food safety

Yes! CCOF maintains a food safety resource page to help get you started.

• Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) - The IFA standard is the top tier GLOBALG.A.P. standard and is great for those exporting outside of the US and especially to the European Union.
  • IFA certification includes topics above and beyond food safety, like worker welfare and environmental sustainability.
• Harmonized Produce Safety Standard (HPSS) - The HPSS is a standard developed by United Fresh and used by GLOBALG.A.P. and other organizations like the USDA.

CCOF offers food safety certification to fruit and vegetable producers and packing houses with minimal processing. We have several programs available providing total supply chain coverage.

We have heard loud and clear from our members that they want to comply with the requirements of FSMA and their buyers, but are concerned about the cost, time, and paperwork burden of dealing with another certification program. In addition, organic producers need a food safety program that works in harmony with the USDA NOP requirements. We see the value in offering a food safety certification program that not only respects and encourages organic systems, but also streamlines the paperwork and inspection process.

Check out our advocacy efforts on food safety.

GLOBALG.A.P. is a stakeholder-driven nonprofit organization based in Germany that sets food safety standards for farmers. There are over 120,000 farms worldwide certified to GLOBALG.A.P. standards.

The Global Food Safety Initiative is an international nonprofit umbrella organization that “benchmarks” (deems equivalent) food safety standards. Retailers or buyers that require food safety certification from their suppliers generally require that the certification standard be GFSI benchmarked. The CCOF PrimusGFS and GLOBALG.A.P.