Where did we start?
Thousands of growers
Many companies and many GAP Programs
GAP
GAPGAP
One grower attending multiple trainings,
keeping several set of records, and subject to
multiple GAP assessments
Streamline efforts
Simplify requirements
Create efficiencies
Provide a framework for collaboration and continual improvement
Non-profit MembershipOrganization
Knoxville, TN 2013Started in by the tobacco industryto help minimize the burden of compliance while maximizing the rate of compliance
Company Members (contract purchasers)
• Any organization that contracts with growers to purchase agricultural products used to produce consumable products
Non-contract Members
• Any organization that procures agricultural products by means other than directly contracting with growers in order to further process the agricultural product and/or manufacture consumable products that contain the agricultural product as a significant ingredient
Associate Members
• Any organization representing those who have a commercial interest in the agriculture industry (e.g., farm/grower organizations and input suppliers)
Grower Members
• Any individual grower of an agricultural product shall be eligible for membership as a “Grower Member” of the Corporation. A grower member must have been actively engaged (i.e., “at risk”) in agricultural production for at least three (3) of the five (5) years prior to obtaining membership in the Corporation..
Knoxville, TN 2013Started in by the tobacco industryto help minimize the burden of compliance while maximizing the rate of compliance
Over 12,000 grower members in
20 states
Location Number of Growers
International 4
Florida 23
Georgia 196
Illinois 23
Indiana 209
Iowa 2
Kentucky 5,178
Louisiana 5
Maryland 89
Massachusetts 1
Michigan 1
Missouri 39
New York 3
North Carolina 2,246
Ohio 343
Pennsylvania 1,423
South Carolina 197
Tennessee 1,311
Virginia 690
West Virginia 10
Wisconsin 149
Grand Total 12,142
Non-profit MembershipOrganization
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Georgia
Illinois
IndianaIowa
Kentucky
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ana
Maryland
Massach
usetts
Missouri
New York
North Carolin
aOhio
Pennsylva
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South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia
West
Virginia
Wisc
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Growers by State
Knoxville, TN 2013Started in by the tobacco industryto help minimize the burden of compliance while maximizing the rate of compliance
15 Tobacco Purchasing Companies
22 Buying Names
Non-profit MembershipOrganization
Alliance One InternationalAltria
American SnuffBurley Tobacco Growers Coop. Association
Burley Stabilization Corporation China Tobacco International (NA) Gallatin Redrying and Storage Co.
Hail and CottonJohn Middleton
JTI Leaf Services (US), LLCLancaster Leaf
Philip Morris USAPhilip Morris International
R.J. ReynoldsSante Fe
Swisher International TH Int’l Tobacco Company United Tobacco Company
Universal LeafU.S. Agro Logistics
U.S. Smokeless TobaccoU.S. Tobacco Cooperative Inc.
Knoxville, TN 2013Started in by the tobacco industryto help minimize the burden of compliance while maximizing the rate of compliance
8 Associate Membersand growing
Non-profit MembershipOrganization
8 Partners in Compliance
An industry-wide program that aims at ensuring sustainable, economically viable production of
useable tobacco and can be defined as: agricultural practices which produce a quality crop while
protecting, sustaining or enhancing the environment with regard to soil, water, air, animal and plant life as
well as protecting and ensuring the rights of farm laborers.
GAP Connections Unified Approach The “one-stop shop” for growers and companies
Review and Develop Guidelines
ComplianceResource Development
Training and Education
Over 9,500 growers trained each year in best practices for
crop, environmental, and labor management
Over 240 GAP training meetings
in 13 states
Crop Environment Labor
2014
Variety selection for disease control and quality (all areas)
Weed ID and choosing the most economical system of weed control (traditional burley and dark area)
MH use in sucker control for effectiveness with low residues (traditional burley and dark area)
Greenhouse management (flue cured, PA and MD) Blue mold control (PA and MD) Black shank control (flue cured, PA and MD) Leaf disease control (flue cured, PA and MD) Field insect control (flue cured, PA and MD) NTRM (PA and MD) CPA residues (PA and MD)
Conservation tillage (traditional burley and dark area)
CPA storage (PA and MD) Energy efficiency in curing (flue cured) Use of IPM principles to minimize
pesticide use (flue cured, PA and MD)
Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (traditional burley, dark and flue cured)
Provisions of the Migrant and Seasonal Worker Protection Act (traditional burley, dark and flue cured)
Worker safety and green tobacco sickness (flue cured, PA and MD)
FLPG pilot labor training (Selected NC and KY locations)
2015
Variety selection for disease control and quality (all areas)
Weed ID and choosing the most economical system of weed control (traditional burley and dark area)
Greenhouse management (all areas) Blue mold control (PA and MD) Black shank control (all areas) Leaf disease control (flue cured, PA and MD) Field insect control (flue cured) NTRM (all areas) Weed seed contamination of cured tobacco (flue cured) CPA residues (VA, PA, MD) Pest resistance management (VA, MD, PA)
Conservation tillage (burley and dark area)
CPA storage (all areas) Energy efficiency in curing (flue cured) Use of IPM principles to minimize
pesticide use (all areas)
FLPG Enhanced Labor Training (all areas)o Disclosure of employment
termso Disclosure of wageso Transportation requirementso Housing requirementso Farm labor contractorso Child Labor
Worker Protection Standards (PA and MD)
Clemson University of Missouri North Carolina State
University The Ohio State University
Penn State University Purdue University
University of Georgia University of Kentucky University of Maryland University of Tennessee Virginia Tech University West Virginia University
Partners
Training allows growers to interact with content experts and receive materials that will help them maintain and improve compliance
John Doe1/24/75
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Enhanced Labor Training Migrant and Seasonal Protection Act
Fair Labor Standards ActDisclosure of employment terms
Disclosure of wagesTransportation requirements
Housing requirementsFarm labor contractors
Farm Worker RightsChild Labor
Focus on Labor Partnership with the Farm Labor Practices Group and the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Interaction with U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour employees
Tangible resources that aid in compliance with U.S. labor laws and regulations
Focus on Labor Partnership with the Farm Labor Practices Group and the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Focus on Labor
Available at www.gapconnections.com
and on the GAP Connections Grower App
Partnership with the Farm Labor Practices Group and the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Over 700 will be visited in 2015 to measure compliance with the
guidelines and requirements in the U.S. Tobacco GAP Program
Over 300 growers were visited for a GAP assessment in 2014
Auditor
Auditor
GOAL
One auditOne database
GAP AssessmentDocumentationVisual InspectionGrower InterviewEmployee Interview
Assessments
• Beginning in July 2015
Guidelines
• Review and stakeholder discussion
Training
• Evaluating new topics and methods of instruction for 2016
Farm labor projects
• Farm Labor Contractor training in partnership with the Farm Labor Practices Group and AgSafe
As a clearinghouse between producers and purchasers, we plan to continue to coordinate the adoption and implementation of one set of standards, instead of multiple.
Streamlining processes that free farmers and those companies that purchase their products from wasted effort while simultaneously promoting high standards for their industry.
www.gapconnections.com
Continue to fill in the figurative gaps and connect
farmers to resources that aid in the adoption
environmentally and socially sustainable good agricultural
practices.
As a third party industry partner, we aim to create awareness and cultivate
positive environmental and social impact through good
agricultural practices.
We seek to promote production that is
competitive, sustainable, fair, compliant, and responsive to changing industry conditions
and stakeholder needs.
www.gapconnections.com
For more Information:
www.gapconnections.com
(865) 622 – 4606
Address: 2450 E.J. Chapman Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996