THE Regional Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Team of the Central Luzon Department of Agriculture (DA)-Central Luzon, along with certifying bodies from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), conducted a site inspection on March 22 to 26 in the different provinces of the region.
GAP is one of the DA's programs that ensures the safety of farmers and ensures that farming practices have less environmental impact, good quality of the harvest and does well to the health of consumers.
Samuel L. Fontanilla, of the Plant Product Safety Services Division of the BPI, said the standard they follow in conducting site inspections based on the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards developed on food, fruits and vegetables and other plants commonly planted by farmers.
According to GAP's focal person for Central Luzon Marilyn Velarde of Regulatory Division DA-Central Luzon, in a total of 64 farms inspected in the region, the GAP conducted site inspections of 41 farms in Nueva Ecija, 11 in Zambales, nine in Pampanga, one in Bataan, one in Bulacan and one in Tarlac.
The GAP certification also includes three of DA-Central Luzon’s Research Outreach Stations, namely, the Central Luzon Integrated Agricultural Research Center (CLIARC) for Hillyland Development Zone in Botolan, Zambales; CLIARC for Upland Development Zone from Magalang, Pampanga; and CLIARC for Lahar Laden Development Zone in San Marcelino, Zambales.
It was a big help for Paul Amerika who owns 2Y2M Campsite and Farm in San Antonio, Zambales to get the GAP certification.
“I did GAP for my product to have quality and what the market is looking for now needs to be observed. of Good Agricultural Practices,” America said.
Some of the large institutions seeking GAP certification from their suppliers are SM Supermarket, Robinsons Starmills, and Jolibee Foods Corporation which include Mang Inasal, Burger King, Greenwich, and Chowking.
Currently, the number of farm owners in the region who want to obtain a certificate from GAP continues to swell and it is expected that in May there will be final inspections on other selected farms.