EUREPGAP 3 launched

After two years of intensive stakeholder discussions EUREPGAP has published the 3rd version of its Good Agricultural Practice standard on the 8th February 2007, FoodPLUS GmbH of Germany announced in a press statement. More than 500 experts ranging from producers, traders, retailers, governmental and non-governmental organisations from 56 countries have provided proposals, comments and suggestions for the new version.

EUREPGAP has harmonised its criteria for food safety, environmental and worker protection across major product areas. There is now one GAP standard integrating common elements from each sector, with major product areas being served by specific industry modules such as Fruit and Vegetables or combinable crops for example.

Feedback from nearly 10 years of working with the standard has been incorporated to make the standard more relevant to today’s concerns and advanced production techniques. For example, Integrated Crop Management has a stronger emphasis in the 2007 version, with a focus on showing commitment to Integrated Pest Management practices such as Prevention, Observation and Monitoring and the use of responsible Crop Protection intervention strategies.

The area of Worker Health and Safety has also been updated to include its application to smallholders in developing countries.

EUREPGAP is a partnership of agricultural producers and retailers which want to establish certification standards and procedures for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). EUREPGAP is a private sector initiative that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe.

Although not having the force of law, in reality they have begun to increasingly be taken as necessary minimum standards for producers wanting to access the European market. As such African farmers wanting to export have as much reason to keep up with changes in the EUREPGAP standards as those involved in agriculture in Europe.