Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. Expand GroupGAP training capability by increasing the number of GAP certified farms and recruiting at least 60 new GroupGAP member farms per year. • Recruit new members and provide trainings statewide focusing on small to medium-sized individual farmers who prefer to proceed with a GroupGAP audit certification, • Provide training and assist GroupGAP members in implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) to identify and meet customer food safety requirements and to create systems for continuous improvement for the group. • Provide training and assist GroupGAP farmers in developing and implementing individual Farm Food Safety Plans according to their chosen audit schemes based on buyer’s requirement (i.e., USDA GAP&GHP, Produce GAPs Harmonized, and/or Harmonized GAP Plus+). The audit scheme will ultimately be decided by the GroupGAP’s QMS and approved by USDA. • Conduct biannual internal audits of all participating farm to ensure proper implementation of Good Agricultural Practices on the farms, and provide HDOA with records of internal audits. • Request USDA/HDOA for the annual third-party audits to existing and expanded GroupGAP individual farm members. • Maintain a USDA GroupGAP audit certification for all farms in the group. • Comply with all USDA requirements to maintain yearly GroupGAP participation throughout the 4-year program duration.
