Reminder of IFA v6 GFS transition deadline and support available

Reminder of IFA v6 GFS transition deadline and support available

As of 1 January 2025, all IFA audits for aquaculture and fruit and vegetables shall be audited against either IFA v6 Smart or IFA v6 GFS.

IFA v6 Smart replaced IFA v5.2 on 1 January 2024 and IFA v6 GFS replaced IFA v5.4-1-GFS on 1 January 2025.

For those transitioning to IFA v6 GFS in 2025, we offer helpful transition tools.

GFSI recognition of IFA v6 GFS

As communicated last year, the GFSI recognized IFA v6 GFS on 6 August 2024. To allow for a smooth transition, IFA v5.4-1-GFS audits were permitted until 31 December 2024, with the issued certificates valid for the full lifecycle of the certificate.

As of 1 January 2025, all producers requiring certification recognized by GFSI should transition to IFA v6 GFS.

Transition support via comparison tools

Transition tools are available to support producers in their transition to the newest version of IFA. The free-of-charge transition tools enable producers to cross-reference the new version with its predecessor and identify necessary adaptations.

Please find the “Transition Tool IFA v5.4-1-GFS and IFA v5.2 to IFA v6 Smart/GFS for aquaculture" (English) here.

Please find the “Transition Tool IFA v5.4-1-GFS to IFA v6 GFS for fruit and vegetables” (English) here.

You can find the "Transition Tool IFA v5.4-1-GFS to IFA v6 GFS for fruit and vegetables" (Spanish) here.

The tools simplify the transition process by providing a parallel overview of the requirements for both IFA v5 and IFA v6. Producers can easily review the principles and criteria (P&Cs) for IFA v6 side by side with the comparable control points and compliance criteria (CPCCs) for IFA v5.

By comparing their current program with the IFA v6 requirements, producers can identify any gaps and address the corrective actions that are necessary to meet the updated requirements.

Used together with other GLOBALG.A.P. guidelines and supporting documents (including national interpretation guidelines), the tools are a valuable resource when preparing for an audit – facilitating a smooth and efficient transition to IFA v6.

Contact us

If you require further assistance with your transition, please contact us:

standard_support@globalgap.org for technical/interpretation questions.

customer_support@globalgap.org for questions about the audit process or GLOBALG.A.P. IT systems.

Note: While the transition tools provide useful support during the transition to IFA v6, they do not guarantee certification, nor are they mandatory for certification. The tools offer assistance by showing users comparable IFA v5 CPCCs and IFA v6 P&Cs side by side, but they do not provide a detailed list of the specific differences between the two versions. The primary purpose is to assist producers with the alignment of their current programs with the new P&Cs and help them identify areas of improvement during the transition process. We therefore recommend that users familiarize themselves with IFA v6 to thoroughly understand what the standard requires before utilizing either of the tools.