GlobalGAP

GlobalGAP is a private-sector standard-setting and certification system for agricultural production and post-harvest handling. It aims to ensure food safety, traceability, and sustainability across the supply chain. The scheme originated in 1997 as EurepGAP, created by European retailers to harmonize farm audits. In 2007 the organization adopted the GlobalGAP name to reflect its global reach.

GlobalGAP develops and maintains a family of voluntary standards known as Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) and related product-specific standards. The IFA standard provides a modular framework for farm production, including crops, livestock, and aquaculture, as well as post-harvest handling and processing. Modules address farm management areas such as food safety, worker health and safety, environmental protection, chemical use, waste and water management, and resource efficiency. GlobalGAP has additional programs such as GRASP for social practice and sustainability modules.

Certification is carried out by independent, GlobalGAP-accredited certification bodies. Farms and facilities implement the applicable standards, undergo audits, and receive a certificate if they meet the requirements. Certificates are subject to surveillance audits to maintain validity, typically on a yearly cycle. GlobalGAP certification is widely used by retailers and buyers as a prerequisite for procurement, and it is applied by producers in many regions worldwide.

Governance and development are managed by the GlobalGAP organization, a multi-stakeholder, market-led initiative. The standards are updated periodically to address evolving food safety, animal welfare, labor, and sustainability concerns, and to harmonize with international trade practices.