GLOBALG.AP is a private sector organization that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products worldwide.
EUREPGAP, which was initially created as a European standard based on human health and environmental approach, began to be accepted all over the world in the following years and became a visa for products opening up to international markets, and was revised as GLOBALGAP in 2007.
The GLOBALG.AP standard is primarily designed to address consumer concerns about how nutrients are produced on farm by minimizing the environmental impacts of farm operations by reducing the use of chemical inputs and taking a responsible approach to animal health as well as human health and safety.
The aim is to establish a standard for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) with different product practices that can be adapted to the whole of global agriculture. GLOBALGAP is a pre-farm entry standard, meaning that certification covers the entire process from farm inputs such as feed and seedlings of the certified product and all farming activities until the product leaves the farm.
GLOBALGAP is a “business-to-business” label and therefore not directly visible to the consumer. GLOBALGAP certification is implemented by more than 100 independent and accredited certification bodies in more than 80 countries. It is open to all producers worldwide. GLOBALGAP includes annual audits of producers and additional unannounced audits. GLOBALGAP consists of a set of normative documents. These documents include the GLOBALGAP General Regulations, the GLOBALGAP Control Points and Conformity Criteria and the GLOBALGAP Checklists.
GLOBALG.AP acts as a practical handbook for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) around the world. Its guiding principle is to ensure an equal partnership between agricultural producers and retailers who want to establish effective certification standards and procedures.
The sector most challenged by globalizing markets is the staple food sector. GLOBALGAP is recognized as a key reference for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in the global market, by translating consumer needs into agricultural production in a rapidly growing list of countries – currently in more than 80 countries on every continent.