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Public Consultation and Field Trials
Public Consultation Updates
Public consultation round four
Public consultation for Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) version 6 Smart for fruit and vegetables, IFA v6 for hops, and GRASP version 2 documents is now closed. Thank you to everyone who participated. Scroll down to find out more detail about IFA and GRASP public consultations and the next steps.
Transparent answers to your comments
We want to be as transparent as possible about the topics you raised in all four public consultation rounds. That’s why we are now working on a public comments summary document for each scope/product category which will summarize the key topics which were raised, alongside a response from GLOBALG.A.P.
The public consultation comments document will be available for download from this webpage soon.
IFA V6 Public Consultation
The numbers
- There have been four public consultation rounds since May 2020
- We received a total of 4055 comments
- We hosted 120 World Consultation Tour webinars with 695 participants
- The third public consultation round included field trials of IFA version 6 in six different countries to test the standard on the ground.
Why did we do a fourth public consultation round?
The intention for IFA version 6 was a standard which fulfills both the GFSI requirements and our aims of simplification, a risk-based approach, and customized checklists. Harmonizing these needs proved difficult, however, and resulted in some compromises for the standard presented in the third public consultation round. Following strong feedback from the fruit and vegetables community that a combined standard with such compromises was not desired, it was decided that two parallel editions of IFA version 6, each targeted to a specific group, would be the best solution. The two editions of IFA version 6 are:
IFA version 6 Smart – our flagship IFA standard, appropriate for the majority of producers
IFA version 6 GFS – our IFA standard amended to fit GFSI requirements for those producers who need GFSI recognized certification
To ensure that both IFA version 6 editions have gone through at least one public consultation round, IFA version 6 Smart for fruit and vegetables underwent a fourth consultation round. This means that all stakeholders have had the chance to see and comment on drafts of both editions.
Next steps for IFA version 6
Based on all feedback received, the technical committees are now preparing the final standard documents for fruit and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, and aquaculture. The final documents will be submitted to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board for approval in October.
Upon approval, we’ll announce all the key details you need to know about IFA version 6, including the differences between the two editions, before the launch in April 2022.
Stay tuned!
What Is Public Consultation?
Public consultation is when we ask for input and feedback from all stakeholders during the revision process of GLOBALG.A.P. standards and add-ons. This means that you – regardless of whether you are a producer, certification body, retailer, consultant, or otherwise engaged in the agribusiness sector – have a chance to draw on your own experiences and let us know how potential changes to GLOBALG.A.P. products would affect you.
Documents for Download
There are no documents for download at this time.
Important Dates
- April 2022: Publication of IFA v6 (Interim documents) and GRASP v2 checklist.
- September 2022: Publication of IFA v6 (Final documents).
- April 2023: End of transition period. IFA v6 becomes obligatory. GRASP v2 replaces v1.3-1-i.
Did You Know?
We are updating and improving the whole GLOBALG.A.P. certification system for IFA version
6!
Click here to learn more.
Revision Process Timeline (Click on the year to learn more)
GRASP V2 Public Consultation
We have received 300 comments on the GRASP version 2 checklist over the course of two public consultation rounds. Thank you to those who participated.
The GRASP Technical Committee is now preparing the final checklist ready for publication in April 2022.
Who is Involved in the Revision of the IFA Standard?
GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat
- The GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat provides the draft documents as a basis for consultation.
- Through the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat, feedback is collected and presented to the relevant focus groups and technical committees.
Committees
- Technical committee and focus group members represent stakeholders from the whole supply chain.
- The technical committees make the final recommendations to the GLOBALG.A.P. Advisory Board on the content and formulation of criteria, keeping in mind the stakeholders whom they represent.
Public stakeholders
- Stakeholders provide feedback on the content and comprehensibility of the draft versions, drawing on their individual perspectives.
We’re always listening!
If you have general comments about GLOBALG.A.P. products, you can send an e-mail to publiccomments@globalgap.org at any time.