Audit and Post-Audit Follow-up
USDA GAP and HGAP (Harmonized) recertification is a yearly process since the certification is only good for one year from the date that the audit paperwork is verified. As mentioned in the GAP Certification tab, VDACS marketing inspectors act on behalf of USDA to perform the third party audits in Virginia. Once they do the on-site audit, they then send the completed paperwork to USDA AMS for final approval. USDA reviews the paperwork and then finalizes the certification. Once finalized, USDA puts the farm on their USDA AMS website, which lists all farms in the U.S. that have successfully passed their USDA GAP and HGAP audits. The listing is searchable by state and by commodity, thus providing a service to those farms certified. Keep in mind there can be a lag time between the audit date and this information being uploaded to the USDA site.
USDA GAP/GHP Audit Verification Program Website
new Changes to USDA GAP & GHP, Produce Harmonized GAP, and Harmonized GAP Plus+ Audit Billing and Scheduling
This factsheet details important changes effective April 1, 2019.
Some Virginia Grower Stories
Here we highlight some producers who have worked through the certification process and successfully passed their audits.
- Mike Calhoun of Stover Shop Greenhouses talks about his relationship with Virginia Cooperative Extension and some of the ways his farm demonstrates Good Agricultural Practices standards.
- Virginia Tech alumnus Jason Pall gives a tour of Glade Road Growing as he harvests spinach.
- Greenhouse GAPs
