EurepGAP independent chairman Nigel Garbutt addressed the 400 conference delegates in Madrid and detailed how far he feels the retail partnership has come in a short time.
"At our first ever conference in 1999 in Paris I don't think we quite realised how ambitious a task we were setting ourselves in aiming to establish widely accepted standards for good agricultural practices," he said.
"A crisis point in consumer confidence influenced our judgement in those early days with BSE at its height and food scares appearing on almost a daily basis. Today many of those particular clouds are dispersing, but the pressing need to retain consumer confidence remains.
"All our relationships have been strengthened through a much more integrated food chain than was evident in those dark days. In this formative period EurepGAP played an important part in catalysing productive relations and joining up the whole chain from farm to fork. This is the true added value of EurepGAP.
"Meanwhile, change continues to sweep through the structure of the entire food industry, in particular the primary agricultural products sector. Some of our producer members who wanted to be with us today are in fact at this moment in Cancun, Mexico working to achieve further liberalisation of trade. We wish them well in their important task."
He continued: "There is increasing legislation, which sets the parameters within which everyone must operate and in so doing charging us to become increasingly active as well as vigilant. EurepGAP is at the forefront of verifying compliance with these changing requirements and as such bares a heavy responsibility. I hope this event will help producers in a practical way by raising awareness of new issues and afterwards by providing a forum by which together we can continue to find solutions.
"New challenges are leading to new disciplines often brought about by the demands of consumers themselves, translated into even higher levels of traceability, food safety, environmental protection and worker health safety and welfare.
You will hear during the Congress of practical examples of the progress we have made since we last met two years ago, I would like to make special mention of the dedication by which the Technical and Standards Committee, sub-group and their many consultees which has brought about the revision of the Fresh Produce Protocol. They have worked tirelessly to incorporate the learning so far from growers as well as preparing the industry for the challenges that lie ahead.
"Meanwhile our certification numbers continue to increase and we now represent no less than 10,000 producers in 33 countries as well as many of the leading names in
distribution and in retailing.
"Many newer producer members are located in the tropical and sub tropical climates
of Africa and South America, often contending with entirely different conditions affecting production in comparison with their European counterparts.
"But it is a tribute to all producers wherever located that they have been able to achieve EurepGAP certification - a process that more are following - aware that it will enhance their commercial potential.
"They are the first link in the distribution chain, which stretches via importers and exporters to the retail trade through to the end user. On the surface they all present different scenarios, but producers and distributors share a common goal embodied in EurepGAP, and can learn from each other.
"All, by their membership, show the value they place on EurepGAP's role. They share the philosophy that we are all bound by a common interest and transparency of purpose working together for consumer benefit.
"I would like to see similar ties reflected through the closest possible relationships with other trade organisations and closer involvement of consumer representatives themselves in farm assurance. This is the real path to global harmonisation and the benefits of scale and ultimately re-assurance, which this brings.
"EurepGAP's strategic pillars of consistency and integrity of certification, transparent processes of mutual recognition and stakeholder consultation support our values."
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