ABU DHABI GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (ADG.A.P.) …

ABU DHABI GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (ADG.A.P.) STANDARD

GENERAL RULES

ENGLISH VERSION 1.0

VALID FROM: OCTOBER 2020

ADG.A.P. standard general rules, English version 1.0

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ABBREVIATIONS

ADAFSA Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority

ADG.A.P. Abu Dhabi Good Agricultural Practices

ADQCC Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council

AGN Abu Dhabi G.A.P. Number

CB Certification body

CC Compliance criteria

CEO Chief Executive Officer

CP Control point

CPCC Control points and compliance criteria

FA Farm Assurer (ADAFSA Farm Assurance Team)

FAP Farm Assurer Personnel (ADAFSA staff licensed by GLOBALG.A.P. as Farm Assurers)

FBP Farm business plan

G.A.P. Good agricultural practices

G.A.P. Unit ADAFSA unit responsible for certification process

GCC Gulf Cooperation Council – political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries

GGN GLOBALG.A.P. Number

GLN Global Location Number (Option 1 producer with multisite number)

GR General regulations/rules

HACCP Hazard analysis and critical control points

IFA Integrated Farm Assurance standard

SM Scheme manager

QMS Quality management system


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Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5

2. Regulatory Framework .......................................................................................................... 5

3. Documents .............................................................................................................................. 6

4. Program Owner ...................................................................................................................... 7

5. Producer Group...................................................................................................................... 8

6. Certification Body .................................................................................................................. 8

7. Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................ 10

8. Use of the ADG.A.P. Logo ................................................................................................... 10

9. ADG.A.P. Procedures .......................................................................................................... 10

10. ADG.A.P. Standard .............................................................................................................. 10

11. Product Traceability and Segregation ............................................................................... 11

12. Withdrawal of Non-Conforming Produce .......................................................................... 11

13. Registration of Additional Compliant Producers or Sites ............................................... 11

14. ADAFSA Collection Centers, Pack Houses, and Distribution Centers .......................... 11

15. Agreement with Buyer ......................................................................................................... 11

16. Sub-Contracting ................................................................................................................... 11

17. Management Review ............................................................................................................ 11

18. Principles of ADG.A.P. Certification .................................................................................. 12

19. ADG.A.P. Certification Procedure ...................................................................................... 12

20. Inspection Agreement ......................................................................................................... 13

21. Assessment and Evaluation ............................................................................................... 13

22. Non-Conformances .............................................................................................................. 14

23. Certification Decision .......................................................................................................... 15

24. Certification Documentation ............................................................................................... 15

25. Directory of Registered Producers .................................................................................... 15

26. Post ADG.A.P. Certification Actions .................................................................................. 15

27. Sanctions .............................................................................................................................. 16

28. Revocation/Cancellation ..................................................................................................... 16

29. Renewal of ADG.A.P. Certification and Trustmark Certificate ........................................ 17

30. Changes Affecting ADG.A.P. Certification System and Trustmark Certificate ............. 17

31. Extension and/or Reduction of Crops ............................................................................... 17

32. Registration Fees ................................................................................................................. 17

33. ADAFSA Database and Records ........................................................................................ 17

34. Complaints and Appeals ..................................................................................................... 18

ANNEX 1: RULES FOR USE OF ADG.A.P. TRADEMARK AND LOGO .................................. 19


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ANNEX 2: DATA ACCESS RULES ............................................................................................ 20

ANNEX 3: TEMPLATE OF ADG.A.P. CERTIFICATE ................................................................ 23


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1. Introduction Overview of Roles in ADG.A.P. System

The ADG.A.P. scheme owner is the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), established

in April 2019 through General Secretariat of Abu Dhabi Executive Council Law No 7. ADAFSA is the local

authority with a mandate for agriculture, food safety, food security, and biosecurity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

It aims to develop a sustainable agriculture and food sector and protect the health of animals and plants to

enhance biosecurity and achieve food security for Abu Dhabi. In addition, the authority is responsible for

preparing plans, programs, and activities in the fields of agriculture, food safety, and food security. ADAFSA is

tasked to control and inspect the Emirate's food and agriculture establishments, farms, agricultural inputs,

imported and exported food and agricultural items, as well as food and agricultural items produced in the

country and circulated within the Emirate, to ensure the access of safe food to the community. It also supervises

the establishment and management of emergency food reserves in cooperation with the competent authorities.

ADAFSA creates partnerships and investments with investment funds, investors, and the private sector in the

areas of its work, as well as issuing the needed licenses and permits to undertake any agriculture or food

activity in accordance with current legislation. ADAFSA’s roles include:

a. Implementation

ADAFSA Agriculture Extension section, consisting of 140 extension engineers, including 6 Farm

Assurers hired from private enterprise, is responsible for the implementation of ADG.A.P.

b. Internal inspection/audit

The external Farm Assurers act as internal auditors for the ADG.A.P. program.

c. External inspection/audit and certification

The ADAFSA GAP Unit Farm Assurers will work as external auditors/inspectors.

d. Certificate holder

ADAFSA is the certificate holder within the ADG.A.P. system.

e. Producer group and members

The local producers, i.e., the legal entities responsible for the respective production area/farms,

shall register with ADAFSA for ADG.A.P. certification through the ADAFSA online service

request portal.

f. Integrity team

The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC) will work as integrity team as per the

agreed memorandum between the ADQCC and ADAFSA. The ADQCC will ensure the integrity

of an ADG.A.P. certificate through random inspection of farms and farmers, checks of the

ADG.A.P. management system, and assessment of internal control systems.

ADAFSA is a GLOBALG.A.P. member and the program owner of the ADG.A.P. The program owner has the

overall responsibility for maintenance and implementation of the ADG.A.P. program in the Emirate of Abu

Dhabi.

2. Regulatory Framework The ADG.A.P. general rules build a framework that enables producers to comply with the ADG.A.P. program.

ADG.A.P. in a cost-effective solution for emerging markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It helps

producers gain gradual recognition by providing a foundation level, which can help UAE retailers gain access

to quality foods, support their local producers, and promote good agricultural practices (G.A.P.). The ADG.A.P.

general rules and control points and compliance criteria will be limited to Abu Dhabi but may be extended to

other emirates of UAE and/or other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries through bilateral/multilateral

agreements.

Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) regulations, laws, and by-laws will apply to farm

operations as per the ADG.A.P. program. ADAFSA laws, food safety policies, and other produce handling–

related procedures are considered part of the implementation requirements.


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The objective of this document is to ensure that all the relevant stakeholders, including primarily ADAFSA, are

given assurance that the assessed entities implement the Farm Assurer requirements and the ADG.A.P.

program consistently and accurately. The program owner of ADG.A.P. (i.e., ADAFSA) shall develop a

surveillance plan to exercise supervision over the program, the certified producers, Farm Assurer Personnel

(FAP), and ADAFSA Agriculture Extension engineers. The ADG.A.P. general rules describe the basic rules for

ADG.A.P. implementation, the certification process, the relevant stakeholders and their responsibilities, and

the management of the ADG.A.P. program.

3. Documents

3.1 Normative Documents

The PO shall create, control, and maintain adequate documentation for the operation, maintenance, and

improvement of the program. A comprehensive list of documentation to be developed and maintained by the

PO shall be available. The following normative documents (and any other documents released as normative)

are relevant:

a. The ADG.A.P. control points and compliance criteria (CPCCs): This document sets the

standard’s compliance requirements for producers at a foundation level.

b. The ADG.A.P. checklist: This document is based on the CPCCs and is used by the ADQCC,

internal inspectors, and certification bodies (CBs) during internal, external. and integrity

inspections.

c. The ADG.A.P. quality management system (QMS) checklist for producer groups and multisites

that implement a QMS: This document sets requirements for quality management systems.

d. The ADG.A.P. general rules (this document): They define the framework of how the certification

process works, as well as the requirements for the QMS and other related processes.

3.2 Document Control

All templates for documents and records shall be approved by the ADAFSA integrated management system

(IMS). The format of the documents and records shall ensure they are uniquely identifiable (i.e., numbered),

comprehensible and the current version is in use. Changes to documents and record templates shall not be

permitted without authorization and record of the reason for the change. All documents and records shall be

retrievable. ADG.A.P. records shall be kept for a minimum of two years, unless a longer period is required by

a specific control point in the ADG.A.P. Always indicate the latest version of the ADG.A.P. normative

documents.

a. Language: Original documents are in English. The ADG.A.P. documents will be translated into

Arabic. In case of discrepancy between translations, the English version shall prevail.

b. Changes to documents:

i. Normative documents are identified with a unique document code, version number,

and date.

ii. The date in the document version name indicates the date of publication of the

document.

iii. Version number: A change in the first digit (e.g., change from 1.x to 2.0) indicates a

version change. A change in the second digit (e.g., x.4 to x.5) indicates updates and

revisions to the same version. The revision of a document means the amendment of

the same active document without a change in the scope of the document. A

replacement of a clause, article, or standard by a completely new clause, article, or

standard, for example, is considered a change in the version and indicated by the

version number, while an amendment of a clause, article, or standard is considered an

update or revision and will be indicated in the revision number.


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iv. Updates can be made independently in the general rules and CPCC documents, but a

version change will affect all normative documents.

v. Any version change requires approval from stakeholders.

Examples of farm-level documents and records that need to be kept as evidence of G.A.P. implementation

include a farm plan, documented risk assessment(s), planting records, irrigation records, chemical procurement

records (e.g., invoices), usage and inventory records, spraying records, pest and disease monitoring records,

post-harvest chemical application records, chemical authorization forms, fertilizer and soil additives application

records, harvesting and packing records, job responsibility and training records, cleaning records, a pest control

monitoring plan, equipment calibration records, incident investigation records, complaints and corrective action

reports, traceability records (delivery and destination), and any additional documents specifically required in

the ADG.A.P. standard. The producer group shall have at least three months of records available at the initial

inspection by the CB.

4. Program Owner

4.1 Role and Responsibilities of the program owner

a. Ensuring that the GLOBALG.A.P. membership is fully paid and maintained.

b. Signing the agreement on disclosing ADG.A.P. database user information hosted on

GLOBALG.A.P. database according to Data Access Rules in this document. It shall also adapt

GLOBALG.A.P. database access rights as per the cooperation agreement signed between

GLOBALG.A.P. and ADAFSA.

c. Communicating any updates/changes about the ADG.A.P. program to GLOBALG.A.P. and the

producers that are implementing the program.

d. Assuming full responsibility for the objectives, content, and integrity of ADG.A.P. program.

e. Providing the capacity to maintain the program and providing guidance when required.

f. Developing, reviewing, maintaining, and updating the ADG.A.P. program. This includes the

standard, certification criteria, rules, procedures, management requirements – considering

feedback and changes in parent documents as well as adjusting changes according to Abu

Dhabi regulations and international standards such as those of GLOBALG.A.P.

g. Adopting the “ADG.A.P. trademark” or logo and arranging for its registration. (ADAFSA owns the

ADG.A.P. mark.)

h. Acting as an authorized CB to register and assess producers against the ADG.A.P. standard.

i. Communicating with all internal and external stakeholders and updating them on relevant

developments.

j. Complaints and appeal handling – all levels (e.g., stakeholders, public) and anything that relates

to the program operation.

k. Taking responsibility for the decision-making processes, such as the review of inspection

reports, imposition of sanctions when required, etc.

4.2 Safeguarding Confidentiality

The PO shall have a clear policy to safeguard the confidentiality of all relevant information, that are either

obtained or created during any stage of activity of the ADG.A.P. program. This policy shall be legally enforced.

The PO shall ensure that there is no breach in the confidential handling of information during any stage of

implementation of the ADG.A.P. program.

4.3 Laboratories and Laboratory Testing

As per the ADG.A.P. standard, several requirements involve laboratory tests. Examples include pesticide

residues, microbiological analysis, heavy metals content, and soil and water quality. Any laboratory performing

the tests shall be accredited to ISO17025 for those specific parameters. The tests will be required only for high-


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risk crops or as required by the respective control points of the ADG.A.P. standard and as specified in GAP

Unit Risk Assessment (Refer to ADG.A.P. Risk Assessment). Random microbiological tests will be required on

treated wastewater used for irrigation purposes. The ADQCC will be the responsible unit for the water analysis

where the water is used for irrigation.

5. Producer Group Only producer group certification is possible under ADG.A.P. and there will only be one producer group certified

against this system.

Any producer that owns a farm in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi can be a member of the producer group. ADAFSA

shall act as the legal entity covering ownership of the producer group. The group members will have contractual

agreements with ADAFSA to implement the requirements of the ADG.A.P. standard. Documentation shall be

available at QMS level.

5.1 Producer Register

All producers in the producer group shall be registered with the group. ADAFSA customer services have the

responsibility to register producers through the ADG.A.P. system at the request of the producers. A register

shall be maintained, containing the following data about each producer member: name, contact person,

address, farm data sheet (crop and production area), quantity of expected produce, date of internal

inspection/audit, status of certification, sanction details, etc. A contract/letter of agreement shall be signed

between each producer group member and the ADAFSA competent authority. The contract shall be in English

and Arabic languages. The agreement shall cover farm details, obligations to comply with ADG.A.P.

requirements, technical guidance, sanctions, and any internal requirements of the group. The producer register

shall be updated every year. It shall be verified by the internal auditor and duly signed by the PO.

6. Certification Body

A CB is a GLOBALG.A.P. licensed Farm Assurer that has signed a license and certification agreement with

GLOBALG.A.P. and additionally applied to become a CB by sending a letter of intent to the GLOBALG.A.P.

Certification Body Administration team. The CB will acquire the rights from producers to register them in the

GLOBALG.A.P. database and will also be responsible for conducting ADG.A.P. assessments.

ADAFSA has the status of a Farm Assurer, and the Farm Assurance Personnel (FAP) will be responsible for

inspecting the farms according to the ADG.A.P. standard. The PO will deploy a Farm Assurer as an assessor

independent from the day-to-day operations of the ADG.A.P. implementation. The following are mandatory for

ADAFSA as a CB:

a. ADAFSA shall make sure that the CB is always independent in the ADG.A.P. verification and

inspection/certification process, and neither part of nor working in the same ADAFSA division as

the ADG.A.P. operations/implementation team.

b. The assessor shall have more than 5 years’ experience with GLOBALG.A.P.

c. The assessor shall have a valid Farm Assurer license for the Fruits and Vegetable sub-scope of

the latest and valid version of the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard.

6.1 Functions of a Certification Body

The function of a certification body is to establish a CB system according to the requirements of the ADG.A.P.

program. This includes:

a. Registering producers in the GLOBALG.A.P. database, updating program information, and

disseminating that information to ADG.A.P. verified producer groups.

b. Allocating financial and human resources, e.g., CB personnel and external workers for the

operation of the ADG.A.P. scheme.


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c. Handling complaints and appeals that relate to the tasks of the CB, putting in place mechanisms

to ensure that information is accessible by the public, and gathering market information to

ensure no misuse or misinterpretation of the ADG.A.P. Number and ADG.A.P. certified products

is taking place.

d. Submitting ADG.A.P. assessment plans and conducting ADG.A.P. inspections.

e. Compiling ADG.A.P. assessment reports.

f. Coordinating with the ADG.A.P. program owner and QMS manager for smooth inspection of

producers and QMS audit.

g. Liaising with the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat to register producers in the GLOBALG.A.P.

database.

h. Establishing a system to ensure that all Farm Assurers who work with the CB have signed a

letter of intent to the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat and have been approved to also carry out

assessments against ADG.A.P. in the role of a certification body.

i. Informing GLOBALG.A.P. of any suspension and follow-up suspension cases and liaising with

the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat on these matters.

6.2 Steps to Becoming a CB for ADG.A.P.

a. Any individual/party interested in assessing producers against the ADG.A.P. standard shall at

minimum be an approved GLOBALG.A.P. licensed Farm Assurer.

b. The Farm Assurer shall submit a letter of intent to the GLOBALG.A.P. secretariat to request to

become assessor for the ADG.A.P. program.

c. The Farm Assurer shall pay an annual fee as defined in the latest GLOBALG.A.P. Fee Table

that will allow the Farm Assurer to become a CB and carry out assessments against the

ADG.A.P. program. Because ADAFSA is a GLOBALG.A.P. member, no additional Farm Assurer

fee is needed, as this is part of the membership benefit.

d. The Farm Assurer shall complete a GLOBALG.A.P. database training for producer registration

and checklist uploading.

e. The Farm Assurer shall register in the GLOBALG.A.P. database the names of the other Farm

Assurer Personnel that will conduct the ADG.A.P. assessments.

6.3 Additional Requirements for Assessors

In addition to the requirements given in ISO17065 and in the ADG.A.P. rules above, there are certain other

requirements for assessors which are built into the ADG.A.P. program. These are as follows:

a. Authority for decision-making: The ADAFSA silver program manager shall make critical

decisions. The inspector/auditors shall make informed, real-time on-site decisions during critical

stages of the inspection process, for example inspection decision-making based on evaluation

and review of the relevant documents and reports, decisions on complaints, decisions on

appeals, etc. The decision information shall be published on the ADAFSA website where

appropriate.

b. Internal resources: The Farm Assurer will allocate and mobilize internal resources, including

sufficient and qualified personnel for ADG.A.P. implementation and assessments.

c. Inspector competence – An agriculture degree in a related subject with a minimum of four years’

work experience in agriculture. The person shall have undergone training in auditing/inspection

based on GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard for Fruit and Vegetables. They shall have obtained three

days of in-house proven training and performed a minimum of 10 days of inspection as a trainee

with respect to the ADG.A.P. standard.


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6.4 ADAFSA Integrated Management System

a. The ADAFSA integrated management system is responsible for overall internal control of

organizational management and operational systems, including document management,

occupational health and safety, and environmental safety.

b. All ADG.A.P. documents and templates shall be approved by the ADAFSA integrated

management system.

7. Implementation Plan An implementation plan shall be developed which shall spell-out the implementation mechanisms, the role and

responsibility of the implementation team, time frame, work plan, estimated costs, and return on investment.

The ADAFSA G.A.P. Unit will lead the implementation of ADG.A.P. and will be responsible for overall

implementation on the farm level. A coordination mechanism will be developed with the ADAFSA Agriculture

Extension section wherein the extension engineers will be tasked with ensuring correct implementation of farm

level records, training farm management and farm workers on the ADG.A.P. standard, reporting non-

conformances and non-compliances, and instructing producers on appropriate corrective actions. The

extension engineers will be trained beforehand on the ADG.A.P. standard, farm record maintenance, reporting,

and appropriate corrective actions. The few competent and already GLOBALG.A.P. trained senior extension

engineers will be trained as internal auditors. The Farm Assurer team will take the role of the CB and will

conduct announced/unannounced and surveillance inspections.

8. Use of the ADG.A.P. Logo Annex 1 provides rules for the use of the ADG.A.P. trademark and logo. All producer group members that have

been inspected under the program by CBs shall be eligible to use the trademark after obtaining formal approval.

The trademark(s) shall be used in such a manner as to indicate that the farm produce (fruit and vegetables)

has been grown using G.A.P. It cannot be used to imply that the produce itself is certified. The mark shall be

applied to the produce for final consumption.

9. ADG.A.P. Procedures Based on the ADG.A.P. standard and on the risks inherent in food production, ADAFSA shall develop, approve

and document ADG.A.P. procedures – for example on personal and harvesting hygiene, workers’ health and

safety, safe use and handling of plant protection products (PPP), traceability, withdrawal/recall, complaints and

sanctions, etc. An ADAFSA IMS guideline for document control will also be established. To aid implementation,

the procedures shall be translated into workers’ dominant language(s) and/or rendered as pictorial illustrations.

As required by the ADG.A.P. standard and procedures, farm records will be gathered and maintained at farm

level.

10. ADG.A.P. Standard The ADG.A.P. standard is a set of normative documents (ADG.A.P. v1.0) and the reference standard for

internal control. It specifies the scope of the ADG.A.P. certification and includes the G.A.P. requirements farms

shall comply with regarding food safety, environment conservation, worker welfare, and product traceability.

The CPCCs of the ADG.A.P. standard consist of different levels, namely Major Musts, where 100% compliance

is required for all the applicable control points, and Minor Musts, where only 95% compliance with the applicable

control points is required. No minimum percentage is required for Recommendations.


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11. Product Traceability and Segregation A product traceability system shall be established by the ADG.A.P. producer group and will be implemented

uniformly by its registered producer members, ensuring that there is no mixing of products from ADG.A.P.-

compliant production processes with products from non-compliant production. The harvesting area shall be

managed so as to prevent any such mixing. The mechanism of traceability and segregation shall be

implemented at all stages of production, post-harvest handling, storage, and distribution in order to attain the

Abu Dhabi Trustmark certification from the ADQCC. The ADG.A.P. QMS shall have written requirements for

segregation and traceability procedures regarding ADG.A.P. registered products.

12. Withdrawal of Non-Conforming Produce A procedure shall be established, documented, and implemented for the withdrawal of non-conforming

produce, including guidelines on handling and disposal. Implementation of the procedure shall be annually

tested for its effectiveness (e.g., mock test).

13. Registration of Additional Compliant Producers or Sites Whenever there is any addition/withdrawal of any producer member into/from the group, the producer register

shall be updated at QMS level.

14. ADAFSA Collection Centers, Pack Houses, and Distribution Centers All producers that have a supply agreement with ADAFSA shall be registered for ADG.A.P. All the requirements

that relate to the collection centers and pack houses shall be compliant with the ADAFSA food safety manual

and procedures. All ADAFSA post-harvest handling facilities shall be inspected at least twice a year by the CB,

once with an announced and once with a surveillance inspection. The timing of these inspections shall take

place during the peak time of production (e.g., harvest and/or packing).

15. Agreement with Buyer There shall be an agreement in place between the producer group and the buyer to prevent misuse of the

ADG.A.P. logo and the Trustmark certificate by the buyer.

16. Sub-Contracting If, under sole discretion of PO, the producer group sub-contracts any of the requirements under the ADG.A.P.

scope to another agency/organization, the following shall be ensured prior to commencement of the contracted

work:

a. Sub-contractors shall comply with the producer group’s relevant procedures as per the QMS,

traceability and segregation, and other ADG.A.P. requirements.

b. The producer group has assessed competency of the sub-contractor with respect to ADG.A.P.

requirements, and applicable records are maintained.

c. The sub-contracted company may be subjected to an external inspection by the ADG.A.P.

approved CB.

17. Management Review The ADG.A.P. scheme manager shall review the internal control system at defined intervals, at least once a

year. The inputs for review shall include internal inspection and audit results, corrective action reports, feedback

from different sources, preventive/corrective actions, follow-up from previous reviews, etc. The outputs of the

review shall include decisions/actions about the improvement of the systems as well as improvement in the

producer group with respect to the requirements of the ADG.A.P. standard and resource needs.


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18. Principles of ADG.A.P. Certification The principles for inspiring confidence are impartiality, competence, confidentiality, openness, responsiveness,

and responsibility. These are explained below.

18.1 Impartiality: It is necessary for the ADG.A.P. Farm Assurer, CB, and the ADQCC and their personnel

to be impartial in the key working areas, in order to give consumers and those going through the

certification process confidence in the results of that process.

18.2 Competence: The competence of the personnel of the Farm Assurer and CB, according to their

respective responsibilities, is necessary for performing inspections that provide confidence.

18.3 Confidentiality: If access is required to information to conduct effective ADG.A.P. certification activities,

the Farm Assurer and CB, according to their respective responsibilities, shall always provide confidence

that confidential information will not be disclosed. All organizations and personnel have the right to

ensure the protection of any proprietary information that they provide unless the law or the certification

program that has been applied for requires disclosure of proprietary information. ADAFSA policy and

procedure related to confidentiality will apply.

18.4 Openness: The CB shall provide access to and disclosure of appropriate and timely information about

its evaluation and certification processes, as well as about the ADG.A.P. certification status of any

produce (i.e., the granting, maintaining, extending, or reducing the scope of, suspending, withdrawing,

termination, or cancelation of certification), to increase confidence in the integrity and credibility of

ADG.A.P. certification. Openness is a principle of access to, or disclosure of, appropriate information.

Access to information means that any information not governed by confidentiality and held by the CB on

produce that is the subject of an evaluation and/or inspection should be made accessible upon request.

18.5 Responsiveness to complaints and appeals: The effective resolution of complaints and appeals is an

important way to protect the CB, its clients, and other inspection participants from errors, omissions, or

unreasonable behavior. Confidence in inspection activities can be safeguarded only if complaints and

appeals are processed appropriately.

18.6 Responsibility: The ADG.A.P. implementation team of ADAFSA, which is the PO, have the

responsibility to fulfill the farm’s/producer’s assurance requirements. The CB has the responsibility to

obtain sufficient objective evidence upon which the certification decision shall be based. Based on a

review of the evidence, the CB may decide to issue a certificate. If the CB decides there is not sufficient

evidence of conformance or a decision not to issue certificate, it shall be justified with objective evidence

of the non-conformance.

19. ADG.A.P. Certification Procedure

The CB shall develop an application procedure for ADG.A.P. certification. The application procedure shall be

available for producer groups on the ADAFSA website. The applicant can be a member of the producer group

only if they have a farm in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The producer is required to adopt the ADG.A.P. standard

according to the approved requirements and checklist. The application form along with information required

shall be made available on the website of ADAFSA under the ADG.A.P. page.

Farms and/or producers with production processes certified by GLOBALG.A.P. will not be eligible to register

the same production processes at the same site for the ADG.A.P. program.


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20. Inspection Agreement There shall be an inspection agreement between the registered applicant (producer group members) and

ADAFSA containing the terms and conditions which the producer is required to abide by after being granted

inspection. Since the producer uses the Trustmark and ADG.A.P. logo, they are required to pledge their

commitment to implementing the ADG.A.P. standard on a continuing basis. The template for the producer

agreement (supply contract/letter of agreement) shall be available on the ADAFSA website.

21. Assessment and Evaluation Evaluation involves an assessment of the applicant’s documentation and an on-site inspection of the applicant’s

farm(s) where the activities related to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables etc. are being carried out.

The assessment and follow-up corrective action visit shall be documented in the ADG.A.P. checklist and signed

by the QMS manager and Farm Assurer Personnel. If any non-conformances with Major Musts are found,

these non-conformances shall be reported immediately to the Program Owner and/or QMS manager. Control

measures shall be taken as per internal sanction procedures.

The ADG.A.P. QMS ensures that internal control is documented and all documentation of each inspected

producer is available for inspection by the CB. The CB shall carry out inspection of the following documents

and records:

a. All recording and control documents

b. All inspection reports

The GLOBALG.A.P. approved CB does not assess all the producers, but only a sample. It is not the

responsibility of the CB to determine the compliance of each producer (this responsibility rests with the

ADG.A.P. implementation team, which is the ADAFSA Agriculture Extension Section). The CB shall assess

whether the applicant’s internal controls are appropriate.

21.1 Internal Inspection

The purpose of internal inspections is to see whether the producer is ready for initial evaluation or inspection.

An internal inspection includes a document review and implementation verification of some or all the ADG.A.P.

requirements, i.e., a sample inspection. The internal inspection shall be against the complete ADG.A.P.

checklist’ and shall be done before an external inspection by the ADG.A.P. CB.

The internal inspection is performed by ADAFSA FAP, extension engineers, and technical experts for internal

inspection. Every producer (including producers with multi-sites) shall be inspected internally to evaluate

producers’ ability and competency to ensure continued conformance with the requirements described in the

ADG.A.P. standard, compliance criteria, applicable regulatory requirements, and traceability aspects. The

adequacy and implementation of a system for complaint redress and means of communicating the relevant

information to consumers are also verified. The controls exercised by the ADG.A.P. QMS manager with respect

to the internal control system of the QMS shall also be evaluated by the PO and ADAFSA management.

21.2 External Producers and Production Site Inspection

For the external inspection, the ADG.A.P. approved CB shall assess the square root of the total number of

member producers of the group. The surveillance inspection shall cover 50% of the square root of the total

number of producers.

21.3 Duration and Timing of On-Site Evaluation

The normal minimum duration of the farm inspection with the complete ADG.A.P. checklist is two hours without

post-harvest handling operations and three hours for farms with post-harvest handling. The minimum inspection

duration shall be three hours for sites with quality management systems (QMS). The farm inspection shall occur

during the harvesting period of the crop to ensure maximum coverage of the control points. The ideal timing

would be when the crop is standing in the field and as close to harvest time as possible, to verify all control

points at least once in two years based on records/evidence. If all control points are not checked during the


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inspection, either a follow-up visit may be scheduled, or satisfactory proof may be submitted by the inspected

party. No certificate will be issued unless all control points have been verified and non-conformances

satisfactorily closed.

21.4 Quality Management System Audit

An internal audit of the QMS shall be carried out at least once per year by FAP or qualified internal auditors.

The audit procedure shall be set up to include a review of internal inspection reports documenting the status of

each producer within the group. Following the document review process, the internal audit shall include a review

of document formats in use and shall suggest amendments if required. Records of review and follow-up action

taken shall be maintained. If more than 10% of new producers are added, then a surveillance QMS audit will

also be required.

An external audit of the ADG.A.P. QMS shall carried out once per year by ADG.A.P. Certification Body. If more

than 10% of new producers are added in the same year, then a surveillance QMS audit shall also take place.

21.5 Internal Approval, Non-Conformance Corrective Actions, Sanctions, and Infringement

There shall be an ADG.A.P. procedure explaining the process regarding corrective actions when a non-

conformance has been observed/reported. The procedure shall suitably address taking appropriate mitigating

measures and improvements. Another procedure shall be defined for actions that need to be taken when

sanctions have been imposed on the group/producer member. All records required by the ADG.A.P. standard

shall be maintained using the approved format for two years.

22. Non-Conformances Non-conformances are deficiencies observed with respect to the ADG.A.P. standard’s compliance criteria or

program requirements (farm assurance requirements for the ADG.A.P. program) during the first assessment

and/or in subsequent years. The producer shall be informed of these non-conformances during the closing

meeting and in writing to ensure proper corrective actions. The severity of a non-conformance depends on the

level of the control point (Major Must, Minor Must).

22.1 Major Must

When a specific control point is critical to the integrity of a process or product of ADG.A.P., it is considered a

Major Must. 100% compliance with Major Musts is required to fully comply with the ADG.A.P. standard.

22.2 Minor Must

When a specific control point is not integral to food safety, farm worker protections, or environmental safety, it

is considered a Minor Must. 95% compliance with Minor Musts is required to comply with the ADG.A.P.

standard.

22.3 Recommendation

All other gaps and non-conformances are classified as Recommendations. These shall generally be related to

other implementation issues which do not directly affect either the safety of the product or the producer’s

capability to produce a product conforming to the compliance/verification criteria.

All non-conformances shall be closed through verification of the corrective actions before the inspection by the

CB. The CB can make a decision on the validity of the objective evidence received after corrective action. For

all Major Must non-conformances, a follow-up on-site evaluation by a QMS manager is required. The ADG.A.P.

scheme manager shall work as QMS manager by default. Corrective actions shall be submitted within 28 days

following the inspection. It is not necessary for the CB to evaluate every Major Must non-conformance corrective

action on site; however, the CB can evaluate the Major Must non-conformance closing report on-site with 48

hours’ prior notice.


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23. Certification Decision The certification decision shall be taken by an authorized person provided they have not been involved in the

process of ADG.A.P. implementation. Impartiality and absence of conflict of interest need to be ensured. The

CB issues the ADG.A.P. certificate after ensuring complete compliance with all requirements. The website of

ADAFSA and the GLOBALG.A.P. database shall reflect the status of the valid certificate.

24. Certification Documentation Once a positive certification decision has been made, a uniquely identified ADG.A.P. certificate is issued

containing the following information:

a. The name and address of ADAFSA and the ADG.A.P. logo.

b. The name and address of the producer group member and the address of the farm using

certified processes.

c. The ADG.A.P. Number (AGN) as unique identification number. GLOBALG.A.P. will supply the

applicant with a unique AGN, which will be used as a unique identifier for traceability and all

inspection activities per legal entity.

d. The date of inspection, which is also the date from which the certificate is effective, and the date

of expiry (maximum validity: one year), as well as the date of extending or renewing the

inspection.

e. The scope of the inspection; the details of produce categories as an annex to the certification

document or any other document intimating the granting of ADG.A.P. certification (for group

inspection, an annex will also include the names of producers in the group).

The ADG.A.P. certificate is not transferable from one legal entity (among members of the group) to another.

The sample ADG.A.P. certificate is given in Annex 3.

25. Directory of Registered Producers

ADAFSA shall maintain and make publicly available on its web site a directory of valid certificates as well as

names of producers under sanction and those whose certification has been cancelled. The certification body

shall confirm the validity of an ADG.A.P. certificate on request to any stakeholder. The registered producer and

product directory will be also available on the ADAFSA website and in the GLOBALG.A.P. database.

26. Post ADG.A.P. Certification Actions

26.1 Surveillance Inspection

The CB shall conduct yearly on-site surveillance inspections. For producer group inspections, it shall also

consider the number of producers in the group and the crops allotted based on risk management. During the

surveillance inspection, the CB shall check and report on compliance, as well as on actions taken to address

inconsistencies observed during the previous inspection. The general guidelines for surveillance inspections

are follows:

a. The ADG.A.P. program shall require that producers receive surveillance inspections.

b. The CB shall conduct surveillance inspections on 50% of the square root of the number of

producers in ADG.A.P. producer groups.

c. The surveillance inspection shall be announced not more than seven business days in advance.

d. The compliance percentage shall be calculated considering all the control points applicable to

each site and product.

e. In all cases, the calculation showing compliance (or non-conformance) shall be made available

after an inspection.


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f. If, for whatever reason, the surveillance inspection cannot be performed (i.e., the visit is

fruitless), the CB shall conduct another surveillance inspection. Producers for whom two

attempted surveillance inspections are unsuccessful will be removed from the ADG.A.P. register.

The CB shall reach a certification decision for each inspected applicant within a maximum of 28 business days

after closure of any outstanding non-conformances.

26.2 External Unannounced Inspection

The QMS may also allow inspections to be carried out at short notice to verify/follow up on corrective actions

in case of customer complaints. The CB will therefore conduct unannounced inspections of 10% of the total

number of producers. In addition to the planned surveillance inspections, the QMS manager or their team may

also carry out unannounced inspections internally, for example if there are instances where produce fails food

safety standards or there has been a complaint against a producer with a certificate issued by the CB. These

internal unannounced inspections shall be carried out primarily to investigate the reasons for such failures.

27. Sanctions The QMS manager and the CB can impose sanctions on producers if non-conformances are identified or if

corrective actions are not taken as indicated. Sanctions may be given in three sequential levels of actions:

27.1 Warning

This sanction is issued if a producer has not corrected non-conformances as per ADG.A.P. general rules

(Section 22. “Non-Conformances”) after three months of the producer’s receiving the non-compliance report.

27.2 Suspension

At least 15 days before the suspension, the program owner shall issue a notice of suspension to the registered

and/or inspected producer. If fraud (i.e., a deliberate attempt to circumvent/disregard the provisions of the

program requirements) has been detected, such a notice is not required and suspension can be immediate. On

receipt of a notice of suspension of ADG.A.P. certificate or Trustmark Certificate, the producer shall cease their

use of the Trustmark and ADG.A.P. logo with immediate effect and carry out a root cause analysis to identify

the necessary corrective actions for resolving the issue. The CB shall inform ADAFSA management and

ADG.A.P. Implementation team through documented letter of the required action taken.

When a producer is suspended, the QMS manager shall ensure that during the period of suspension, the

suspended producer makes no misleading claims and advises their existing and potential purchasers regarding

the status of certification and ceases to use the certification mark on the product from the date of notification of

suspension. The information about the suspension and withdrawal/cancellation of ADG.A.P. certification shall

be made publicly available on the ADAFSA website. There are provisions to revoke suspension if the internal

inspector satisfactorily verifies the corrective actions and the producer member affirms compliance with criteria

requirements. The QMS manager shall update the record and coordinate with the CB for the closure of the

non-conformances and lifting the suspension.

28. Revocation/Cancellation ADAFSA (or the ADAFSA Farm Assurer) shall revoke/cancel the ADQCC Trustmark and/or ADG.A.P.

certificate if there is any contravention of the terms and conditions of inspection by the producer; or if there are

repeated non-conformances and an inability or unwillingness to take corrective actions for more than three

months; or if the producer has remained under suspension for more than three months; or if such a cancellation

is requested by a registered producer who cannot maintain compliance; of if any fraudulent activity is identified

as indicated in ADG.A.P. procedure PR-IA-01 and RAR-GAP-01. The cancellation will apply for one whole year

after which the producer can be registered again pending the approval of the QMS manager.

The following points shall be observed in the case of any sanctions:


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28.1 When a non-conformance is detected, a producer group will not receive the certificate and the status

in the GLOBALG.A.P. database and on the ADAFSA website will indicate “Open Non-Conformance” until the

non-conformance is closed. Once the non-conformance is resolved, the status in the GLOBALG.A.P. database

and on the ADAFSA website will be changed to “Certified.”

28.2 If a non-conformance is detected where a producer group already holds a certificate, the certificate will

be suspended, and the status will be changed to “Suspended”. A new certificate can be issued once the non-

conformance is closed, and the status is changed back to “Certified”.

29. Renewal of ADG.A.P. Certification and Trustmark Certificate Renewal is granted for a period of one year with annual renewal if no sanctions become necessary. The

certificate and Trustmark Certificate shall be renewed after successful completion of the inspection process.

The renewal process and the renewal decision shall take place prior to the expiry of the current certificate’s

validity period (except for first-time granting of a certificate). If the CB fails to conduct a surveillance inspection,

the certificate and Trustmark Certificate validity shall expire at the end of the first year. If an ADG.A.P. certificate

and/or Trustmark Certificate is not renewed, it shall expire at the end of the validity period.

30. Changes Affecting ADG.A.P. Certification System and Trustmark Certificate The PO shall communicate any changes in the ADG.A.P. program to all ADG.A.P. compliant producers and to

GLOBALG.A.P. The changes shall be implemented within reasonable or specified timelines. The compliant

producers are also required to inform ADAFSA in the case of a change in location/contact person or

details/cultivation practices/product type or any other on-farm processes that affect the nature of the production

process and that may require verification by the CB. The changes may be endorsed in the ADG.A.P. certificate

and Trustmark Certificate after they have been duly inspected and approved.

31. Extension and/or Reduction of Crops New types of crops or a reduction of the kinds of crops produced require a formal application by the producer

for inclusion of additional crops. If the application is approved, the new crops shall be added in the producer

register for the next external inspection.

32. Registration Fees ADAFSA management shall make the final decision regarding the applicable service and/or inspection fees,

including whether and to what extent these fees shall be charged to the producer group for the various activities

of the inspection program. The ADG.A.P. program owner shall ensure the annual payment of the

GLOBALG.A.P. fee as per the latest GLOBALG.A.P. fee table.

33. ADAFSA Database and Records Valid holders of an ADG.A.P. certificate and Trustmark Certificate shall retain all farm agronomic and other

ADG.A.P. related records for a minimum two years. There shall be in place a documented policy and

procedures for the retention of records to demonstrate that all certification and Trustmark Certificate process

requirements have been effectively fulfilled. These retention policies and procedures shall be duly approved by

the ADAFSA IMS and ADG.A.P. QMS manager/G.A.P. Unit Head.

33.1 Confidentiality

The records shall be kept confidential. Records shall be transported, transmitted, and transferred in such a way

as to ensure maintenance of confidentiality.


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33.2 Applicable Records

The records shall include records of all producers, including all producers that submitted applications and all

producers evaluated, issued an ADG.A.P. certificate and/or Trustmark Certificate, or suspended or

withdrawn/cancelled. Related records necessary to establish the credibility of the inspection, such as evidence

of the competence of evaluators, technical experts, and review personnel are likewise considered relevant.

34. Complaints and Appeals The ADG.A.P. QMS shall have a documented procedure for handling complaints and appeals received from

all stakeholders, producers, customers, etc. The procedure shall include receiving, acknowledging, recording,

and evaluating each complaint/appeal, as well as establishing the validity of each complaint/appeal through

investigation and taking appropriate action. Each complaint/appeal shall be recorded and tracked, together with

actions undertaken to resolve the respective complaint/appeal. Once the appeal findings are reached, the

appellant should be informed of the outcome and the reason(s) for the decisions. Complaints should be

addressed in a similar manner.

The procedure for handling complaints shall be made available to the public on the ADAFSA website and shall

also be easily accessible on demand. The complaints and appeals should be handled independently from

personnel involved in the complaint/decision being appealed against.

34.1 Handling of Complaints

The producer has the right to complain to the ADG.A.P. program owner, CB, and/or QMS manager against its

decisions or the actions of its personnel in matters related to ADG.A.P. implementation. The PO/CB shall have

in place a system to monitor and track all received complaints, as well as the actions undertaken to resolve

them. The decision on the complaint shall be based on the findings of the QMS manager and/or CB and the

corrections and corrective actions taken. After the decision is communicated to the complainant, the complaint

may be closed. For further details, refer to the ‘ADG.A.P. Quality Manual’ (QM 1.4 Complaint Handling).

34.2 Appeals

The producers may appeal directly against a decision of the program owner/QMS manager/CB. After an appeal

from an appellant (ADAFSA producer group member) has been received, the appellant shall be issued a

receipt. The QMS manager and/or CB shall create a record of the appeal after which an independent

investigation shall be carried out and all necessary information gathered for establishing the validity of the

appeal. Based on these findings, the response or actions to be taken shall be decided. An independent appeals

panel may be convened for considering the appeal and deciding/recommending appropriate actions to be

taken. The ADG.A.P. PO shall take due care in handling of appeals and inform the producer on the steps to be

taken if the appellant is dissatisfied with the decision taken by the appeals panel.


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ANNEX 1: RULES FOR USE OF ADG.A.P. TRADEMARK AND LOGO ADAFSA is the owner of the ADG.A.P. program and may display its own logo and local harvest trademarks on

the cover page of the specific customization checklist, product container(s), and business-to-business

communication. However, this shall be confirmed with the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat as part of the

Cooperation Agreement Contract.

The ADG.A.P. FAP is required to verify the correct use of the ADG.A.P. logo on all farm produce supplied to

ADAFSA, Al Foah, or other customers. The following shall be considered while using the ADG.A.P.

logo/trademark:

a. The ADG.A.P. logo, AGN, and/or trademark may appear on the product, consumer packaging of

the product, or at the point of sale in direct connection to individual products.

b. Producers may use the ADG.A.P. logo or trademark or AGN on pallets that contain ADG.A.P.

compliant products and that can appear at the point of sale.

c. ADG.A.P. producers with an ADG.A.P. certificate/Trustmark Certificate may use the ADG.A.P.

logo/trademark in business-to-business communication and for traceability, segregation, or

identification purposes on site at the production location.

d. The ADG.A.P. logo/trademark may not be used on promotional items, apparel items, or

accessories of any kind, bags of any kind, or personal care items, or in connection with retail

store services without prior approval from ADAFSA management.

e. In all cases, the rules for the use of the ADG.A.P. trademark apply as defined in the ADG.A.P.

general rules and ‘ADG.A.P. control points and compliance criteria.

f. The ADG.A.P. logo shall always be obtained from ADAFSA headquarters. This is to ensure that

it stays consistent with the exact corporate identity color and format.

1. ADG.A.P. Number (AGN)

The AGN is a 13-digit numeric identification code, not including the ADG.A.P. trademark, and is unique to each

producer in the GLOBALG.A.P. and ADG.A.P. system. If an ADG.A.P. compliant producer member progresses

to GLOBALG.A.P. IFA certification, the number will be termed a GGN. The numeric digits for the GGN will

remain identical to the AGN linked to the legal entity.

The AGN issued by the CB shall be used in relation to the ADG.A.P. program only. Its use in any other context

or in relation to third parties is strictly prohibited. In those cases where a producer already has their own GLN,

this number replaces the AGN.


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ANNEX 2: DATA ACCESS RULES

a. Standard data/standard visibility

“Standard data” refers to the general visibility of the ADG.A.P. standard in the GLOBALG.A.P. database.

Data access group

ADAFSA GLOBALG.A.P. Staff

Market Participant Public

Standard visibility [ADG.A.P. program]

x x x x

[Data marked with “x” is visible to users assigned to the respective data access group.]

b. Producer/company data

“Producer/company data” refers to the master data, contact information, and/or location of the company.

Mandatory/Voluntary Database Setting Data access group

ADAFSA GLOBALG.A.P.

Staff Market

Participant Public

Company

M Company name x x x x

Company address 1) x x

M Company city x x x x

M Company country x x x x

M Company contact information 2)

x x

M ADG.A.P. Number (AGN/GLN)

x x x x

V Previous AGN x x

M Location 3) x x x

V CB registration number 4)

x x

Contact person (responsible for legal entity)

M Contact name 5) x x

V Contact information 2) x x

Site information

V Name of site x x

V Site address 6) x x

V Site contact information 2)

x x

V Sub-GLN(s) x x

V Location 3) x x

V Products per PHU/Site

x x


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Notes

1) Company address: street address (or information available to describe the producer/company location),

postal address (M), postal code (V), state/province (V)

2) Contact information: phone number, fax number, email address (where available)

3) Location: latitude and longitude coordinates

4) Number assigned to the producer by the certification body (CB)

5) Contact names: title, first name, and last name

6) Site contact address: street address (or information available to describe the PHU/site location), postal

address, postal code, city, and country.

c. Product and certification data

“Product and certification data” are data related to certification, such as the certification status, quantity data,

and product attributes or checklist.

Mandatory/Voluntary Database Setting

Data access group

ADAFSA GLOBALG.A.P.

Staff Market

Participant Public

M Product status x x x x

M Standard version x x x

M Certification/inspection option including multisite information

x x x x

N/A calculated automatically

For producer groups: number of producer group members

x x x

M Certificate/Conformance validity date

x x x x

M Certification body x x x x

M ADG.A.P. certificate/AGN number

x x x x

V Countries of destination x x x x

M Quantity data 1) x x x

V Product attributes 2) x x x x

V Certification data 3) x x x

V/M Inspection/Audit results 4)

x x x


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Notes

1) Hectares

2) Product attributes are additional information about a product in an active status and differ according to

specific requirements for standards, scopes, sub-scopes, or products. All individual product attributes shall be

listed in the specific data access rules. Example of product attribute: parallel production or parallel ownership.

3) Data include ‘valid from’ date of the certificate/letter of conformance and date of certification

decision/approval date.

4) The results include inspection/audit report details linked to the ADG.A.P. certification, as well as checklist

information and information about non-conformances.


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ANNEX 3: TEMPLATE OF ADG.A.P. CERTIFICATE

ABU DHABI – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES PRESTIGE TOWER, MOHAMMAD BIN ZAYED CITY – 62532

AGN: ____________________________ REGISTRATION NUMBER: _____________

This is to certify that the production of the products mentioned on this certificate has been found to be in accordance with

ADG.A.P. general rules and ADG.A.P. control points and compliance criteria version 1.0

Option 2 - producer group

Products ADG.A.P. Certificate

Number

Produce Handling Unit

Included

(Y/N)

Number of Producers

Parallel Production/Ownership

The Appendix contains details of the producers and production sites/product handling units included in the scope of this

certificate.

Date of Issue: ________________

Subject to the continued satisfactory operation pursuant the ADG.A.P. program, this certificate is

Valid from:__________________

Valid to:____________________

The current status of this certificate is always displayed at www.adafsa.gov.ae and at www.globalgap.org.

Certificate

According to ADG.A.P. General

Rule Version 1.0_October 2020

Issued to

ABU DHABI AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY

http://www.adafsa.gov.ae/

http://www.globalgap.org/


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Further clarification regarding the scope of this certificate and applicability of the management system requirements may

be obtained by consulting the ADAFSA Customer Services Center or emailing [email protected].

Certificate Number: __________ Certification decision Date: ________________

Authorized By_____________________________

ABU DHABI GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (ADG.A.P.) …

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