JA ZENCHU (Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives), an apex organization of agricultural cooperatives (JAs) in Japan, has decided on a policy of promoting obtains of “Good Agricultural Practice (GAP)” certifications by commodity-wise producers’ groups organized at JAs throughout the country.
JA ZENCHU, expecting domestic users will increasingly apply GAP to their business requirements, plans to consolidate a support system of a JA group, a nationwide business and organizational network of agricultural cooperatives (JAs), with which system the JA group will aid producers’ organizations in introducing GAP standards as well as getting GAP certified.
Under the JA ZENCHU’s program, every JAs’ organization at prefectural level allocates staff members to special positions taking charge of promoting GAP standards among farmers.
Furthermore, measures will be taken to foster human resources for the nationwide GAP campaign.
JA ZENCHU and ZEN-NOH (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations), JA’s national marketing and supply business organization, are to set up their joint section named as “a support team for promoting obtains of GAP certificates,” aiming at increasing supplies of foods and ingredients produced by Japanese farmers to athletes’ village and other facilities of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Games which require food suppliers to get GAP certified.
Consumers’ demands for safety farm products certified with GAP will be further boosted not only in overseas markets, but also in a domestic market, JA ZENCHU expects.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Games will be an epoch-making event for expanding those demands in the country.
Leaders of JA ZENCHU have made a judgement that the GAP campaign should be carried out in prompt manners so as to promote publicity activities for Japan-made farm products both inside and outside of the country.