In a major step forward for good agricultural practices worldwide, GlobalGAP and the US’s Safe Quality Food Institute (SQF) have reached an agreement to develop a combined audit checklist.
Nigel Garbutt, GlobalGAP chairman, told FPJ that the organisations have already begun working on the technical aspects of the deal and that producers should be able to conduct a single audit for both standards early next year. “Our board sees this as an important step forward that will enable a single audit to meet the requirements of both standards. In practice it will mean a farm supplying both the US and Europe, for example, can have a single audit. This will lead to a simplification of requirements for suppliers, as well as eliminating the costs associated with duplicate audits,” he said.
Tim Hammonds, ceo of the Food Marketing Institute, which oversees SQF, said: “Suppliers seeking SQF certification can now, at the same time, demonstrate they meet both the SQF and GlobalGAP standards, saving time and money.”
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