Following a comprehensive development process that began in 2023, the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) version 6 Smart standards for the product categories of combinable crops and plant propagation material were published in July 2025.
As of 1 December 2025, the new v6 standards are now available for audit. After the transition period, they will fully replace v5.2 on 1 May 2026.
Promoting responsible production of machine-harvested crops
IFA for combinable crops covers all stages of production for a wide range of machine-harvested crops. This includes grains, pulses, fodder, and extracts for either cooked or processed consumption by humans or animals, or for use in industry.
The new version features general alignment with other v6 product categories – in particular, fruit and vegetables – with a robust focus on topics such as environmental responsibility, workers’ health, safety, and welfare, food safety, production processes, and traceability.
Principles and criteria specific to the postharvest handling and long-term storage of combinable crops have also been addressed to preserve the equivalent criteria from the existing v5 standard.
Safeguarding crop health in plant-based value chains
IFA for plant propagation material aims to promote the responsible farming of propagation material for plant nurseries. As the building block of plant-based value chains, propagation material – including seeds, cuttings, seedlings, rootstocks, and other young plants – has a major influence on the health, productivity, and resilience of crops.
The new version includes alignment with other IFA v6 product categories through updated environmental topics and metrics and workers’ health, safety, and welfare criteria. In addition to good agricultural practices, there is also specific focus on the traceability of propagation material and the plant health of the propagation material obtained.
For producers who raise their own planting material, the relevant IFA standard for the main product category covers in-house propagation. When producers supply propagation material to the market, IFA for plant propagation material can be audited both individually and alongside other IFA standards to promote consistency across compliance requirements while reducing audit duplication at farm level.
Visit globalgap.org to find more information and download the standard documents in your language.
Related links:
- Access the standard documents for IFA v6 Smart for combinable crops
- Access the standard documents for IFA v6 Smart for plant propagation material
- Learn more about how certification can benefit your farm
