Which topics does IFA for fruit and vegetables address?

IFA for fruit and vegetables covers the major aspects of primary production, from preharvest activities to postharvest handling. The standard has been developed together with sector experts in the technical committees and focus groups and underwent extensive public consultation as part of our process for standard setting. This ensures that IFA remains robust, realistic, and cost-efficient for producers while meeting the evolving demands of buyers.

Core topics in IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables include:

• Traceability

• Food safety

• Workers’ health, safety, and welfare

• Biodiversity and habitats

• Energy efficiency

• Waste management

• Fertilizers and biostimulants

• Water management

• Integrated pest management

• Plant protection products

Discover more about how IFA helps you address challenges in the agricultural sector.

How does IFA for fruit and vegetables work?

• Compliance with the standard requirements is audited annually by an accredited and independent third-party CB.

• Producers can choose from any GLOBALG.A.P. approved CB active in the relevant country.

• A successful CB audit results in a certificate valid for one year.

The certificate is issued at scope level (IFA for plants) and lists the applicable product categories (e.g., fruit and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals) individually. Producers with multiple types of operations can therefore get certification for all of them through a single audit process.

IFA v6 checklists are generated digitally and are tailored to the producer’s specific production practices, eliminating any not applicable requirements. Our smarter, streamlined, and outcome-oriented approach also provides flexibility to producers in demonstrating compliance.

The standard is composed of principles and criteria (P&Cs). P&Cs are graded in three levels: Major Must, Minor Must, and Recommendation.

Principles

• Fundamentals that set the foundation of a GLOBALG.A.P. requirement

• Written in statement form

• Describing the outcomes to achieve

Criteria

• Methods that producers can use to demonstrate a principle to be true

• Different ways to demonstrate compliance, e.g., data, record of procedure

• Evidence required for demonstrating that the outcome is achieved

Read more about the audit process and standard requirements.

How is certification status verified?

Every producer registered in the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system is assigned a unique 13-digit GLOBALG.A.P. identification number (e.g., a GLOBALG.A.P. Number (GGN)). This number allows real-time verification of certification status in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT systems, upholding our rigorous transparency requirements throughout the supply chain.

Producers can control data access and privacy rights for audit reports, and the reports are not shared publicly or with third parties. This process is handled via your chosen CB.

What are the two editions of IFA v6?

IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables is available in two parallel and equally valid editions:

• IFA v6 Smart, which fully embodies the GLOBALG.A.P. philosophy and is appropriate for the majority of producers

• IFA v6 GFS, designed for producers who require certification with recognition from GFSI

This decision stems from the extensive public consultation conducted during the standard revision. Many industry experts requested a more flexible and outcome-oriented IFA, but it was not possible to completely reconcile their preferences with GFSI requirements. To provide solutions for both use cases and to ensure that IFA certification continues to be applicable for the mass market, two editions were developed: IFA v6 Smart and IFA v6 GFS.

The two editions contain some differences in the GLOBALG.A.P. general regulations, such as rules for unannounced CB audits. The IFA v6 GFS edition is accepted by BRCGS- and IFS-certified post farm-gate product handling units. The IFA v6 SMART edition could also be accepted in combination with some additional requirements from these mentioned post farm-gate product handling units. Customer requirements usually determine the edition that a producer will implement.

Which industry challenges does IFA for fruit and vegetables address?

• Food safety and traceability have long been fundamental priorities for both consumers and supply chain stakeholders.

• The farming industry must continuously evolve to also address the increasing interaction between the environment and agriculture.

• Retailers need to meet rising consumer concerns in areas such as biodiversity, responsible water management, and agricultural input use.

• Responsible production is also about people, and workers’ health, safety, and welfare are in the spotlight due to social issues and new legislation in global supply chains.

• The result is that retailers are seeking a growing range of assurances about responsible farming practices, and producers are undergoing an increasing number of audits to satisfy them.

• IFA guides producers and provides assurance to buyers through a holistic approach that addresses major sector demands – with their achievements in responsible farming validated through transparent and globally recognized certification.

Follow our five steps to certification to get started today.

Which solutions can be combined with IFA for fruit and vegetables?

We offer a range of standards and add-ons targeted to specific aspects of production and the supply chain. They can each be audited or assessed in combination with IFA, extending the certification scope and offering buyers specific assurance tailored to their preferences.

Learn more about GLOBALG.A.P. smart farm assurance solutions.

Implementation and CB audit process

How does the CB audit process work?

• IFA compliance is audited annually by accredited and independent third-party CBs.

• Producers can choose from any GLOBALG.A.P. approved CB active in the relevant country.

• A successful CB audit results in a certificate valid for one year.

• The CB is responsible for uploading the audit report and maintaining the accuracy of producer data in the GLOBALG.A.P. IT systems.

• Producers will be audited annually by a CB as part of the renewal process.

Which documents are required?

• GLOBALG.A.P. general regulations: Rules that define how the certification process works, from the scope of the standard to the audit requirements. Scope-specific regulations also outline the certification process for each IFA scope (e.g., rules for plants).

• Principles and criteria (P&Cs): Principles are the fundamental requirements for each standard. They describe the outcomes to achieve and are accompanied by corresponding criteria that detail the various ways in which a producer can demonstrate compliance.

• Checklist: The full list of P&Cs as used by CB auditors, enabling producers to conduct a self-assessment in preparation for the CB audit.

Which versions of IFA are currently valid?

IFA is currently available in v6: 

• IFA v6 was published in April 2022 in two editions: IFA v6 Smart and IFA v6 GFS.

  • IFA v6 Smart replaced v5.2 on 1 January 2024.

  • IFA v6 GFS replaced v5.4-1-GFS on 1 January 2025. 

The FAQ contains further information on documents, certification renewal, and more.

How much does IFA certification for fruit and vegetables cost?

Each farm is unique, and the total costs of certification depend on a combination of factors such as farm size, number of sites, location, necessary preparation measures (such as establishing new procedures), and more. IFA contains three cost elements:

1. Implementation costs: Incurred by the producer to prepare for the CB audit

2. CB service fees: Determined and invoiced by the CB to cover audit time and travel costs

3. GLOBALG.A.P. producer registration and certificate license fees: Calculated based on production area and certification option and invoiced by the CB

The GLOBALG.A.P. fee table contains full information on the fee structure for each standard and add-on.