GlobalG.A.P. — Good Agricultural Practice on a poultry farm
GlobalG.A.P. is an international Good Agricultural Practice certification. The IFA standard has a poultry module covering food safety, traceability, animal welfare, the environment and worker welfare. Many buyers and exporters require it.
verifiedFrom the team that has organised work on poultry farms for years.
GlobalG.A.P. is an international Good Agricultural Practice standard. Its flagship standard is IFA (Integrated Farm Assurance), which has a dedicated module for poultry. Unlike feed standards, GlobalG.A.P. assesses the farm itself — how birds are kept, how food safety is controlled, and how the farm treats animals, the environment and people.
Does a poultry farm need GlobalG.A.P.?
Polish and EU law does not require GlobalG.A.P. — it is a voluntary standard, but one the market imposes in practice. You need it when your buyers require it: many retailers and exporters treat GlobalG.A.P. as a condition for market access, especially for export. If you sell poultry only locally and no one asks for it, the certificate is not mandatory — though it can be an asset in commercial talks.
What the IFA poultry module requires
The standard combines food safety with welfare, the environment and worker conditions.
Food safety
Control of on-farm hazards — from hygiene and biosecurity to medicine use and withdrawal periods — so that the bird entering the chain is safe.
Traceability
The ability to trace the flock and product — where the chicks came from, what they were fed and where they go. The basis for recall and buyer trust.
Animal welfare
Requirements for how birds are kept: stocking density, climate, access to feed and water, and care — in line with welfare principles.
Environmental protection
Management of waste, fertilisers and resource use, and limiting the farm’s impact on its surroundings, including proper handling of litter and manure.
Worker welfare (GRASP)
Assessment of the safety and working conditions of people on the farm — often delivered through the additional GRASP module supporting social responsibility.
Certification body audit
An independent audit by an accredited body at certification and every year. The outcome decides whether the certificate is granted and kept.
GlobalG.A.P. step by step
- 1
Check whether buyers require GlobalG.A.P.
GlobalG.A.P. is voluntary but market-driven. Ask your buyers and exporters whether they require it and to what extent — this decides whether certification makes sense for you.
- 2
Get to know the poultry module
Download the current IFA documents for poultry and compare the requirements with the state of your farm. This shows how much work stands between you and an audit.
- 3
Implement the requirements and documentation
Put in place rules for food safety, traceability, welfare, environmental protection and worker conditions, and prepare the documentation. This is the most labour-intensive stage.
- 4
Register and choose a certification body
Register the farm in the GlobalG.A.P. system (you receive a GGN) and choose an accredited certification body from the official list. Book a certification audit.
- 5
Pass the certification audit
The auditor checks the farm and documentation on site. After a positive result and closing any non-conformities, you receive the GlobalG.A.P. certificate.
- 6
Maintain it — an audit every year
The certificate is renewed on an annual cycle. Ongoing record-keeping and quickly closing non-conformities are the basis for holding the certificate at renewal.
Frequently asked questions about GlobalG.A.P.
Is GlobalG.A.P. mandatory for a poultry farm?add
Not by law — it is a voluntary standard. In practice, however, it is often required by buyers and exporters, for whom it becomes a condition of market access. If no one asks you for it, you do not have to hold it.
What does the IFA poultry module cover?add
Food safety, traceability, animal welfare, environmental protection and worker conditions. This is a broader approach than feed standards alone — it assesses the whole farm, not just one link in the chain.
How is GlobalG.A.P. different from GMP+ or BRCGS?add
GlobalG.A.P. assesses the farm and Good Agricultural Practice, including animal welfare. GMP+ concerns feed safety, and BRCGS concerns food processing and packing sites. These are different links in the chain that can complement each other.
What is a GGN?add
A GGN (GlobalG.A.P. Number) is an individual number assigned to a producer at registration in the system. It uniquely identifies a certified farm within the supply chain.
Take control of certificates in DlaFerm.pl
In DlaFerm.pl you flag your farm certificates and keep documentation in one place — ready for an audit. Create a free account or write to us.
Phone
+48 796 258 151