Requirements have been laid down in the so-called Grains Protocol in the GMP⁺ purchasing requirements for the purchase of untreated grains, seeds and legumes from non-certified companies in various countries (GMP⁺ Appendix 10; Appendix 4).

This protocol establishes that for the purchase of the specified products from a certain group of countries (the so-called B countries), the protocol may continue to be used until 1 June 2009.

This date has been extended by one year. This means that this protocol can continue to be applied until the end of June 2010 for the purchase of the specified products from non-certified companies in the countries in question.

The coming period of time will be used for the harmonisation of the relevant purchasing requirements of GMP⁺ with those of GMP-Ovocom, QS and the AIC scheme. The administrators of these schemes have responded positively to a call from the PDV to achieve identical requirements for the purchasing of grains, seeds and legumes which are based on the Grains Protocol. This was one of the conditions laid down by the College when deciding to extend the period of applicability of the Grains Protocol by a year.

They consider this extension to be supportable because it creates time which can be used to achieve the desired harmonisation of the purchasing requirements.

The amended appendix will be published soon.