or seedlings should be used to provide high quality and high yields. Soil analyzes should be performed at least once a year to determine the need for fertilization. It should be decided which fertilizer should be used according to the structure of the soil and fertilization should be done when and when the plant needs it. Irrigation systems should be installed in such a way that they will be able to use water resources effectively and provide the required amount of cultivated plants. Water resources should be analyzed at least once a year to identify microbial, chemical and mineral contaminants. In the fight against diseases and pests, cultural, mechanical, biological or biotechnical methods should be applied first and the last chemical control should be preferred. In the meantime, if pseticide is to be used, pesticide residue analyzes should be carried out at a certain frequency and an emergency action plan should be implemented if the residue amount exceeds the limits. The product must be collected under the necessary hygienic conditions. The type of possible wastes related to production activities and possible sources of pollution should be specified.
The enterprises that produce in accordance with these principles and their products are certified with the Good Agricultural Practices Product Certificate by the certification bodies authorized by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.
Consumers now prefer products and foodstuffs produced with Good Agricultural Practices.
Implementing Regulation on Good Agricultural Practices
The Regulation on Good Agricultural Practices was published by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock in 2010. The purposes of this methodology are as follows:
- Agricultural production that does not harm human and animal health and environmental conditions
- Conservation of natural resources
- Ensuring traceability and sustainability in agricultural activities
- Delivering reliable products to consumers
For these purposes, the regulation regulates the principles of good agricultural practices. The regulation includes the general rules of good agricultural practices, control and certification procedures, duties and responsibilities of the relevant institutions, producers, producer organizations, producers and certification bodies.
According to the said regulation, Good Agricultural Practices are carried out within the framework of compliance criteria and control points determined by the Ministry. The certification body must be accredited under the TS EN ISO / IEC 17065 standard (Conformity assessment - Requirements for organizations that issue product, process and service certification). The agricultural products produced after the audits are documented. Certification of agricultural products can be done individually or in groups.
According to the regulation, certification activities are carried out in the following product groups:
- Crop production (fresh fruit and vegetables, field crops, flower and ornamental plants, seedling and nursery and tea)
- Animal production (dairy cattle, cattle fattening, poultry and turkey)
- Aquaculture (fish and bivalve aquaculture)
The Good Agricultural Practices system is based on the principle of recording the production activities and production processes of the producer companies. The products are monitored at every step from planting in the soil to harvesting and reaching the customer's table. Certification bodies inspect whether all production stages are in compliance with Good Agricultural Practices criteria.
Producers who have obtained the Good Agricultural Practices certificate have the following guarantees:
- All precautions for food safety have been taken during production activities
- During production activities, importance was given to the protection of soil and environmental conditions.
- Employees' health, safety and well-being are always considered
The validity period of the Good Agricultural Practices certificate given to the producer companies is one year from the date of issue. Every year, manufacturers must undergo re-inspection and renew their certificates.
Thanks to the Good Agricultural Practices certificate, producers, consumers and environmental conditions benefit from this. For example,
- For manufacturers, the products are considered healthy and reliable. Since the soil is preserved, more abundant crops are obtained. The support facilities of the state are prioritized. Competitiveness increases in domestic and foreign markets. Production costs decrease, productivity increases.
- For consumers, food safety and health risks are reduced.
- In terms of environment, natural resources and ecological balance of the world are preserved. Responsible to the environment and sustainable production is made. Natural environment and biodiversity are preserved. Damages caused by agriculture to the environment are reduced. Legal regulations are complied with.
