GlobalGAP North America continues to align with FDA
In response, GGNA developed and launched in 2012 the Produce Safety Standard (PSS), the industry’s first complete standard aligned with the Harmonized Standards checklists. GGNA structured PSS externally as an implementation and extension of the Harmonized Standards offering widespread retailer, producer and regulatory recognition.
Within the GLOBALG.A.P. standards family, PSS serves as a subset of our international flagship standard Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA), the most comprehensive, progressive and widely used food safety standard in the world, which already enjoys strong market support in the North American market especially among produce exporters. PSS thus offers produce farmers an essential food safety standard with a built-in upgrade path to IFA to meet their future expansion needs.
To offer additional flexibility and adaptability to meet market demand, PSS is also expandable via add-on modules. GGNA contributed to the development of Tomato Metrics, an add-on module for PSS that provides additional control points specific to the tomato industry. Two additional PSS add-on modules for the leafy greens and citrus industry are now under development. GGNA has secured certification body support for PSS and expects strong market interest in this new, flexible and adaptable standard.
Having developed the farm assurer system of on-site advisors to assist producers with the certification process, GGNA expanded its network in 2012, adding 6 new farm assurers and associate members, including the first aquaculture-focused advisor: Food Safety and Sustainability Specialists, Farm Fresh Assurance, Safe Quality Seafood Associates, Lighthouse FS & Q, Agricultural Production Safety and Crop Production Consultants.
GGNA also actively pursued producer support over the past year, engaging 2 new producer members (Lipman Produce Companies in Immokalee, FL—the largest tomato producer in the USA—and Ozzy Organics in Toronto, ON). We expect several additional major producers to join in early 2013. GGNA also attended multiple FDA/USDA policy meetings in Washington, D.C. As reported in last year’s Annual Report, GLOBALG.A.P. North America has been working closely with the Food and Drug Administration on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
In early January 2013, the FDA published the Proposed Rules for Produce. GGNA will continue to actively work with the FDA during the commentary period and align standards with the new requirements as they are finalized.
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
