PrimusGFS is the GFSI-recognised standard built for fresh produce. We get growers, harvest crews, packinghouses, processors and distributors certified to v3.2, with the right modules selected from day one.
PrimusGFS is a Global Food Safety Initiative recognised certification programme owned and managed by Azzule Systems, built specifically for the fresh produce supply chain. It is the GFSI-recognised standard of reference in North America and Latin America for growers, harvest crews, indoor agriculture operations, packinghouses, processors and distributors of fresh or processed produce.
Unlike general food safety standards covering all food categories, PrimusGFS was purpose-built for produce, with a modular structure that lets a field-level grower audit against Good Agricultural Practices, or GAP, requirements while a packinghouse or processing facility audits against Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMP, requirements, all under a single certification programme. PrimusGFS allows certification of multiple operations, such as a farm and its packhouse, in the same audit.
The current operative version is PrimusGFS v3.2, which became mandatory for audits scheduled from 1 March 2022 and aligns with GFSI Benchmarking Requirements v2020.1. Version 4.0 normative documents have been released for review, with mandatory implementation expected in 2027.
V3.2 covers production of plant products, mixed animal and plant products, and ambient-stored products including fruits, fresh juices, vegetables, grains, nuts, pulses and perishable pet food, reflecting the breadth of the produce supply chain the standard was designed to serve.
PrimusGFS's modular structure means the audit modules applied to your operation depend on what you do, not on a single fixed checklist.
Every audit also includes Module 1, the Food Safety Management System, which applies regardless of whether GAP, GMP, or both apply to the operation. For operations spanning both farm and packhouse, both GAP and GMP modules are assessed together in a single integrated audit, which is one of PrimusGFS's distinguishing features compared to standards that require separate certifications for each stage.
PrimusGFS applies a score-based approach across nine possible audit modules, selected according to your operation's activities.
Applies to all operations regardless of GAP or GMP scope. Covers documentation, management commitment, training and corrective action systems.
Cover field-level practices for growing operations, including water, soil, worker hygiene and harvest practices.
Additional GAP modules addressing controlled-environment growing operations and the specific risks of mobile harvest crews.
Cover facility-level controls for packing, processing, cooling, cold storage, and storage and distribution operations.
Certification requires meeting two distinct thresholds simultaneously: a strong overall score, and a minimum score in every individual module that applies to your operation. Falling short on either, even with a strong result elsewhere, means certification is not achieved.
Minimum overall score across all applicable modules combined.
Minimum score required in each individual applicable module.
One feature sets PrimusGFS apart for operators shipping into the US market: the ability to generate a dedicated FSMA-aligned report alongside the standard audit.
The FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report summarises audit findings against FDA FSMA's Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls for Human Food requirements, generated from the same underlying PrimusGFS audit instead of requiring a fully separate FSMA-specific audit. This makes PrimusGFS a particularly popular option among growers, packinghouses and processors in Canada and Latin America who need to demonstrate FSMA alignment to US buyers and import partners.
For operators who export primarily to the US, building FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report readiness into the PrimusGFS gap assessment from the start avoids a separate compliance project later. Since FSMA's Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls requirements overlap significantly with PrimusGFS's existing GAP and GMP modules, most of the underlying work serves both purposes once it is structured correctly.
PrimusGFS certification is required by retailers, foodservice companies and buyers across North and Latin America from across the produce supply chain.
Farms producing fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and pulses, certified under the applicable GAP modules for their growing operations.
Mobile harvest crew operations and controlled-environment growing facilities, each addressed through dedicated GAP modules within the standard.
Facilities packing, cooling and storing fresh produce, certified under the applicable GMP modules for facility-level controls.
Operations processing plant products or mixed animal and plant products, including ambient-stable products such as fresh juices and perishable pet food.
Canadian and Latin American operators using the FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report to demonstrate alignment with US regulatory expectations to buyers and import partners.
Businesses operating both growing and packing operations, certified together in a single integrated audit covering both GAP and GMP modules.
We cover the full scope of PrimusGFS consulting, from module selection through to certification.
A module-by-module review of your operation against PrimusGFS v3.2, identifying which modules apply and scoring current practice against the 90% overall and 85% per-module thresholds.
Confirmation of which of the 9 audit modules apply to your operation, including correct matching of GMP Applicability Charts to your specific facility type, avoiding incorrect module selection that creates audit complications.
Development of Module 1 documentation, covering management commitment, training, corrective action systems and the overarching food safety programme that supports all applicable GAP and GMP modules.
Preparation of farm, indoor agriculture and harvest crew operations, covering water testing and corrective actions against updated scientific metrics, sanitation, traceability and worker hygiene.
Preparation of packinghouse, cooling and cold storage, processing, and storage and distribution operations for facility-level food safety controls.
Preparation of documentation structured to support generation of the FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report alongside your PrimusGFS audit, for operators shipping into the US.
Development of corrective action systems that document effective correction, meeting the v3.2 requirement that closures include evidence the correction worked in practice, beyond simply recording that an action was taken.
For businesses certifying farm and packhouse together, coordination of GAP and GMP preparation across both operations for a single integrated audit.
A full mock audit scored against the applicable PrimusGFS modules, predicting your overall and per-module scores against the 90%/85% thresholds.
Building internal competency in agricultural water testing, corrective action systems and module-specific record-keeping makes ongoing PrimusGFS compliance significantly easier to maintain year over year. We recommend pairing this consulting programme with relevant training delivered through Confi Food, and can advise on the right approach for your team during the initial consultation.
Certification follows a defined sequence. Our part of the process typically takes a few weeks. The certification body audit timeline depends on their scheduling and is outside our control.
| Stage | What happens | Our role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Module scoping | Your operation's activities are reviewed to confirm which of the 9 audit modules apply, including correct GMP Applicability Chart matching. | We confirm module scope and flag any ambiguous activities for clarification with the certification body. | 1 to 2 days |
| 2. Gap assessment | Current practices and documentation are reviewed against each applicable module, scored against the 90%/85% thresholds. | We conduct the assessment and deliver a written action plan with predicted scores. | 2 to 3 days |
| 3. Food Safety Management System | Module 1 documentation is developed or updated, covering the overarching programme that supports all applicable modules. | We write Module 1 documentation in collaboration with your team. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 4. GAP/GMP module documentation | Documentation and procedures are developed for each applicable GAP and/or GMP module. | We develop module-specific documentation in collaboration with your team. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 5. FSMA Sub-Report preparation | For operators exporting to the US, documentation is structured to support the FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report. | We align documentation with FSMA Produce Safety and Preventive Controls requirements. | 3 to 5 days |
| 6. Implementation | The documented system is put into practice across applicable operations. Records begin to accumulate for the evidence period before audit. | We provide implementation support and review emerging records. | 2 to 4 weeks |
| 7. Internal audit | A full internal audit covers all applicable modules. Non-conformances and their corrective action closures are recorded. | We conduct the internal audit and close all findings with effective corrections. | 2 to 3 days |
| 8. Mock certification audit | A full mock audit predicts overall and per-module scores against the 90%/85% thresholds. | We conduct the mock audit, issue a scored findings report and close all identified gaps. | 2 to 3 days |
| 9. Certification audit | The certification body conducts the audit across all applicable modules. | We provide standby support and draft corrective action responses for any findings. | Up to the certification body |
Our gap assessment confirms which modules apply to your operation, then scores current practice against both the overall and per-module thresholds.
The gap assessment begins by confirming which of the 9 PrimusGFS modules apply to your operation, since incorrect module selection, particularly mismatched GMP Applicability Charts, is a common source of audit complications that have nothing to do with your actual food safety performance.
Once modules are confirmed, each is reviewed against PrimusGFS v3.2 requirements, including Module 1, the Food Safety Management System, which applies to every operation. The assessment scores current practice against both the 90% overall threshold and the 85% per-module threshold, since meeting one without the other does not achieve certification.
We confirm which modules apply based on your operation's actual activities, correcting any GMP Applicability Chart mismatches.
We review existing documentation against each applicable module's requirements, including water testing and corrective action records.
We assess field, harvest, packinghouse or processing operations against documented procedures, depending on which modules apply.
We produce a written gap assessment with predicted overall and per-module scores and a prioritised action plan.
If your business also holds or is pursuing GLOBALG.A.P. or FDA FSMA compliance, we identify shared documentation and system elements to avoid duplicated work.
The same issues appear across PrimusGFS audits regardless of operation type. Knowing where these gaps cluster is the most effective preparation.
V3.2 updated scientific research metrics for agricultural water, including mitigation buffer distances and produce wash water antimicrobial metrics. Water testing programmes still using older thresholds or methods do not meet the current requirements, even where testing itself is regular.
V3.2 introduced a specific requirement that corrective action closures demonstrate the correction was effective, beyond simply recording that an action was taken. Closure records that show an action was taken but not that it resolved the underlying issue do not meet this requirement.
Selecting modules that do not correctly match the facility's actual activities, often due to GMP Applicability Chart misinterpretation, creates an audit scope that does not align with the operation, generating findings unrelated to actual food safety performance.
For businesses certifying farm and packhouse together, traceability records that do not connect cleanly from field or harvest crew through to packinghouse receiving create gaps that are difficult to resolve during the audit itself.
The Food Safety Management System documentation needs to demonstrate oversight across every GAP and GMP module selected for the audit. Documentation written for a narrower scope than what is being audited leaves gaps at the management system level.
V3.2 updated question flow in areas such as harvest practices. Records structured around the previous version's question order may be missing information now expected in a different sequence or format, even where the underlying practice is sound.
Three GFSI-recognised standards commonly used in the produce sector. The right choice, or combination, depends on your customers and target markets.
| PrimusGFS v3.2 | GLOBALG.A.P. IFA v6 | SQF Code Edition 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best known for | Modular GAP/GMP audits for produce, North & Latin America | Farm-level certification, global recognition for fresh produce | Manufacturing and storage certification, North America |
| Structure | 9 modules, GAP and/or GMP, score-based | Major/Minor Must compliance with thresholds | 17 sector-specific codes |
| Pass threshold | 90% overall, 85% per module | 100% Majors, 95% Minors | Certified or not certified, no grading |
| Our consulting | PrimusGFS | GLOBALG.A.P. | SQF |
What drives the timeline and cost of a PrimusGFS project. We provide a written proposal with a fixed fee after the initial consultation.
Timeline
How long our consulting work takes
Cost factors
What drives the consulting fee
No existing certification or formal food safety programme. Our consulting work typically takes 3 to 5 weeks, depending on the number of modules involved. Certification body scheduling is separate and outside our control.
An operation requiring only GAP modules, or only GMP modules, requires less work than an integrated farm-and-packhouse operation requiring both.
For operators exporting to the US, preparing documentation to support the FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report adds a focused but manageable scope, typically 3 to 5 days, once the core PrimusGFS work is underway.
Significant documentation and system work can be shared if you already hold GLOBALG.A.P. or SQF certification. Our consulting work to add PrimusGFS typically takes 1 to 3 weeks.
Businesses certifying multiple farms, harvest crews or facilities together require coordinated documentation across all sites, adding to the overall scope.
Operations with water testing or corrective action systems built for earlier PrimusGFS versions may need updates to meet the v3.2 scientific metrics and closure requirements.
A gap assessment only, a full implementation programme, or a module-specific focused package each carry different fees. All scopes are defined in writing before work begins.
Certification body audit fees are separate from our consulting fees and paid directly to your chosen PrimusGFS-licensed certification body. We advise on CB selection during the initial consultation.
Answers to the questions we hear most often from growers, packinghouses and processors preparing for certification.
PrimusGFS is a Global Food Safety Initiative recognised certification programme owned and managed by Azzule Systems, built specifically for the fresh produce supply chain. It is the GFSI-recognised standard of reference in North America and Latin America for growers, harvest crews, indoor agriculture operations, packinghouses, processors and distributors of fresh or processed produce. The current operative version is PrimusGFS v3.2, aligned with GFSI Benchmarking Requirements v2020.1, with Version 4.0 normative documents released for review and mandatory implementation expected in 2027.
PrimusGFS offers a modular structure covering both Good Agricultural Practices, or GAP, and Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMP, depending on the type of operation. GAP audits apply to farms, indoor agriculture and harvest crews, covering field-level practices such as water testing, sanitation, soil amendments and worker hygiene. GMP audits apply to packinghouses, cooling and cold storage, processing, and storage and distribution operations, covering facility-level food safety controls. An operation may require GAP modules, GMP modules, or both, depending on its activities, and PrimusGFS allows certification of multiple operations, such as a farm and its packhouse, in a single audit.
PrimusGFS uses a score-based approach across nine possible audit modules, applied according to the type of operation being audited. Module 1 is the Food Safety Management System, applicable to all operations, with the remaining modules covering specific GAP and GMP scopes. To achieve certification, an operation must achieve a minimum overall score of 90% and a minimum of 85% in each applicable module, providing a clear, measurable basis for certification and year-over-year improvement.
The FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report is an additional report that can be generated alongside a PrimusGFS audit, summarising findings against FDA FSMA's Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls for Human Food requirements. It is particularly popular among operators in Canada and Latin America who want to demonstrate alignment with US regulatory expectations as part of shipping produce into the US market, without requiring a fully separate FSMA audit.
PrimusGFS v3.2 became mandatory for audits scheduled from 1 March 2022, aligning the standard with GFSI's v2020.1 benchmarking requirements. Changes included a continued focus on FDA FSMA's Produce Safety and Preventive Controls for Human Food requirements, updated GMP Applicability Charts, new corrective action closure requirements requiring evidence of effective corrections, updated scientific research metrics such as mitigation buffer distances and produce wash water antimicrobial metrics, refined GAP pesticide questions, and improvements to question flow in areas such as harvest practices.
PrimusGFS certification is required by retailers, foodservice companies and buyers across North and Latin America from growers, harvest crews, indoor agriculture operations, packinghouses, cooling and cold storage operators, processors and distributors of fresh or processed produce. It covers operations producing plant products, mixed animal and plant products, and ambient-stored products including fruits, fresh juices, vegetables, grains, nuts, pulses and perishable pet food.
A PrimusGFS gap assessment identifies which of the nine audit modules apply to your operation based on its activities, then reviews your current practices and documentation against the specific requirements of each applicable module, including Module 1, the Food Safety Management System, which applies to all operations. It identifies gaps against the 90% overall and 85% per-module thresholds required for certification, and produces a written action plan with a predicted score.
The most common PrimusGFS audit issues are: water testing records and corrective actions for agricultural water not meeting the updated scientific metrics introduced in v3.2. Corrective action closures not including evidence of effective correction, a specific v3.2 requirement. Traceability gaps between field, harvest crew and packinghouse records where multiple operations are certified together. GMP Applicability Charts not correctly matched to the specific facility type, leading to incorrect module selection. Food safety management system documentation, Module 1, not adequately covering all the GAP or GMP modules selected for the audit.
Our consulting work moves fast. From gap assessment to mock audit ready, most operations are there in a few weeks. The total time to certificate depends on when the certification body can schedule your audit, which is outside our control. We make sure our part never holds you up.
Yes. Gap assessments, documentation development, module-specific scoring review and FSMA Specific Summary Sub-Report preparation are all available remotely. We work with clients in any country. On-site visits are available for mock audits and where a physical review of field, harvest or packinghouse operations is needed.
You can commission any of these on their own, with an agreed scope and a written quote, without taking on ongoing consulting. See all food safety services.
To establish the real size of the project before an audit date is booked.
Read about A gap assessment →Where the clause requires audits and nobody internal is independent enough.
Read about An internal audit →Where fabrication, zoning or flows are the underlying problem.
Read about A facility hygiene assessment →Tell us about your operation, your modules and your target markets. We will tell you exactly what PrimusGFS v3.2 requires.