Last week’s GlobalGAP Summit in London reflected how far the organisation has moved since its inception in the UK.

Disciplines have not always sat easily on the shoulders of the fresh produce industry, probably because prior to the rise of the multiple sector a free-trading society existed, conditioned by supply and demand with little else mattering.

Pesticide and chemical usage was something happening behind the farm gate, and environmental issues were generally of little concern to the consumer.

Today, the whole fresh produce industry has to operate within new confines as public awareness and demands for food safety have become increasingly paramount.

GlobalGAP, of course, has not been without its critics, who have raised questions over the scheme’s cost and complexity. Its fourth integrated farm assurance standard, presented at the conference, has taken these views into account and moved forward, making the standard more user-friendly, avoiding duplication and rewarding high performance.

It is to be hoped therefore that its publication will enhance greater mutual understanding both from behind the farm gate and the supermarket shelf, strengthening the realisation that a voluntary certification benchmarking scheme is the key that can open the door to retail customers.

Meanwhile, GlobalGAP has grown in stature, winning the recognition of NGOs which themselves often have considerable political clout, as well as governments themselves. In fact, it is showing every sign of becoming rather like the United Nations, being the catalyst for discussion, debate and influencing policy making.

In Europe, it is already making a valuable and practical contribution to EU decision making, and beginning to bring benefits to newer members’ fruit and vegetable producers, who are now looking to the EC as an economic lifeline.

In Africa, it has already put down the seeds of change and been well received in India, Japan and China, although the enormity of the work needed there is almost incalculable.

Most recently it has established an office in the United States as it starts to work its magic in North America.

The organisation sees its role as providing expertise to assist in rationalising an industry which its own trade bodies are already describing as suffering audit fatigue.

The dream for many suppliers, including those beyond GlobalGAP’s own considerable membership, is that eventually, regardless of source, there will be an uncomplicated, cost-effective international farm assurance system that brings practical benefits to a fresh produce industry that is already firmly down this path. It may never happen due to the politics which shape world trade, but any move in this direction should help reduce some of the nightmares when a food scare anywhere in the world hits the headlines.