Working with the GlobalGAP Fruit and Vegetable Sector Committee, Dr. David Gombas, United Fresh senior vice president of food safety and technology, traveled to Cologne, Germany last week to review requests for changes to the fourth version of the GlobalGAP standard.

The committee, on which Gombas represents North America, is staffed by 18 volunteer grower and retailer representatives from around the world.

"GlobalGAP has developed a formula for harmonizing GAPs standards that has worked for years," said Gombas. "For the past year, GlobalGAP held stakeholder meetings around the world, soliciting recommendations from all stakeholders in an open and transparent process. The Sector Committee reviews all of those comments, and changes are made where the recommendations make sense for a global market."

Gombas is participating on the Fruit and Vegetable Sector Committee to facilitate alignment between the GlobalGAP standard and the North American produce industry's Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative.  GlobalGAP is similarly participating in the Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative in an effort to develop a North American interpretation guideline for GlobalGAP audits.

For more information about GlobalGAP, please contact Gombas at 202-303-3400, ext. 411. For more information about the Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative, please contact United's Erin Grether at 202-303-3400, ext. 402.