The vegetable supplier certificates we describe below are GlobalG.A.P. with a GGN number, GRASP, FSA Gold and GMP+, alongside the principles of Integrated Plant Production and testing for residues and heavy metals. We hold GlobalG.A.P., GRASP, FSA Gold and GMP+, and we run the farm according to the principles of Integrated Plant Production. Below we go through each document: what it covers, what its owner says about it and what a buyer can check on their own.
Scale first, paperwork second
Qualifying a new supplier comes down to two questions: can they handle the volume, and what do they have on paper. We show our scale in numbers. We farm over 800 ha, including around 400 ha of vegetables, of which around 250 ha is onions. We have our own 13,000 tonne storage facility and we work with 87 machines.
GlobalG.A.P. and the GGN number
According to GLOBALG.A.P., the IFA standard is meant to promote safer and more responsible practices in fruit and vegetable production. On the same page, GLOBALG.A.P. says that every producer registered in the certification system receives a 13-digit identification number.
This number is the buyer's simplest tool. According to GLOBALG.A.P., a certificate can be publicly verified in the Supply Chain Portal by this 13-digit number. GLOBALG.A.P. adds that a certificate or number that cannot be found in the public database is immediately considered invalid.
A supplier's certificate status can be checked on your own by GGN number, and we describe how to do it step by step in our post on how to check a supplier's GlobalG.A.P. certificate by GGN number.
GRASP: working conditions
GRASP is about people. According to GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP is an add-on meant to support the assessment of workers' health, safety and welfare at farm level. The same GLOBALG.A.P. notes that some buyers may specify GRASP as a mandatory requirement.
We hold GRASP, so a buyer gets an answer from us on people too, not only on the produce.
FSA Gold: farm sustainability
FSA stands for Farm Sustainability Assessment. According to SAI Platform, FSA lets food companies assess, improve and verify sustainability on farms. SAI Platform describes FSA as a simple set of questions for farmers that standardises the assessment of a farm.
For a purchasing department, the levels matter. SAI Platform advises companies that they can set product specifications at the FSA Bronze, Silver or Gold level. According to SAI Platform, an FSA level claim can only be made on the basis of third-party verification results.
We hold FSA at the Gold level.
GMP+
According to GMP+ International, the GMP+ Feed Certification scheme provides internationally recognised standards for the production of safe feed. On the same page, GMP+ International runs a search tool for all GMP+ certified companies.
We hold GMP+.
Integrated Plant Production
According to PIORiN, integrated production is a modern and developing system of cultivation that takes buyers' expectations into account.
We run the farm according to the principles of Integrated Plant Production. We produce using a pesticide residue free technology, in line with these principles.
Testing for residues and heavy metals
According to the European Commission, the maximum residue level is the highest level of a pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in food or feed. The European Commission sets these levels for all food and feed. Among the metals for which the EU has set maximum levels, the European Commission lists lead and cadmium.
We check every batch, and we test the produce for pesticide residues, heavy metals and substances hazardous to health. What these analyses look like, we describe in our post on pesticide residue and heavy metal testing.
The whole set in one table
| Document | Who asks for it | What the buyer gets |
|---|---|---|
| GlobalG.A.P. (IFA) with GGN | according to GLOBALG.A.P., producers meet buyers' requirements without multiple audits of the same criteria | a 13-digit number to check in the public Supply Chain Portal |
| GRASP | some buyers specify it as a mandatory requirement (GLOBALG.A.P.) | an assessment of workers' health, safety and welfare on the farm |
| FSA Gold | food companies that can set specifications at the Bronze, Silver or Gold level (SAI Platform) | according to SAI, a level claim requires third-party verification |
| GMP+ | the feed chain (GMP+ International) | a standard for safe feed production and an entry in the database of certified companies |
| Residue and metal testing | limits for all food and feed are set by the European Commission | every batch checked, produce tested for pesticide residues and heavy metals |
We hold GlobalG.A.P., GRASP, FSA Gold (Farm Sustainability Assessment) and GMP+, and we run the farm according to the principles of Integrated Plant Production.
Documents plus volume
A full set of papers is not enough if the supplier does not deliver the produce. Our vegetables go to Onix, Farm Frites and FreshPol, partners supplying the largest retail chains and processing plants in Poland and Europe. How cooperation works from the first enquiry to deliveries, we describe in our guide on wholesale onions: a supplier from Żuławy.
We have gathered varieties, packing formats and availability through the year on the page about yellow onions from Żuławy. The price is calculated on the basis of current market prices, so we give it after a conversation about quantity and timing. Send us a request for quotation and we will reply with specifics.
