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Head and shoulders above the standard
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“Head and shoulders above the standard”
All full suppliers at Landgard are to be certified by GLOBALG.A.P. by 2014
The requirements of the market are clear – retailers seek to achieve and maintain sustainability targets across the board because consumers want product safety whilst also ensuring environmentally sustainable production.
In the scope of its quality management and its sustainability strategy Landgard seeks to promote projects that go beyond the basic statutory requirements. One of these projects is the certification of flowers and ornamentals producers in accordance with the current GLOBALG.A.P. Standard. This includes comprehensive analyses of the respective business in terms of processes and standards for achieving good horticultural practice.
In the area of fruit and vegetables, producer certification has been a mandatory precondition for product delivery for some years; however, for flowers and ornamentals this is a brand new, unknown certification procedure. In 2011 Landgard launched a certification project for ornamental nurseries to run over several years and, in conjunction with the Landwirtschaftskammer (Chamber of Agriculture) and Zentralverband Gartenbau (Central Horticultural Association), supports the businesses before and during the certification process.
One of the first businesses on board is Rieke from Recke, Germany. The business produces Phalaenopsis on an area of 10,000 m2 that is heated by a biogas plant plus some 18 hectares of open land on which calluna, gaultheria, veronica and summer perennials are grown. Manfred Rieke talks about his decision to be among the first certifications: “We can assume that retailers will demand such certification from all suppliers in coming years, and the topic of consumer safety and sustainable production will play an increasingly important role in the specialist trade, too. As GLOBALG.A.P. is known and established amongst retailers, it makes sense to go with them in the ornamental sector, as well.”
Rieke speaks highly of his initial experience of being a certified producer: “Some companies have still higher individual requirements as part of their sustainability strategy. The certification definitely opens doors as far as they are concerned. Otherwise we probably wouldn’t even be able to start talking to such customers.”
He felt well supported during the certification process. “It took a lot of effort to collate all the necessary documentation for the certification – everyone has their own filing system and we had to reorganize everything and for example make all fertilizer stocks and water and energy consumption traceable and transparent for the audit. Landgard’s support was definitely appreciated.”
Consistent maintenance of the processes documented for GLOBALG.A.P. is necessary because, apart from the annual follow-up audits, samplings are conducted in the businesses through the year. For Rieke that is not a problem: “Once everything has been systematically documented and you carry on recording everything consistently, it takes no more effort than before. We want to stand out from the crowd. The certification process has sensitized us to certain needs and specific processes in our company.”
Now he gives businesses currently undergoing the certification process the benefit of his knowledge. “We pioneers become ‘mentors’ – there's no need to reinvent the wheel. The businesses that are already certified have documented their solutions, which helps the others.”
Around 100 of Landgard ornamental nurseries have already been GLOBALG.A.P.certified. It is intended that all full suppliers of Landgard will be certified by the end of 2014.
From GLOBALGAP |
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Published：2012-02-04
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