FSMA Produce Safety Rule: GLOBALG.A.P. Introduces Verification Combined with GFSI Certification Through a Single On-Farm Audit

In the United States, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires specific practices to be implemented and followed for the production, handling, and import of food products. In this webinar, viewers will learn how GLOBALG.A.P. is supporting and verifying implementation efforts of producers of fruit and vegetables in the US, as well as producers outside the US who anticipate their products will be exported to the US market. GLOBALG.A.P. is offering an auditable add-on to address control points found in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) not directly covered by GLOBALG.A.P.’s GFSI-recognized Integrated Farm Assurance Fruit and Vegetables standard.

• The FSMA PSR Add-on is designed to be paired with the Integrated Farm Assurance Standard for Fruit and Vegetables (IFA FV)
• The control points found in the FSMA PSR Add-on will be reviewed by an auditor during the annual certification audit
• The FSMA PSR Add-on plus IFA FV certificates can be provided to retailers and other value-chain participants as evidence of a producer’s efforts toward FSMA implementation
• “FSMA Observers” have access to Audit Reports, Non-Conformity Summaries and Corrective Action Reports in the GLOBALG.A.P. database
• The FSMA PSR Add-on certificate is not an assurance or guarantee of FSMA compliance, as legal compliance can only be determined by a regulatory authority, such as the FDA

Speakers

Walter Ram, Vice President for Food Safety at The Giumarra Companies / Chair of the GLOBALG.A.P. USA National Technical Working Group

Walter is responsible for food safety and regulatory affairs for Giumarra’s 12 operating divisions and is active in food safety and food defense working directly with government and industry.  He has been with Giumarra since 1995.  Giumarra is one of the world’s largest table grape producers and is a major supplier of over 60 fresh fruits and vegetables from a dozen countries.  As a highly regarded voice for the industry, Walter serves on numerous boards and committees and has received multiple awards for his leadership.

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Roberta Anderson, Executive Vice President, GLOBALG.A.P. North America

Roberta heads the areas of business development and marketing, and is responsible for operations, managing staff, overseeing the annual budget and planning processes to achieve our goal of being the preferred solution provider for farm assurance in North America. She joined GLOBALG.A.P. in 2015, and has built her career working with certification programs, marketing and business development in agriculture and food systems.  She holds a B.Sc. in International Agriculture and Natural Resources (University of Wisconsin at Madison), and an M.B.A. in Business, Food Industry Management and Sustainability (Portland State University).  She is located in Portland, Oregon.

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Rebecca Anderson, Technical Key Account Manager, GLOBALG.A.P. North America

Rebecca is GLOBALG.A.P.’s technical expert for the North American marketplace, overseeing training, managing our National Technical Working Group, and supporting our Certification Bodies and Farm Assurers. She serves as GGNA’s technical liaison with the integrity and standards development teams in Cologne. Rebecca joined GGNA in October 2016, and is a former certification body scheme manager with experience in training, auditing, orchard and dairy management, greenhouse production, and food service. She has a B.Sc. in Agriculture Science (California Polytechnic State University). Rebecca is located in California.

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Raina Spence, Director of Producer Solutions, GLOBALG.A.P.

Raina serves GLOBALG.A.P.’s international operations with high-level project management for special projects. Additionally, she provides direct support and outreach services to producers in North America. Raina Spence joined GLOBALG.A.P. North America in October 2016. She has a wealth of experience in commercial food production, applied agriculture research, and international diplomacy. Raina holds a B.A. in Biology (Central Washington University) 1999 and an M.Sc. in Plant Pathology (Washington State University). She is located in Washington State.

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