In order to obtain a Good Agricultural Practices Certificate, manufacturers have to comply with certain criteria and certain tasks they have to do. It is not possible to request documents from a certification body without complying with them.
It is very important to keep a record of every stage, every activity, every work done. Production process should be recorded from beginning to end. This requirement is the result of the traceability principle of the system. All inputs, transactions, training received, details of all kinds purchased or used must be recorded and these records should be kept regularly and carefully. Even the production history of the production areas should be recorded.
Soil analyzes should be carried out at least once a year so that fertilization can be done at the appropriate time and amount. Fertilizer type should be determined according to the soil type and the amount of fertilizer should be determined accordingly.
The manufacturer must also assess the risks that may arise in the areas of environment and animal health, food safety, and worker health and safety.
When it is decided to switch to Good Agricultural Practices agricultural production organizations must consider a number of elements. For example, prior to decision-making, it should be known which crops were grown and which agricultural activities were carried out before. The impacts of the production area on human health and the environment should be evaluated. If there are risks that cannot be controlled, these areas should not be used.
After that, the areas of production, water resources and the possible pollution situation should be investigated. The quality of the soil should be analyzed. The existence of sustainable water resources and the water quality in these sources should be investigated. The production conditions in neighboring areas must be known. Consideration should be given to the high level of plant health and to the lowest level of pesticide use.
Agricultural production organizationsIn order to start production in this sense, it has to apply to a certification body that has the authority to audit and certify the Good Agricultural Practices. This authorization is made by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. In this way, production process will be recorded.
After the start of production activities, the soil should be processed and the techniques to protect the physical structure of the soil and to prevent soil loss should be used. In order to use fertilizers at the appropriate time and amount, soil analyzes should be done once a year. Pesticide use and fertilization processes are completely dependent on soil structure.
Struggle against diseases and pests, Comply with the Technical Instructions for Integrated Struggle. Natural methods should be used first and chemical struggle should be used as a last resort.
In short, if all these processes are carried out in accordance with Good Agricultural Practices, implementation criteria, Good Agricultural Practices Certificate are entitled to receive.
TÜRCERT certification body carries out agricultural product certification studies. Organizations wishing to get more information about how to do good agricultural practices or request Good Agricultural Practices Certificate should apply to TÜRCERT certification institution without delay.