Interview with Jacob Guth, Food Safety Program Manager at CCOF

Why is GLOBALG.A.P. membership important to you?

CCOF leverages our GLOBALG.A.P. membership for key benefits imperative to our success. The three-hour one-on-one training has been invaluable in helping us navigate the myriad of changes affecting our compliance with database and regulatory requirements. Co-exhibiting opportunities will be increasingly important as the world opens back up and trade shows move offline. CCOF also likes to partner with GLOBALG.A.P. to hold trainings at our office and we look forward to continuing that tradition in the coming years.

What is your GLOBALG.A.P. story?

CCOF is the nation’s oldest and largest organic certification agency. We envision a world where organic is the norm and our staff work tirelessly to ensure our certified members can take their products to market on time, with the full assurances and certifications they have worked hard to achieve.

We bring our expertise in inspection logistics and customer support to our approach to GLOBALG.A.P. certification. Integrity and efficiency is our moto when we send one inspector for both USDA NOP and GLOBALG.A.P. compliances. While the certifications are different, many of the practices overlap and having one inspector review the records and walk the fields all on the same day leverages efficiencies appreciated by our producers.

Why did you decide to add our Produce Handling Assurance (PHA) standard to your suite of product offerings for your clients?

Adding PHA was a natural progression for CCOF because it makes sense for our organic handlers. Last year, CCOF obtained accreditation to certify Option 2 producer groups, which adds choice for grower groups who pool their resources for more efficient inspections. The Produce Handling Assurance (PHA) gives packing houses the opportunity to keep all of their certifications under one roof. Increasingly, operations are vertically integrated and the one stop shop, combined inspection model is a great service for our organic producers. As market conditions change, CCOF is always looking to provide services our members value. The Produce Handling Assurance (PHA) holds promise for handlers who want a choice in the marketplace.