January 12, 2023 Newark, DE. and Washington, D.C. – The International Fresh Produce Association BB #:378962 seeks public comment on the proposed redline version of the Produce GAPs Harmonized Standard.
Every three years, the Technical Working Group and Calibration Committee meet to review the Harmonized Standard, ensure its relevancy and alignment with current industry best practices and regulation, and provide comments.
Through several online and in-person work group meetings during the summer and fall of 2022, a redline version was drafted and is now available for public comment.
“To continue the legacy of the Produce GAPs Harmonized Standard managed by United Fresh, IFPA welcomes all stakeholders to provide comment on the proposed redline document. Broad stakeholder involvement is critical to maintaining a balanced standard that is accessible to a variety of growers and packers, while also remaining acceptable to a multitude of buyers,” said Gretchen Wall, IFPA’s Director of Food Safety & Quality.
“Throughout the update process, a diverse group of produce growers, educators, and industry members proposed revisions to make the standard more user-friendly and minimize the opportunity for misinterpretation. We hope that interested stakeholders will take this opportunity to provide valuable input towards achieving these goals.”
Earlier this year, IFPA hosted a virtual town hall to provide a prospective and retrospective look at the Produce GAPs Harmonized Standard which underscored its continued value to the produce industry.
The deadline to submit comments is March 17, 2023. For more information about the comment process, visit the IFPA website.
For more information, pleasse contact Gretchen Wall, director food safety & quality, IFPA at GWall@freshproduce.com.
About the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to take action with purpose and confidence. While IFPA is built on the legacy of United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association, it is not just a combination. It is transformational. Recognizing the industry required an even more powerful and unified voice, the leaders of the former United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association chose not to merge, but rather to create an entirely new organization to supersede their organizations, effective January 1, 2022.
Media Contact: Siobhan May, SMay@freshproduce.com +1 (302) 781-5855
