Fairness Starts on the Front Lines
A strong certification program treats its farmers and ranchers fairly. At G.A.P., we know that fairness starts with auditors accredited to our program. They are on the front line, assessing compliance on the farm, which ultimately leads to a certification decision. It’s important that your farm is assessed in the same way as every other, so no one is held to a higher or lower mark.
G.A.P. auditors are hired and trained by our third-party certification companies. Through our Certifier Accreditation Program (CAP), we work with the certifiers to make sure auditors who visit G.A.P. farms and ranches have the right backgrounds and qualifications.
Sarah J. Dorward, chief of audit services, EarthClaims LLC
So, what makes a good auditor?
A farm animal background. With only two percent of the US population involved in farming, it’s important to find someone who is knowledgeable about farm animal management. Since G.A.P. has standards for eight different species, finding someone who has experience with the species they will be auditing is also important.
Consistency. We expect every farm to be audited in the same way both between auditors and by the same auditor as they visit different farms. Though some auditors have their own style for conducting audits (for example, they might like to review the farm records before looking at the animals, or vice versa), they should all be assessing each standard in the same way. To help aid in audit consistency, G.A.P. has written our standards so that they are descriptive and will be interpreted in the same way by anyone who reads them. You can learn more about why we do that here.
Andrew Little, general manager – certification services and customer programs, AusMeats, Ltd.
Proficiency in the standards. Being proficient with the standards also goes a long way in terms of consistency. As a farmer, we know that you’re busy caring for your animals and might not have time to learn the in’s and out’s of the G.A.P. standards and how they fit in with our Policy Manual requirements – so that’s where our auditors come into play.
Good communication skills. Even though farmers and ranchers may have similar ways of caring for animals, you might use different terms to describe what you do. A good auditor will ask a question in different ways to make sure they really understand how you manage your animals on your farm.
Andrew Little, general manager – certification services and customer programs, AusMeats, Ltd.
Sharp eyes and ears. While visiting a farm or ranch, it’s important that auditors record exactly what they observe. They should be looking at animals, facilities, and records and listening to not only what the farmer, rancher, and employees have to say, but also what the animals have to say. When they record their observations, they should be as descriptive and objective as possible. It is important to make sure that only the facts are recorded and reported, and that opinions do not come into play at any point.
We always strive for continuous improvement.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, we want to hear your thoughts. What are some positive qualities you think are important for G.A.P. auditors? Post your thoughts below.
