Developed by Canadian Herb, Spice and Natural Health Products Coalition

The Ontario Lavender Association will be hosting a Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) certification course over two sessions on Saturday Feb 6 and Saturday Feb 13. Growers of all specialty crops are welcome.

This course is essential for you to ensure that you are operating your farm business safely and with proper documentation. For a full description please see the write up below. 

We have negotiated a very special rate of only $295 including HST. This course is normally thousands of dollars. One person from your business can participate. You must be present each of the three-hour sessions (with video turned on) in order to receive certification. 

There is a maximum of 15 people allowed in the course. The reason for the limit is that the instructor must feel comfortable that each person is fully engaged and participating in the learning in order to award the certificate.

Registration is via Paypal by clicking on this Link and selecting the GACP Register Now option (scroll the to the bottom of the page). 

Why would you want GACP Certification?

• A customer is complaining about the quality, purity, or safety of your product.  Bad press threatens you and your reputation. A legal threat could cost you the farm!
• Buyers are demanding some form of quality assurance. You don’t know what you need to be aware of and what records to keep.  Can you show you have done your due diligence to market quality products – and prove it?

GACP Certification is a voluntary risk management program that helps you to identify risks in your operation and develop an ongoing plan on how to either avoid, or address and fix them. 

Risk management plans ensure that:

• you are doing your best to mitigate risk instead of panicking after it happens
• you have defined procedures in place to reduce risks in day-to-day operations
• you have records (proof) of your due diligence
• your plan is tailored specifically to your business 

GACP training is a skills training session… not simply an information session.

GACP principles are recognized globally. Over 2,000 people have passed the training in Canada!

• It is a pass or fail course.  You must be on video with the teacher and engaged at all times and finish the assignments.
• After passing the course, you will receive a training certificate and a folder of relevant information and tools for you to use.
• The training certificate once received is good forever – but if you wish to state you are certified annually, you must do a paper or on-site audit to verify your actions.
• Many smaller companies take the training, apply what they learn and go no further – your choice.

Having a GACP Risk Management Plan ensures a strong value chain of traceability, safety, quality and ethical assurances tightly linked with existing Good Manufacturing Practices in both the culinary and medicinal worlds. This boosts customer confidence and protects you legally. Both wholesale buyers and insurance companies look favourably at operations with this kind of certified risk management program in place. It is a valuable certificate to have.

Anyone producing, manufacturing, or selling food or cosmetic related products needs to take this course!