Italian apple producers stand for ethical and safe agriculture

In a recent meeting in Trentino South Tyrol, the Italian association of apple producers Assomela hosted the top management of FoodPLUS GmbH, Elmé Coetzer-Boersma, Managing Director, Andras Fekete, Vice President and Chief Integrity Officer, and Heidi Gremminger, Coordinator of the Integrity team. The meeting aimed to engage in discussions with apple producers and members of the National Technical Working Group of GLOBALG.A.P., which is coordinated by CSO Italy.

GLOBALG.A.P. stands as one of the most widely recognized voluntary certification standards for good agricultural practices on a global scale. Italy, boasting 24,065 certified farms, ranks among the top countries in terms of certifications. This not only ensures distributors and consumers of sustainable and safe agricultural products but also emphasizes traceability, food safety, and ethical considerations, particularly concerning workers' safety.

One of the main topics of the meeting was the efforts made by Producer Organisations for GLOBALG.A.P. Option 2 certifications. The participants addressed requests for simplification, considering the needs of organized systems while ensuring compliance with safety and environmental objectives both at global and territorial levels.

In the same way, the management of irrigation water was discussed, along with the interviews with seasonal workers, as these aspects could impact compliance with standards IFA vs. 6 and GRASP vs. 2, which will become obligatory from January 1, 2024.

Alessandro Dalpiaz, Director of Assomela and member of the Board of GLOBALG.A.P., emphasized the mutual importance and satisfaction derived from the meeting. The representatives of GLOBALG.A.P. gained important insights into the quality and foundations of the Italian cooperative system, while the producers found an increased desire to strengthen their collaboration with GLOBALG.A.P.

The Italian apple producers are known for their efficiency, driven by their commitment to safeguarding the quality of their products and the environment. This is achieved by ensuring social welfare systems for workers and maintaining the profitability of producers, all while consistently focusing on research and innovation.

Assomela s.c. is the Italian Association of apple producer organizations, representing 75% of the national apple production.

CSO Italy unites over 70 Italian fruit and veg companies. Since 2004, CSO Italy has been the coordinator of the National Working Group of GLOBALG.A.P.

GLOBALG.A.P. is a brand of smart farm assurance solutions developed by FoodPLUS GmbH in Cologne, Germany. Their solutions encompass a range of standards for safe, socially and environmentally responsible farming practices. The IFA standard, the most widely used among them, forms the basis for the GGN label, a consumer label promoting certified, responsible farming and transparency. With over 200,000 producers certified in 134 countries, GLOBALG.A.P. continues its mission of spreading responsible farming practices to secure safe food for future generations.

 

 

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