Agricultural Marketing Service

• Do you have, or can you create, a group of producers ready to implement GAP, and to share the cost of and 

responsibility for implementing food safety practices?

• Does your group have, or is it willing to hire, individuals to (1) write and implement a Quality Management System and 

(2) meet the requirements to be a USDA auditor? 

• Will your buyers accept GroupGAP certification?

Determine if 

GroupGAP is 

Right for You

Good Agricultural Practices 

The Path to GroupGAP Certification

March 2017 

The USDA GroupGAP Program is a farm food safety certification method developed by the USDA Agricultural 

Marketing Service’s Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division. GroupGAP provides specialty crops producers new local 

and national market access by meeting buyers’ Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification requirements, verifies 

food safety compliance by all members of participating groups, and strengthens rural economies. 

The GroupGAP Advantage

x Saves group members money through cost and resource sharing

x Improves group members’ accountability and performance by leveraging shared resources

x Decreases documentation and maintenance requirements of group members who operate under a single Quality 

Management System

x Uses internal audits and a shared food safety manager(s) to make member compliance easier

How to Get Started

Form a Group

A group is any collection of producers who agree to operate within a Quality Management System (QMS), and who have the 

operational resources to support the QMS and food safety audit service implementation. The group determines which crops 

and processes to certify. There is no maximum or minimum number of group members.

Identify your group members, the number/types of crops each grows, and each member’s production type (e.g., traditional, 

plain, organic, greenhouses, hydroponic, centralized packinghouse).

(Continued on back)

www.ams.usda.gov/groupgap
 Agricultural Marketing Service The Path to GroupGAP Certification

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Choose USDA 

Audit Service

GroupGAP is a certification method, not an audit type. Groups choose their audit service type (e.g., GAP&GHP, Harmonized 

GAP, or Mushroom GAP), including optional areas of focus such as food defense or the global markets addendum. This 

decision should be based on your members, the crops they grow or process, and buyer acceptance.

Develop and 

Implement 

a Quality 

Management 

System 

Your group will establish written processes, procedures, and policies for things like management responsibilities, document 

control, training, and auditing. Appendix I of the GroupGAP Users Guide outlines Quality Management System requirements; 

examples are available under Resources for Implementers on the Wallace Center website at 

www.ngfn.org/resources/food-safety

Apply for 

GroupGAP

Submit a Request for Audit Services (Form FV-237a), an Agreement for Participation in Audit Verification Programs 

(Form FV-651), a member list, and an application fee to apply for GroupGAP. Forms are available at 

www.ams.usda.gov/groupgap

Train Internal 

Auditor(s)

Required training includes:

• Basic GAP training,

• Audit service-specific training, AND

• Fundamentals of auditing, OR

• Exemplar global certified ISO internal auditor or lead 

auditor course

Information about training opportunities is available on the 

GroupGAP web page

Identify 

Individuals to 

Fill Key Roles 

An individual may serve in multiple roles within the Group. 

• Group Leader – point of contact responsible to USDA for (1) implementing the Group’s Quality Management System, 

(2) ensuring all necessary procedures are taking place, including internal audits, (3) coordinating external producer 

audits with the USDA or state auditor, and (4) scheduling the USDA system audit. 

• Group Management Team – oversees the group and the Quality Management System, and works continuously to 

review and improve the system.

• Internal Auditors – perform three types of audits: one internal audit of each group member; unannounced audits as 

determined by the length of the growing season; and, follow-up audits for any member who does not meet USDA 

acceptance criteria. Internal auditor(s) require regular training and work each year to maintain auditor credentials. 

• Internal QMS Auditor – leads the internal audit of the group Quality Management System to determine that (1) the 

program has been properly implemented, and (2) the group and its members are adhering to all group policies. 

For more information, visit our website at 

www.ams.usda.gov/groupgap

GroupGAP User’s Guide: https://go.usa.gov/xXKHH

GroupGAP FAQs: https://go.usa.gov/xXKHs

 USDA Specialty Crops Inspection Division

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Room 0709-S, Stop 0247      

Washington, DC 20250-0247

 Email: GroupGAP@ams.usda.gov

Phone: 202-720-5021

CONTACT INFORMATION

March 2017 www.ams.usda.gov/groupgap