QuestionsQuestions (BAFPS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 25, S. 2005)
The Order states that BAFPS was created pursuant to Republic Act No. 8435, the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 (AFMA), and is mandated to formulate and enforce standards of quality for various stages of agriculture and fisheries products, including processing, preservation, packaging, labeling, importation, exportation, distribution, and advertising.
The objectives include: (1) increasing market access locally and internationally; (2) empowering farmers to meet consumer food safety and quality criteria; (3) facilitating adoption of sustainable agricultural practices; (4) uplifting GAP-FV farmers’ profile as benchmark vegetable farmers; and (5) enabling consumers to buy from traceable and certified sources.
The Order sets the rules applied by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for granting, maintaining, and withdrawing a GAP Certificate to individual growers and farms in the fresh fruits and vegetable sector, or to their Produce Marketing Organizations (PMOs) that market and/or trade the produce.
The Committee includes Directors of DA attached agencies, representatives from the private sector, NGO/PO, and academe. The Chairperson is the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS); the Co-Chairperson is the Bureau of Plant Industry; members include FPA, BAI, BSWM, GMA-HVCC Program, and representatives from the private sector, NGO/PO, and academe.
Examples include: (1) reviewing and approving applications; (2) endorsing to the Secretary a list of applicants for issuance of GAP Certificates; (3) reviewing and approving changes in standards and fees; (4) hearing appeals; (5) annually reviewing investigations of complaints about non-adherence; (6) determining penalties for abuse of standards or mark; (7) negotiating settlements and reimbursement for investigation costs; and (8) designating qualified National and Regional Inspectors.
BAFPS acts as the secretariat of the GAP Certification Committee, i.e., it supports the Committee’s operations in handling certification-related processes and coordination.
National inspectors are technical personnel designated by the Directors of BPI, FPA, BAI, BSWM, and BAFPS (Central Offices). Regional inspectors replicate the composition of the National inspectors, recommended by their respective Regional heads, and may be constituted as needed.
Applicants may be: (1) individual growers; (2) Produce Marketing Organizations (PMOs); or (3) a company/corporation applying under a national or company scheme.
The PMO must illustrate that it has 100% control of the registered growers of the group applying for certification, that all individual growers operate under the same management systems, and that they adhere to DA’s GAP Code.
The supporting documents include: (1) farm/organization profile; (2) company/corporation certificate of registration; (3) track record of the farm or company/corporation; and (for PMOs) proof of 100% control, uniform management systems, and adherence to DA GAP Code.
Inspectors may take samples of water, soil, plant tissue, plants, etc. A receipt is given to the producer; the producer cannot charge the GAP program for the samples. The applicant pays the cost of testing, and receives a copy of the analysis.
Inspectors must conduct an ‘exit’ interview with the applicant or authorized representative upon completion of inspection, covering all potential problem areas noted on the inspection form.
After evaluating the application, the Committee must notify the farm within thirty (30) days on the farm audit date prior to certification or renewal.
Compliance includes: (1) compliance with the Code of Practice of GAP; (2) implementation of a transparent and traceable system to track safe and quality vegetable production from sowing to harvest/packaging; and (3) documentation of farm management to trace the produce’s history, including identifying a coordinator, keeping records for two (2) years, and requiring three (3) months of records for new applicants.
After reviewing the inspection report, the Committee approves, denies, or places the application in pending. If pending or denied, the Chairperson has fifteen (15) days to notify the applicant.
The Committee endorses the report and recommendation to issue the GAP Certificate to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture for approval. After the Secretary’s approval, the Committee assigns a permanent registration number and issues the GAP Certificate.
The Order indicates that renewal requires a new application three (3) years after issuance. Renewal should be submitted one (1) month prior to the anniversary date of the certificate.
The mark may be used on fruits and vegetables produced by certified farms and is an official mark. It is an offense for a farm or company to use the mark to advertise fruits and vegetables not produced by the farm or when the farm is not certified.
Confidentiality: information submitted by applicants (e.g., production practices, ingredients, customer list, complaint log) must not be released to the public without written permission, except for limited disclosures such as court orders, requests by the Committee investigating a complaint, or releasing the name/address/telephone number of the applicant and confirmation of approval status on a specific date. Conflict of interest: staff/contractors/committee members with economic interest in a producer/packer under review within one year prior/during/one year after employment or involvement must declare the conflict and not participate in discussion or decisions.