GAPs is an acronym for Good Agricultural Practices, which in this context is a voluntary certification program related to food safety practices for produce growers. 

Regardless of whether a produce grower chooses to obtain GAP certification, it would be foolish and irresponsible not to work towards implementing the covered food safety practices. There are numerous instances of foodborne illness outbreaks that can be traced to fresh produce, in some cases leading to serious long-term health consequences or deaths among those who ate the affected product. The source farms have sometimes been subjected to severe economic losses, and even criminal penalties. 

There are various reasons a produce grower may want to undergo this voluntary certification, namely:

• It is a requirement for certain buyers or markets, including many wholesale and institutional buyers
• It can be used as a marketing tool, demonstrating a grower’s commitment to food safety
• It is a helpful tool to organize and document food safety practices
• It could help lay the groundwork for compliance with the Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act

The cost of certification is the responsibility of the producer, although there may be cost-share funds available to help. For details, check with your local Agricultural Extension agent, or with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Although many of the practices stipulated by GAPs Certification will impact the entire operation, the certification applies to a specific crop or crops, and is valid for one year.

Victoria Cotten of Perry-Winkle Farms in their new CoolBot storage. Photo Credit: Debbie Roos

Certification Process

1. Attend a produce food safety training program (this is a one-time requirement).
2. Identify which auditing system your buyer or potential buyer requires. The auditing system you select may influence implementation of certain practices, recordkeeping, etc.
3. Develop and document a food safety plan that complies with the standards of your auditing system, and which covers all the areas listed below. 
4. Keep records throughout the year of all the actions you take related to your food safety plan. 
5. Conduct a mock recall exercise.
6. Undergo an on-farm audit conducted by a representative of the auditing system you chose. Depending on the auditor, this may need to be scheduled months in advance. Normally the audit will take place during a harvest activity of the product(s) in question. 
7. Review the results of the audit (whether pass or fail) to see where improvements can be made in your plan, practices, and recordkeeping.

Record-Keeping Topics

1. Land
2. Worker health and hygiene
3. Restrooms and sewage
4. Water
5. Animals
6. Manure
7. Equipment and containers
8. Traceability

How to Get Started

Interested farmers should start by looking into learning and support opportunities, and reviewing a food safety plan template to get more familiar with the components. These resources may help:

• Training 
  • For classes offered by the NC State Extension Fresh Produce Safety team visit their website. 
  • Online training videos and downloadable resource manuals are available from the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association.
• Technical assistance
  • Individualized advice may be available from the local Agricultural Extension agent. Find the contact information for each county
  • Consulting is available from the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. Details are available on their website.
• Food safety plan 
  • Template from the NC State Extension Fresh Produce Safety team

Food safety is a necessary priority for all farmers. GAP Certification is a tool that helps farmers convey to buyers that they are prioritizing food safety. N.C. Cooperative Extension is here to help farmers navigate this process.