Deadline to receive nominations: August 30, 2019

Send nominations in writing to: info@canadagap.ca

CanadaGAP is now accepting nominations for the Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The Committee serves a consultative role and functions as a technical advisory group to the Board of Directors for the CanadaGAP Program, providing input on technical matters and making recommendations on the CanadaGAP manuals, HACCP models and other documents.

Who can nominate a member?

Nominations will be accepted from any person, organization or stakeholder, and from any region. Those submitting the names of nominees are encouraged to provide information about the candidate’s background and experience (e.g., curriculum vitae) to assist the Board of Directors in their review of the nominee’s credentials and expertise related to the CanadaGAP Program.

How are members selected?

Nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors who will appoint committee members directly. Members will be announced by the end of December 2019.

Who would make a good member?

The attached document on Membership Criteria details the make-up of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The Board will strive to appoint members representing the various crop groupings covered by the CanadaGAP program, but primary criteria for members will include food safety expertise and technical knowledge in the fresh produce industry. Consideration will be given to representatives with expertise in various types of production, storage, packing, repacking, wholesale and brokerage, as well as other relevant expertise (e.g., industry experience, background in food safety, familiarity with the development of the CanadaGAP program, manuals, HACCP models, etc.)

Nominees are not required to be supported by a provincial or national horticultural association, member or affiliate, nor are they expected to represent any region or particular affiliation. Nominees will be considered entirely on their own merits.

Positions can be filled by members from any geographic region. Due to the need to limit the size of the Committee and to appoint members based on their individual expertise according to the specified criteria, it is understood that not all provinces will have an appointed representative.
Due to the need to safeguard against potential/vested conflicts of interest, auditors and certification body representatives are not eligible for appointment to the Committee, either as voting or ex officio members. CanadaGAP meets regularly with certification body representatives to resolve technical issues and to take into account the perspective of CanadaGAP auditors.

What commitment is required of members?
Candidates must be willing to serve a one- to three-year term starting January 2020. Each year the committee will hold one scheduled face-to-face meeting in Ottawa (typically in June), and meet occasionally by teleconference to deal with issues as they arise. Members are expected to obtain input as needed and/or to consult as broadly as possible with stakeholders within their sector, region or area of expertise. Committee business is conducted in English.

Since members are selectively appointed based on their individual experience, perspective, domain of interest and/or other factors, only appointed members of the Committee may attend meetings and conference calls. Alternates or substitutes are not permitted.

Travel expenses to attend the summer meeting in Ottawa will be reimbursed by the CanadaGAP Program.

Members (or their employers or sponsoring organizations) must be prepared to cover the cost of their time to attend Committee meetings.

Regardless of the sponsoring organization, the member’s primary role is to serve as an advisory expert in his or her capacity/knowledge relative to food safety and/or production processes.

 How do I submit a nomination?

Send nominations in writing to: info@canadagap.ca

Deadline to receive nominations: August 30, 2019. Late nominations will not be accepted.

For more information

We thank you for your continued interest and involvement in the CanadaGAP Program.

CanadaGAP Stakeholder Advisory Committee Membership Criteria

The Board of Directors for the CanadaGAP program will consider all of the following criteria (as relevant to each nominee to the Committee) in making appointments:

  • Food safety knowledge and technical expertise, especially related to fresh produce production and handling (packing, storage, repacking, wholesale, brokerage)
  • Knowledge of and experience in a range of fresh fruit and vegetable production and handling processes
  • Familiarity with production and handling processes within specific crops and/or relevant to specific geographic regions
  • Expertise in application of the audit checklist(s) and/or the self-assessment checklist (e.g., working with operations preparing for audits, using the documents for internal audits, etc.)
  • Familiarity with the issues that arise from the implementation of the CanadaGAP manuals, audit checklist(s) and self-assessment checklist
  • Working experience with the CanadaGAP manuals and/or familiarity with their development
  • Involvement in or familiarity with development of the CanadaGAP audit checklist(s), self-assessment checklist, and auditor training material

The following specific positions will be filled through appointment of voting members to the Committee:

  1. Expert in field-grown vegetable and/or potato production/handling
  2. Expert in greenhouse crop production/handling
  3. Expert in fruit (small fruit and/or tree and vine fruit) production/handling
  4. Expert in repacking, wholesale or other relevant activities
  5. A customer representative with background in fresh produce food safety, OR an expert with other background or skill set deemed valuable to the Committee by the Board of Directors for CanadaGAP.
  6. to 9. Individuals with food safety technical knowledge/expertise (four positions)

The province or region where nominees are located will be considered but will not be a determining factor in appointing members.

Deadline to receive nominations: August 30, 2019

Send nominations to: info@canadagap.ca

July 3rd, 2019 at 08:00 am