Which topics does IFA for hops address?

IFA for hops covers the major aspects of primary production, from preharvest activities to postharvest handling. The standard has been developed together with sector experts in the technical committees and focus groups and underwent extensive public consultation as part of our process for standard setting. This ensures that IFA remains robust, realistic, and cost-efficient for producers while meeting the evolving demands of buyers.

Core topics in IFA v6 for hops include:

• Traceability

• Workers’ health, safety, and welfare

• Biodiversity

• Energy efficiency

• Waste management

• Plant propagation material

• Soil and substrate management

• Fertilizers and biostimulants

• Water management

• Plant protection products

Discover more about how IFA helps you address challenges in the agricultural sector.

How does IFA for hops work?

• Compliance with the standard requirements is audited annually by an accredited and independent third-party CB.

• Producers can choose from any GLOBALG.A.P. approved CB active in the relevant country.

• A successful CB audit results in a certificate valid for one year.

The certificate is issued at scope level (IFA for plants) and lists the applicable product categories (e.g., hops, fruit and vegetables) individually. Producers with multiple types of operations can therefore get certification for all of them through a single audit process.

IFA v6 checklists are generated digitally and are tailored to the producer’s specific production practices, eliminating any not applicable requirements. Our smarter, streamlined, and outcome-oriented approach also provides flexibility to producers in demonstrating compliance.

The standard is composed of principles and criteria (P&Cs). P&Cs are graded in three levels: Major Must, Minor Must, and Recommendation.

Principles

• Fundamentals that set the foundation of a GLOBALG.A.P. requirement

• Written in statement form

• Describing the outcome to achieve

Criteria

• Methods that producers can use to demonstrate a principle to be true

• Different ways to demonstrate compliance, e.g., data, record of procedure

• Evidence required for demonstrating that the outcome is achieved

Read more about the audit process and standard requirements.

How is certification status verified?

Every producer registered in the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system is assigned a unique 13-digit GLOBALG.A.P. identification number (e.g., a GLOBALG.A.P. Number (GGN)). This number allows real-time verification of certification status in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT systems, upholding our rigorous transparency requirements throughout the supply chain.

Producers can control data access and privacy rights for audit reports, and the reports are not shared publicly or with third parties. This process is handled via your chosen CB.

Which industry challenges does IFA for hops address?

• Although food safety and traceability have long been fundamental priorities for both consumers and supply chain stakeholders, there is a lack of appropriate safety and sustainability standards specifically for the hop industry, especially at farm level.

• Buyers need confidence in consistent varietal purity, which is only possible with effective traceability requirements in the supply chain. They also need to meet increasing expectations of consumers in areas such as biodiversity, responsible water management, and agricultural input use.

• The farming industry must continuously evolve to also address the increasing interaction between the environment and agriculture, and improve the sustainability of farming practices.

• Responsible production is also about people, and workers’ health, safety, and welfare are in the spotlight due to social sustainability issues and new legislation in global supply chains.

• The result is that buyers are seeking a growing range of assurances about responsible farming practices, and producers are undergoing an increasing number of audits to satisfy them.

• IFA guides producers and provides assurance to buyers through a holistic approach that addresses all major sector demands – with their achievements in responsible farming validated through transparent and globally recognized certification.
   

Follow our five steps to certification to get started today.

Which solutions can be combined with IFA for hops?

We offer a range of standards and add-ons targeted to specific aspects of production and the supply chain. They can each be audited or assessed in combination with IFA, extending the certification scope and offering buyers specific assurance tailored to their preferences.

Learn more about GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions.

Implementation and CB audit process

How does the CB audit process work?

• IFA compliance is audited annually by accredited and independent third-party CBs.

• Producers can choose from any GLOBALG.A.P. approved CB active in the relevant country.

• A successful CB audit results in a certificate valid for one year.

• The CB is responsible for uploading the audit report and maintaining the accuracy of producer data in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT systems.

• Producers will be audited annually by a CB as part of the renewal process.

Which documents are required?

• GLOBALG.A.P. general regulations: Rules that define how the certification process works, from the scope of the standard to the audit requirements. Scope-specific regulations also outline the certification process for each IFA scope (e.g., rules for plants).

• Principles and criteria (P&Cs): Principles are the fundamentals requirements for each standard. They describe the outcomes to achieve and are accompanied by corresponding criteria that detail the various ways in which a producer can demonstrate compliance.

• Checklist: The full list of P&Cs as used by CB auditors, enabling producers to conduct a self-assessment in preparation for the CB audit.

Which versions of IFA are currently valid?

There is currently one valid version of IFA for hops available for certification:

• IFA v6 Smart was published in April 2022 and became obligatory on 1 January 2024, replacing v5.2 and v5.3-GFS.

The FAQ contains more information on documents, certification renewal, and more.

How much does IFA certification for hops cost?

Each farm is unique, and the total costs of certification depend on a combination of factors such as farm size, number of sites, location, necessary preparation measures (such as establishing new procedures), and more. IFA contains three cost elements:

1. Implementation costs: Incurred by the producer to prepare for the CB audit

2. CB service fees: Determined and invoiced by the CB to cover audit time and travel costs

3. GLOBALG.A.P. producer registration and certificate license fees: Calculated based on production area and certification option, and invoiced by the CB

The GLOBALG.A.P. fee table contains full information on the fee structure for each standard and add-on.