The Aquaponics Association

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GLOBAL GAP Made Simple

GLOBAL G.A.P. Made SimpleA One-Day Pre-Conference GLOBAL G.A.P. Food Safety Certification SeminarThursday, September 19, 2019, 9:00am – 4:00pmCapital Plaza HotelPresented by The Farm Plan and the Aquaponics AssociationTaught by Juli Ogden, GLOBAL G.A.P. Farm Assurer** Wednesday night September 18 is added to the Capital Plaza Hotel room block to allow for stays the night before.In this lively 1-day pre-Aquaponics Association Conference workshop you learn the rules of GLOBAL G.A.P. and we do over 200 pages of paperwork together!GLOBAL G.A.P. is a food safety certification that applies to all farming methods and works great for aquaponics. Farms that sell produce to retailers need food safety certification.You will receive:

  • The Farm Plan’s report system of your required forms for your 92 -topic farm policy
  • Risk assessments and management plans to add your unique situations
  • Detailed farm and paperwork checklists
  • worker-training program a sign kit and clear instructions on each page

The Farm Plan contains only and exactly what is required. You will finish this training with our on-farm checklist firmly in hand and the attitude to get it done.More about Juli Ogden, Lead Trainer and GLOBALG.A.P Farm AssurerIn an industry known for complexity, Juli is pioneering a way of doing things that is within reach of every farm, no matter how large or how small.   She is also a food safety expert, speaker and in her former career, Juli was a real estate expert, author and radio show host for Business Talk Radio and Lifestyle Talk Radio.  Juli was Washington State Small Business Woman of the Year at age 32.  Her no-nonsense, easy to understand approach to food safety is refreshing and her presentations are packed with tips and advice the audience can apply to their own operations.Juli became interested in GLOBAL G.A.P when it was required for her Washington state cherry orchard. She teaches food safety from the farmer’s point of view. Get your answers right in the webinar. You may email, text or ask short questions live.   

Who needs to be certified?Farms who's produce ends up sold to retailers

Who is the farm plan?The Farm Plan is a small U.S. corporation who helps farms get GLOBALG.A.P. certified.  Although trained and licensed by GLOBALG.A.P. The Farm Plan is not employed by or contracted to them.  We are farmers who work exclusively with and for farmers

What crops need certification?We work with every fruit and vegetable crop.  Orchards, row crops and even aquaponic lettuce greenhouses. Processing and storage facilities too.​What is a GLOBALG.A.P. certified Farm Assurer?The Farm Plan / Juli Ogden has been trained in by GLOBALG.A.P. in the rules, passed their tests and was duly licensed.  It really means we have been approved to be an independent consultant.  We do not represent, work for or report to GLOBALG.A.P.  Our clients receive full confidentiality.​When do I start?It's much easier when you give yourself time to assess and get any needed improvements done. Don't let that scare you.  Most farms already grow safe food.  We will show you how to prove it as inexpensively as possible.​When will I be certified?Step 1:  Clean up and organize the farm.Step 2:  Complete your policy, risk assessments, logs and management plans.Step 3:  Put the paperwork into use for at least four months.Step 4:  Document everythingStep 5:  Apply for your audit appointmentStep 6:  Make sure you pass.  Most farms have a few corrections needed after the auditor inspection happens.  That's ok and normal.  You will be given a list and usually 28 days. Corrections can usually be emailed in.  Your certificate will arrive several weeks after the audit date.

When can I claim my crop is certified?Your crop is actually certified four months into the past and 8 months into the future from your certification date.  That typically means the entire crop for the year of certification is covered.​Where does The Farm Plan work?

Everywhere.  We  travel to many places for custom work and to give workshops.   Get a group of neighboring farms together and we can set up a workshop in your area  If you just want the paperwork and would like to learn on your own that is no problem.  We will ship it to you from our office in Wenatchee, Washington.​Why do I need to be certified?Maintain and grow your access to markets. Ultimately, GLOBALG.A.P Certification is voluntary. Though keep in mind that beginning in 2018 American farms must meet the standards of the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  GLOBALG.A.P has many overlaps with this standard, and the two are somewhat complimentary.

How do I get certified?The Farm Plan makes it simple by providing the forms, logs, risk assessments, management plans and your farm policy. That policy set your standards is a mandatory part of your food safety system.  The policies are contained in 8 pages, cover around 70 topics and teach you the rules in a very effective way.​How much more can I do in a 24 hour day?This is a very common and logical reaction to food safety. The rules were mostly written by people who have a support staff and a regular paycheck. Translating the written rules into workable solutions is one of the basic goals behind The Farm Plan.

How did The Farm Plan Get Started?Juli Ogden read every rule over and over - for what it said and what it did not say. She organized the jobs into the seasons of farming and translated the rules into the everyday language.  Today, Juli helps farms of all sizes. She creates custom systems for large farms and gives workshops others. Using The Farm Planner, attendees spend an intense day learning, asking questions and completing about 75% of the annual paperwork . The Farm Plan includes every policy, risk assessment and form required.Four part seminar Series includes….Part 1:  The Jump Start.  First, a 5 minute “who, what, why, where, when & how” and then we jump right into developing your Farm Policy.Part 2: Daily Logs and Forms.  Quickly learn which logs apply to your farm and exactly how to use them.Part 3: Pre-Harvest Risk Assessments. This is the toughest job and we’ll do it together!Part 4: What to Do. Harvest, Worker Training, Signs and More Answers!   If you haven’t yet signed up, you may now register for the organic session described below.

 

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