EurepGAP will unveil its revised protocol aimed at strengthening its efforts to achieve international harmonisation at its fourth conference, “Towards Global Harmonisation” to be held in Madrid in September.
International delegates representing the entire supply chain will receive the protocol and it will become fully operational in January 2004,
Chairman Nigel Garbutt said: “Internationally the industry is being called on to provide the public with more information on how their fresh produce is grown, packed and handled. In turn this has created the need for greater disciplines, and the EurepGAP partners are providing the expertise to meet this challenge.”
Over the three days of the conference there will be specialised sessions that will cover the progress of integrated farm assurance schemes.
The expanding EurepGAP membership currently represents over 10,000 producers in 33 countries, as well as major distributors and global supermarkets since its formation in 1996.
Garbutt said: “Since then there has been wide recognition of the value of our procedures creating improved traceability and good agricultural practices. The key message is by working together at every level and establishing bench-marking procedures it will make relationships easier.”