GlobalGAP last week announced it elected Guy Callebaut as chairman and Jim Jefcoate as vice chairman for a 4-year term to its board.Callebaut first joined the GlobalGAP board in 2012 as a producer/supplier representative. He is also vice chairman of the board of producer cooperative BelOrta and a board member of Association of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives and Administrative and Logistic Association of Auctions.
“I am a grower first and foremost. I’ve been GlobalGAP certified for more than 10 years and so have experienced first-hand the valuable benefits of being part of such an extensive and strong international system,” said Callebaut. “I am delighted to serve this unique global partnership between growers and retailers as a chairman. It is a great opportunity to highlight and strengthen the benefits for farmers participating in GlobalGAP around the world.”
Jefcoate has been a member of the board since 2011 as a retailer representative. He is a group technical director at IPL, which recently announced it is in the process of introducing an automated interface linking directly to the GlobalGAP database.
“The Board's mission is simple yet challenging. It captures where we should be aiming as the world's leading standard and service provider for good agricultural practice. Sustainability and particularly chain of custody will become increasingly important issues in the next board's term,” Jefcoate said. “The rise in consumer demand for safe and sustainably produced food has posed a big challenge for retailers and buyers of all sizes. I am convinced that cutting-edge communication technology will provide the necessary IT solutions to deliver transparency and integrity along the entire supply chain. Together with GlobalGAP, I look forward to developing innovative approaches to better serve the industry and it’s customers, the consumers.”
