ASSURED ORGANIC PLANT PROPAGATION SCHEME (AOPPS)

GUIDANCE NOTES

The Assured Organic Plant Propagation Scheme (AOPPS) has been developed in response to Plant Propagators Ltd (PPL - Appendix 1) member’s intentions to develop improved systems for Organic Plant Propagation, and to requests from Retailers and Growers for complete traceability during plant propagation.

Consequently the AOPPS will be launched in 2002 to verify Organic Plant Propagation Production Systems in individual members nurseries. The Plant Seeds and Health Inspectorate (a Division of DEFRA) will audit the scheme as they already have key knowledge of Plant Propagation (the implementation of Plant Passporting) and have a statutory obligation to visit Plant Propagation units. PHSI will initially train four Inspectors in aspects of the audit and will subsequently be involved in the revision, and further development of the scheme, with Auditors attending and participating in member’s workshops to ensure ongoing industry knowledge and understanding.

Members agree on joining, PPL to:

• Commit to a Quality Policy and
• To seek accreditation for any Organic Propagated Young Plants through the AOPPS.

Key to the AOPPS is the undertaking by individual members of a Quality Policy (Appendix 2). This sets out the aims of the company and the systems that will be put in place to achieve these objectives. Members therefore put inplace their systems (as set out in their Organic Plant Propagation Systems Folder) designed to manage this policy. It is these, individual, propagation systems that are audited by PHSI on an Annual Basis against the key criteria set out in the Audit Form.

The AOPPS will reviewed annually by the AOPPS Standards Committee comprising:

• The PPL Company Secretary,
• PPL Chairman,
• Mr Tim Green - CMI Chairman
• Mr Martyn Dean - DEFRA
• Mr Philip Effingham (Marshalls), and separately in a meeting with PHSI.

This review will consider customer / retailer and member comment or suggestion, propagation best practice, and any legislative changes. Any comments and suggestions can then, subject to Committee approval, be incorporated in any Audit Revisions which will issued, with accompanying explanatory notes, to members in January of each year.

Mr Tim Green is responsible to the AOPPS Standards Committee for the management and administration of the Scheme.

PPL will agree, on an annual basis, the fees PHSI will charge for audit. These fees are invoiced directly to members by PPL, PPL paying DEFRA.

Members, seeking Organic Accreditation, will be required to notify the PPL Company Secretary their intention to seek accreditation by the end of January each year. This list is passed to PHSI by the Secretary, and PHSI will contact members to agree a date for audit and to request a copy of the members Organic Plant Propagation Systems Folder in advance of the audit visit.

Audit can only take place when all functions of Propagation are taking place (i.e. Sowing Growing on and Dispatch to growers). With brassicas audits normally take place between March and June. The audit of lettuce propagation can extend to August if necessary.

The Audit process normally takes a day. Auditors will be familiar with the nursery’s operational systems and practices from studying the Organic Plant Propagation Systems Folder supplied by the member. This Propagation Systems Folder should provide details of how the nursery manages the Quality Policy, and ideally will be set out in such a way that it provides evidence in support of each of the auditable points as set out in the Audit Form (Appendix3).

On arrival at the Nursery the auditor will normally spend some time with the principal, seeking clarification of understanding in respect of the systems in place and staffing. The auditor will then tour the nursery, observing / inspecting practices and facilities, and talking with staff who are undertaking the various functions within the business.

The auditor is expected to check the onsite implementation of:

• The systems set out in the Propagation Systems Folder;
• The understanding of staff of these systems;
• The accuracy and completeness of any associated records;
• The suitability of any facilities
• The condition of facilities provided

Each item is marked (present / accurate and complete / suitable) and any notes made in the appropriate column of the Audit by the auditor.

Auditors will as a matter of routine ask the nursery to provide sowing, propagation (including tray movements, crop protection records / glasshouse environmental records) and dispatch records for at least one batch of plants being dispatched or about to be dispatched from the nursery.

On completion of the Audit the Auditor will discuss with the principal of the Nursery any Points of Concern (Appendix 4) - effectively a non-compliance. A copy of this document will be left on the Nursery.

Completed audits, and Points of Concern will be returned to the PPL Secretary who will add the marks and provide section scores (for benchmarking purposes) and an overall score. Nursery’s achieving a 90% mark will be accredited.

However, the AOPPS seeks to raise standards and improve Nursery systems and performance. Therefore, Nurseries will be required to provide, the PPL Secretary, within one month of the Audit, an Action Plan (Appendix 5) setting out what will be done to address the Auditable Points of Concern, who will be responsible for this, and by when it will be completed.

A Copy of this Action Plan will be forwarded to PHSI prior to the next audit and will be one of the first items the Auditor will check.

A list of members who have achieved the required standard is published in January each year in UK press and on the PPL web site.

Emergency procedures in respect of the Audit relate to circumstances where an auditor notes a statutory non-compliance.

Auditors are constrained by client confidentiality to PPL, and will inform the Nursery Principal (Points of Concern) of their concerns. In addition the Auditor will telephone the CMi to discuss the issue. CMi will then contact the Nursery principal to establish the nature and extent of the problem and to clarify what will be done to correct the particular non-compliance, in advance of receipt of the Action Plan.

AUTHOR TIM GREEN NEIL HUTCHISON
Revis1on No 1 01022005