Gap assessment
We visit the farm and review point by point every IFA v6 control point applicable to your product category. You receive a gap report that quantifies the real effort required before you commit.
Agroalimentario
GLOBALG.A.P.
The good agricultural practices standard required by Europe's largest retailers. We support your farm from the initial gap assessment through to the certificate issued by an accredited certification body.
GLOBALG.A.P. (Global Good Agricultural Practices) is the world's most widely adopted private standard for good agricultural practices: almost 200,000 certified producers in over 130 countries stand behind it. For a grower or cooperative looking to supply Mercadona, Carrefour, Tesco, Sainsbury's or any major European retail chain, it is not an option — it is an entry requirement. Without the certificate, the supplier registration simply does not open.
Since January 2024, version 6 of the IFA (Integrated Farm Assurance) module has been in force, definitively replacing v5.2. IFA v6 introduces a clearer format, simplified language and reinforced criteria covering environmental sustainability, integrated pest management, worker welfare and traceability. Two editions exist: IFA v6 Smart (for producers who do not require GFSI recognition) and IFA v6 GFS, aligned with the requirements of the Global Food Safety Initiative. In May 2026 the migration of the Plant Propagation Material (PPM) and Combinable Crops (CC) modules to v6 was also completed. If your operation is still running v5.2 audits for those categories, the transition deadline has passed.
At Summum Calidad we have spent more than a decade supporting agri-food businesses in Castilla y León and the Canary Islands. We know the real demands of fieldwork, the rhythms of production cycles and the control points that most commonly trip farms up at audit: phytosanitary product documentation, water and fertilisation records, personnel hygiene protocols and lot traceability. We prepare your farm or cooperative so that the external auditor — SGS, Bureau Veritas, AENOR, RINA or another accredited body — finds the system in order and issues the certificate without surprises.
The GLOBALG.A.P process.
The process · four stagesDocumentary system design
We develop the records, procedures and plans required (phytosanitary products, fertilisation, water, hygiene, traceability, complaints management) — tailored to your operation, not generic templates.
Implementation and training
We train the people responsible for field and office records. We accompany the production season so the system works under real pressure, not just on paper.
Internal audit and close-out
We conduct a simulated internal audit before the certification body's visit, close out the non-conformities identified, and coordinate the audit date with the accredited body to maximise the chances of first-attempt certification.
What is included
What GLOBALG.A.P includes.
The operational detail: what we deliver as part of the work and what we keep alive afterwards.
-
IFA v6 gap analysis
Full review against all mandatory, major and recommended control points of the current version, with prioritised action plan.
-
Field documentary system
Phytosanitary product records (in line with Regulation EC 1107/2009), field notebook (digital or paper), fertilisation plans and water management records.
-
Integrated pest management (IPM)
Design of the pest and disease management plan with no exclusive reliance on chemicals: intervention thresholds, cultural and biological methods, and decision documentation.
-
Traceability and food safety
Implementation of the lot traceability system from field to customer, hazard analysis and critical control points (basic HACCP), and pesticide residue management (MRL).
-
Worker welfare and HSE
Personal hygiene procedures, facilities management, agricultural occupational safety training and working conditions documentation, as required by IFA v6.
-
Coordination with certification body
We help you select the most suitable accredited body (AENOR, Bureau Veritas, SGS, RINA…), manage the application and act as technical liaison during the certification audit.
Summum cluster
How it connects with its sisters.
GLOBALG.A.P. certification gains strength when combined with the digital traceability solutions Summum Sistemas offers and with the food safety standards we also manage within Calidad.
calidad
Summum calidad
For producers who also supply processed food manufacturers: IFS Food and BRCGS are the natural next step after consolidating good field practices with GLOBALG.A.P.
View service → calidadSummum calidad
When the scope extends beyond primary production to include processing, ISO 22000 integrates HACCP within a GFSI-recognised food safety management system.
View service → sistemasSummum sistemas
An agri-food ERP with an automated lot traceability module takes care of the records GLOBALG.A.P. demands, reducing documentary burden and field errors.
View service →Frequently asked questions about GLOBALG.A.P.
Is GLOBALG.A.P. legally mandatory?
It is not a legal standard but a private one. However, it is a de facto requirement imposed by Europe's major retailers: if you want to become an approved supplier for chains such as Mercadona, Carrefour, Tesco or Lidl, you need the certificate. Without it, many supplier registration processes will not open, regardless of the actual quality of your produce.
How long does it take to obtain the certificate?
It depends on your starting point. A farm with organised agricultural records and prior audit experience can be ready in 3 months. A farm starting from scratch typically needs 4 to 6 months to implement the system, cover at least one full production cycle with complete records and pass the internal audit before the external one. Crop calendars are also a factor that influences timelines.
What is the difference between GLOBALG.A.P. IFA v6 Smart and v6 GFS?
IFA v6 Smart is the standard edition, valid for most producers of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, hops and aquaculture. IFA v6 GFS (successor to IFA v5.4-1-GFS) is recognised by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) and is what some Anglo-Saxon buyers require when their approval protocol explicitly demands GFSI recognition. If you are unsure which version is required, the first step is to check your main buyer's requirements.
Can several farms be certified under a single certificate?
Yes. GLOBALG.A.P. provides for the Producer Groups option, designed for cooperatives or farmer associations. Under this scheme, a shared internal management system covers all members and only a sample is audited externally. Summum can design and manage the group's internal quality system, which is the central requirement of this option.
Does Summum issue the GLOBALG.A.P. certificate?
No. Summum Calidad is a consultancy: we support the preparation, design the system, train the team and carry out the internal audit. The official certificate is always issued by a certification body accredited by ENAC or a European equivalent (AENOR, Bureau Veritas, SGS, RINA, etc.). This separation of functions is what guarantees the impartiality of the process.