'Kicking the Can': Growers pilot the harmonized audits (Part II of a two-part series)

摘要

In our last issue, we introduced the GAP Harmonization Initiative, an attempt to consolidate the multitude of conflicting Good Agricultural Practice standards by which U.S. growers in all industries are trying to abide. In 2009, the United Fresh Produce Association ("United Fresh") Food Safety and Technology Council endorsed a plan to drive harmonization of GAP standards, which involved the formation of two groups: a Steering Committee of produce business leaders, and a Technical Working Group. Oncethe Steering Committee determined a direction to go, the ball would be handed off to the Technical Working Group, which would actually harmonize the audit. An Operations Committee was later formed to move the single audit forward. The scope of work the Steering Committee laid out for the Technical Working Group was to make it scalable to all operations— "one audit, by any credible third party acceptable to all buyers."