Call for pilot partners – field testing ASC’s Group Certification Requirements for farms

An ASC technical working group is developing specific requirements for groups of farms to collectively apply for ASC certification. ASC invites farms and certifiers to register for pilot testing of the draft group certification requirements.

Group certification will enable ASC to operate as an inclusive programme, ensuring that small-scale operations can enter the ASC programme and become certified against the standards.

An initial draft of the group certification requirements will be available mid 2014. These requirements will set out the conditions which must be met by auditors (experiences, competencies, trainings etc.) and which must be applied by them when assessing and certifying groups of farms.

When finalised these will be added to ASC’s existing Farm Certification and Accreditation Requirements and will apply across ASC’s species specific standards.

The initial draft methodology will be used for a series of field tests and – in parallel – will be put out for public consultation.

Farms and certifiers will share the costs for the pilots. The field testing is expected to be a useful initial step towards pilot farms’ certification later, as it will provide a good gap-analysis between the farms’ current performance levels and the requirements in the relevant ASC standard.

Pilots will take place between 1 August and 30 November 2014.

Interested farms and certification bodies are kindly invited to register for the pilot at certification@asc-aqua.org.

For additional questions please use the same email address.

Co-funding opportunity (Shrimp, Tilapia & Pangasius only)

Pilots related to Shrimp, Pangasius and Tilapia and for which at least 50% of the cost of the pilot is co-financed by the private sector may receive co-funding by IDH, The Sustainable Trade Initiative.

For information on how to apply, please contact vandaatselaar@idhsustainabletrade.com.