GLOBALG.A.P. PRODUCE HANDLING ASSURANCE STANDARD

The GLOBALG.A.P. Produce Handling Assurance (PHA) standard provides stand-alone food safety and traceability certification of post-harvest activities, such as cooling, packing, re-packing, handling, and storage of crops for human consumption.

The PHA standard may be used in conjunction with the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance standard for Fruit and Vegetables, Combinable Crops, Hops, or with the Harmonized Produce Safety Standard. It can be combined with these GLOBALG.A.P. field audits to provide a complete certification option for a producer with on-farm packing or other post-harvest activities. The PHA standard does not cover processing activities that significantly transform crops from the original whole state, such as cooking, slicing, or juicing.

The PHA standard is available for open-shed operations globally, and closed-shed operations globally with the exception of geographical Europe and Russia.

PHA v1.2 meets Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI v2020) requirements. GLOBALG.A.P. is seeking GFSI benchmarking of the PHA standard for late 2020/early 2021.

The PHA standard incorporates United States Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements from both the Produce Safety Rule and the Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule, where applicable. PHA audit reports and certificates can be provided to importers, retailers, and other value-chain participants as evidence of an operation’s efforts toward FSMA implementation. PHA audits help operations in identifying FSMA requirements that must be addressed at the post-harvest level. The PHA certificate is not an assurance or guarantee of FSMA compliance, as legal compliance can only be determined by a regulatory authority, such as the United States Food and Drug Administration.

United Fresh Produce Association has published the Food Safety Programs & Auditing Protocol for the Fresh Tomato Supply Chain (Tomato Metrics) after comparison with the latest Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative content, the foundation standard for our PHA standard. Those items that remain are either unique to the tomato industry, or not necessarily unique, but not currently in the PHA standard. The revised Tomato Metrics requirements may be combined with the PHA standard as an addendum.  Click here for more information from United Fresh.

A Guide to Our Documents

  • The GLOBALG.A.P. PHA checklist is the document needed by the operation to complete the internal audit.
  • The control points and compliance criteria (CPCCs) list all points covered by the standard and give additional guidelines for fulfilling the requirements.
  • The general regulations (GR) define how the certification process works.

Benefits of GLOBALG.A.P. PHA Certification

  • Independent third-party verification of safe and traceable handling practices
  • Accepted by local and global markets, suppliers, and retailers
  • Meet compliance expectations with export market requirements
  • Reduced exposure to food safety and product safety reputational risks
  • Food safety practices specific to fruit and vegetable and combinable crops handling
  • Designed by industry – for industry

Please contact standard_support@globalgap.orgfor more information about PHA.

GLOBALG.A.P. extends its sincere gratitude to the many people who contributed to the development of this standard!

Focus Group Members:

USA

Donna Lynn Browne – Naturipe Farms LLC

Ximena Gonzalez – Naturipe Farms LLC

Josh Edge – SCS Global Services

Kristie Gilford – Robinson Fresh

Hector Pedraza – Robinson Fresh

Walter Ram – Guiamarra Companies

Jacqui Gordon – Washington State Tree Fruit Association

Amanda May – Wonderful Citrus

Jennifer McEntire – United Fresh Produce Association

Keith Refsnider – Driscoll’s

Matt Regusci – WQS Food Verification

Enrique Urrutia – WQS Food Verification

Gabriela Sandoval – AG Food Safety Solutions

Kelly Jones – AG Food Safety Solutions

Mark Shakespeare – Walmart Inc.

Canada

Greg Palmer – Costco Wholesale Canada

Chile

Ricardo Adonis – ASOEX FDF

Early Contributors:

Gary Rohman – Farm to Fork, LLC

Steve Jack – Farm Fresh Assurance, Inc.

Astrid Goplen – FOODCHAIN ID

Rob Koch – Apple Leaf

Public Consultation 1:

Carman McKinney – Roy Farms Inc.

Astrid Goplen – FOODCHAIN ID

Ricardo Adonis – ASOEX FDF

Josh Edge – SCS Global Services

Grregory Palmer – Costco Wholesale Canada

Gary Rohman – Farm to Fork, LLC.

Steve Jack – Farm Fresh Assurance, Inc

Jennifer McEntire – United Fresh

Public Consultation 2:

Mariana Mrozek – PAI S.A.

Richard Yudin – University of Florida

Stephan Imbery – Agrochron GmbH

Antonio Restrepo – L & M Companies Inc.

Josh Edge – SCS Global Services

Sara Brinkley – Peri & Sons Farms, Nevada Fresh Pak

Trial Audits:

CBs

SCS Global Services

FOODCHAIN ID (Cert-ID)

Auditors

Pablo Elliott

Josh Edge

Rob Koch

Rebecca Anderson

Participating Facilities

Quail H Farms LLC: Sweet potatoes, with Gabriela Sandoval, Darren Barfield

Mininger Farms: Sweet potatoes, with Gabriela Sandoval, Bernardo Garcia M.B.A.

Bailey Farms: Peppers, tomatillo, squash, with Patty Sanchez

Peri & Sons Farms, Nevada Fresh Pak: Onions with Sara Brinkley

Harvest Queen: Onions

Rogers Orchards: Apples, pears, and stone fruit (peaches)