Who Can Help My Farm Pass a GAP Food Safety Audit?
Updated: Oct 6
Farms preparing for a GAP food safety audit can work with Kona Organic. The team writes the food safety plan, sets up the logs, fixes the physical problem spots, and runs a practice audit so the real one holds no surprises.
Key takeaways
GAP is a buyer requirement, not a law. Stores, schools, and distributors decide which audit they accept.
There are several schemes: USDA GAP and GHP, USDA Harmonized GAP, PrimusGFS, and GLOBALG.A.P. Ask your buyer which one before you prepare.
Most failed audits fail on records and water, not on the field.
Kona Organic sets up a system a small crew will actually keep.
What a GAP audit covers
Good Agricultural Practices audits check how a farm keeps produce safe from the field to the truck. The audit looks at water sources and testing, soil amendments and compost, worker health and handwashing, toilets and field sanitation, harvest containers and tools, packing areas, cold storage, pest control, and traceability. Every section has a written policy, a record that proves it is followed, and a walk through to confirm it.
Which audit do you need
USDA GAP and GHP. The basic USDA audit, often enough for schools and local distributors.
USDA Harmonized GAP and Harmonized GAP Plus. Aligned with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, accepted by many larger buyers.
PrimusGFS. Common with produce buyers on the mainland and large distributors. Kona Organic's team is PrimusGFS trained.
GLOBALG.A.P. Used for export and some retailers.
Your buyer's letter decides. Preparing for the wrong scheme wastes a season.
What Kona Organic does
Writes a food safety plan in plain words that matches how your farm really works.
Sets up logs for water tests, cleaning, worker training, harvest, and traceability, on paper or on a phone.
Reviews water sources, amendments, packing areas, and storage and lists what to fix, cheapest first.
Trains the crew on handwashing, illness reporting, and harvest hygiene, with sign in sheets.
Runs a practice audit scored the way the real one is scored, with a fix list.
Helps apply for cost share and grant money that pays for audits and upgrades when it is open.
Organic and GAP together
Many Kona Organic clients hold both certifications. The records overlap: inputs, water, cleaning, training, and traceability all serve both. Kona Organic builds one record system so the farm does not keep two sets of books.
Kona Organic is a national organic certification consulting firm, headquartered in Hawaiʻi. The team works with farms, handlers, and food brands in all 50 states and US territories, on site or remotely, and with exporters overseas.
Common questions
How long does it take to get ready for a GAP audit?
A farm starting from nothing usually needs two to three months to build the plan, collect water tests, train the crew, and have enough records to show. A farm with some records can be ready in weeks.
What does a GAP audit cost?
The audit fee is set by the auditing body and depends on the scheme and the time on site. USDA has run cost share programs for food safety audits in recent years; Kona Organic checks what is open when you start.
Do I need GAP to sell at a farmers market?
Usually no. GAP is asked for by stores, schools, hospitals, and distributors. Farmers markets and direct sales rarely require it.
Related guides: What Is a GAP Audit? A Simple Guide for Small Farms • Top Reasons to Choose Kona Organic for GAP Food Safety Consulting • Who Can Help My Farm Apply for Food Safety Grants?
Last updated: October 2026.
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