Globalgap

Question:

If a farmer group producing and marketing a crop (e.g. french beans) has some uncertified farmers, how can customers know about the existence of such producers so that the customers are not cheated that all produce originates from the certified growers?

Answer:

The completion of the mass balance is critical for Option 2 certifications where a group that are certified may have certified as well as non-certified producer members. The mass balance must indicate the amount (kg) of french beans in this case that has been received from the certified members. Furthermore, the annex of the certificate must indicate the producer members who are certified and the amount that a customer can purchase from this group should not exceed the amount that can be produced by the group's certified producers.