Option F certification includes an Annual Audit on-site for individual suppliers operating Repacking, Wholesaling, or Brokerage businesses.
Annual on-site audits may be replaced by unannounced audits.
Option F is not GFSI-recognized. However, it requires that certified companies:
- Meet the same food safety requirements as Option D (GFSI-recognized), based on CanadaGAP Food Safety Manuals
- Pass the CanadaGAP audit with a score of 95% with no autofails.
Repacking and Wholesaling operations must develop and maintain a site-specific HACCP Plan. A generic HACCP model is available from CanadaGAP, as is guidance on creating a HACCP Plan. Brokerage operations are not required to complete this site-specific HACCP plan.
The repacking and wholesaling requirements are based on the CPMA Repacking and Wholesale Food Safety Program, which was technically reviewed and deemed sound by federal and provincial governments.
NOTE for Brokerage Operations: As of April 1, 2022 Option F is the only CanadaGAP certification option available to Brokers. Brokerage operations previously enrolled in CanadaGAP Option D will automatically be switched to Option F. The annual program fee is the same as for Option D.
Scope
Option F certification is available for the repacking, wholesaling and brokerage of all fresh fruits and vegetables except for fresh sprouts, fresh fruits and vegetables in hermetically sealed containers, and minimally processed fruits and vegetables.
Who should choose Option F?
Choose Option F if your customer does not require GFSI-recognized certification and your company:
- Repacks fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Wholesales (i.e., stores) product in market ready packaging materials and does not do any packing/repacking.
- Handles (e.g., receives, sorts, grades, stores, repacks, etc.) imported product (e.g., citrus, avocado, tropical fruit, etc.).
- Repacks or wholesales other fruits and vegetables that are outside of CanadaGAP’s scope for production, packing and storage.
- Brokers fresh fruits and vegetables (i.e., arranges the transaction of product between a supplier and a buyer).
Cost Implications
Option F involves three cost components:
Paid by the program participant to CanadaGAP. The fee covers CanadaGAP’s costs to administer the program, process enrolment applications, maintain the technical standards and training materials, oversee Certification Bodies, maintain government recognition status, collect and analyse data, monitor developments in food safety science and media, offer technical support to the CBs, communicate to program participants, program marketing/education, office overhead, staff and related expenses.
Paid directly by the program participant to the Certification Body. Covers the CB’s cost to deliver audit and certification services including auditor’s time to perform audits, auditor travel time and expenses, technical review of audit reports, follow-up on corrective actions and corrective action plans, issuing certificates, administration and office overhead, billing functions, etc.
Costs vary depending on location of the operation, closest available auditor, and proximity to other audit sites. Every effort will be made to schedule audits in such a way to minimize auditor travel expenses.
Is Option F recognized by GFSI?
No, Option F is not GFSI-recognized. If your customer(s) requires a GFSI-recognized certificate, and you are an individual operation involved in repacking or wholesaling, CanadaGAP Option D certification will meet your customer requirements. CanadaGAP is not GFSI-recognized for Brokerage; therefore the only available certification option for Brokers is Option F.
For information about all CanadaGAP certification options, click here.
For more information about GFSI Benchmarking, visit www.mygfsi.com