15 August 2023
New Integrated Farm Assurance version 6 transition tools for seamless certification
Three new transition tools are now available to support producers in their transition to the newest version of the flagship GLOBALG.A.P. standard, IFA version 6
Three new transition tools are now available to support producers in their transition to the newest version of the flagship GLOBALG.A.P. standard, Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) version 6.
IFA v6 spearheads the journey toward smart farm assurance solutions, having undergone significant content changes from IFA v5 to offer a smarter, more intuitive standard. The new transition tools provide a valuable resource that allows producers to cross-reference the two versions and identify necessary adaptations for IFA v6.
Three transition tools are available for producers – one for the aquaculture and two for the fruit and vegetables product category. The transition tool for aquaculture is available for the transition to both IFA v6 Smart and IFA v6 GFS, whereas there are two separate transition tools for the Smart and GFS editions of IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables.
You can find the “Transition Tool IFA v5.4-1-GFS and IFA v5.2 to IFA v6 Smart/GFS for aquaculture here.
You can find the “Transition Tool IFA v5.2 to IFA v6 Smart for fruit and vegetables” here.
You can find the “Transition Tool IFA v5.4-1-GFS to IFA v6 GFS for fruit and vegetables” here.
About the transition tools for IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables
The free-of-charge transition tools are designed for fruit and vegetable producers currently certified to IFA v5 to help streamline their transition to IFA v6.
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, the tools are a valuable resource when preparing for an audit – facilitating a smooth and efficient transition to IFA v6.
Benefits
Support producers’ transition to both new editions – IFA v6 Smart and IFA v6 GFS
Help producers identify areas of improvement and corrective actions needed in current programs to facilitate compliance with IFA v6 requirements
Allow producers to prepare for audits with confidence
Streamline the certification process
Generate a response-based overview of producers’ certification status for each version
Complement other supporting documents for IFA v6 with an outcome-oriented approach
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.
You can also use the following resources to get a high-level overview of the modifications introduced in the latest version of the IFA standard to better understand the transition process.
Updates as of 19.01.24: A transition tool has since been developed for producers of flowers and ornamentals, in addition to the aquaculture and fruit and vegetable product categories. See the related news article for more information.
