CanadaGAP is pleased to announce its Stakeholder Advisory Committee members for 2020. The volunteer committee serves a technical advisory role to the CanAgPlus Board of Directors, meets annually and holds teleconferences as needed.
The Committee’s role is to:
- Review proposed revisions and updates to the CanadaGAP food safety manuals and HACCP models, as required
- Review updates to the CanadaGAP Audit Checklist
- Review other technical matters related to the CanadaGAP program (e.g., self-assessment checklist and declaration of conformity, auditor training materials, etc.)
The Board appointed two new members (Simran Bains and Hayden Dooney) and four returning members (Jeff Hall, Stéphanie Levasseur, James Sefton, and Quinton Woods). Cathy McKay, a director on the CanAgPlus Board, was reappointed as Committee chair. All other individuals are returning members.
| Area of Expertise | Appointee | Affiliated Organization |
| Food Safety | Simran Bains | Westberry Farms Ltd. |
| Food Safety | Eric Cheng | Star Produce |
| Food Safety, Tree and Vine Fruit | Hayden Dooney | Norfolk Fruit Growers Association |
| Small Fruit, Potatoes, Vegetables | Joanne Driscoll | PEI Horticultural Association |
| Food Safety, Small Fruit | Nadene Gurulé | Agrifina Services |
| Repacking and Wholesaling, Vegetables, Potatoes | Grant Hackman | Peak of the Market |
| Food Safety | Jeff Hall | Canadian Produce Marketing Association |
| Potatoes | Terence Hochstein | Potato Growers of Alberta |
| Tree and Vine Fruit | Stéphanie Levasseur | Au Cœur de la pomme |
| Food Safety | James Sefton | Sefton Food Safety Consulting/Coaching |
| Vegetables, Potatoes | Quinton Woods | Gwillimdale Farms |
| Chair, Board liaison | Cathy McKay | Nature’s Bounty Farm |
| Ex officio | Stephanie Lariviere | Chair of CanAgPlus Board |
Nominations to the Stakeholder Advisory Committee are accepted annually. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through the nomination process each summer.
For more information on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, visit the CanadaGAP website at: https://www.canadagap.ca/history/governance/
About CanadaGAP
CanadaGAP® is a national, voluntary food safety program consisting of standards and a certification system for the safe production and handling of fresh fruits and vegetables. The program is officially recognized by the Government of Canada and by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative). Two manuals, one specific to greenhouse operations, the second for other fruit and vegetable operations, have been developed by the horticultural industry and reviewed for technical soundness by Canadian government officials. The manuals are designed for companies implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in their fruit and vegetable production, packing and storage operations; for repackers and wholesalers implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and HACCP programs; and for produce brokers following supplier management and traceability best practices.