Apply now for the 2024 GAPC Tobacco and Hemp Certification! Deadline to apply is April 15, 2024.

All growers participating in the GAPC Certification programs must apply every year in order to maintain Certification. 

How to apply

My application is approved. What is next?

The future of hemp starts with you. 

Establishing a higher standard across the industry requires accountability and collaboration at every step of the way. The GAPC Hemp Certification Program was developed to increase transparency and foster an environment which promotes sustainability, safety, compliance, profitability, and competition.

Not a current GAPC Grower member? Get started today by visiting www.gapconnections.com. Upon the completion of the grower registration form you will be issued a Grower ID number and
mailed a Grower ID card.

Growers who successfully achieve GAPC Hemp Certification have the option to apply to the U.S. Hemp Authority to gain official status as U.S. Hemp Authority Certified.

Learn More. 

A consultant is an independent  person/company that the grower hires to assist them through the certification process. Consultants are not GAPC employees and using a consultant does not guarantee Certification will be granted. Rather, they are well versed in all things Certification and have completed detailed training from GAPC to help educate their growers. The consultant's role is to help guide the grower through the Certification process and assist with paperwork and record keeping practices. Learn more.

2024 GAPC Consultant Partners

That Farm Gal

Primary Contact: Mandy Johnson

Contact Number: (919) 499-3108

Email: mjfarmconulsting@gmail.com

Website: www.thatfarmgal.com

Farm Finance Doctor

Primary Contact: Tommie and Sheila Welcher

Contact Number: (270) 766-7132

Email(s): trwelc01@gmail.com; sheilax97@gmail.com

Website: www.farmfinancedoctor.com

Annual GAP Training that was offered in-person has wrapped up for 2024.  Growers that have not completed training can complete training through their Grower Dashboard. 

Online training offers growers the opportunity to complete training at their leisure, on their time schedule, from their home or farm office.  Online training offers a variety of crop and environmental, labor, and GAPC best management courses for growers to complete.  Several new courses have been added for 2024 online training.

To complete online training, a grower must watch course videos and successfully pass with a 100% score the knowledge assessment quiz for each video course.  Quizzes may be taken as many times as needed to achieve the passing score.

To earn 1 hour of training credit for each best management category, a grower must complete a total of 9 video courses and quizzes (3 from each best management category).

One video is not enough!

If you have questions or having trouble completing online training, please contact Amy Rochkes, (865) 622-4606, extension 107 or arochkes@gapconnections.com

Annual GAP Training must be completed by June 30, 2024. 

2023 H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate Final Rule

Thursday, March 21, 2024

6:30-8:00 p.m. (EST)/ 5:30-7:00 p.m. (CST).

GAP Connections is hosting a Labor Management Webinar that will discuss the 2023 H-2A AEWR Final Rule. The webinar will feature guest speakers who will help answer questions and provide information to participants about the Final Rule. This webinar is open to all H-2A employers who are interested in learning more about the Final Rule.

Guest Speakers:

GAPC Grower Members will earn 1 hour of additional labor management training for participating. 

Registration is required in order to receive the webinar link. 

RSVP to Amy Rochkes, (865) 622-4606, ext. 107 or arochkes@gapconnections.com

GAP Connections (GAPC) is excited to announce the continuation of the Farmworker Training and Cost Share Program for 2024.

In 2023, 25 GAPC members in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia used the cost share program to train 778 farmworkers.  GAPC would love to see more grower members take advantage of this benefit made possible through sponsorship funds from the tobacco industry. 

Through the cost-share program, GAPC Grower Members who grow tobacco can schedule a two-hour farmworker training for a cost of $200.  That is a $200 benefit to growers!  If more topics are desired, each additional hour of training will also be cost-shared at a rate of $50 per hour.

GAPC Grower Members can work with neighboring growers to further share costs if workforces can be combined for a training session.  Coordinating with other growers is a great way for smaller operations to gain more cost-savings. 

GAPC will also be offering the ability to have this training conducted at County Extension offices in select locations for those who would rather have the training done off-farm and in a less weather-dependent environment.

The choice of training topics is numerous and varied to offer a full and complete package for operations that may be looking for safety and compliance training to meet different requirements.  Topics range from general farm safety, worker rights and expectations, laws and regulations, to specific topics such as food safety and crop integrity.

A farmworker in Kentucky said, “I liked the way the training was presented.  It was very entertaining and informative.”

We are taking names of growers that want to have farmworker training this summer.  To take advantage of this program, contact Amy Rochkes at (865) 622-4606, extension 107 or arochkes@gapconnections.com.

GAP Connections (GAPC) has an entire page on our website dedicated to Resources and Recordkeeping.

GAPC record templates provide growers with efficiency and organization to the required data verified during a GAPC Certification Monitoring Visit. 

Editable versions of the GAPC Record templates can be located on our website or growers may purchase the GAPC record packet from the GAPC Store.

Updated GAPC Record Templates

Three GAPC record templates have been updated for 2024: (1) Worker Safety Training Record, (2) Worker Crop Integrity Training Record, and (3) Worker Concern Process Documentation Record.  The updates to these record templates reflect the clarifying language to the critical standard on training to specify that training should take place annually.  The record templates now include each worker’s name, signature, and the date of training.

It is important to make sure that you have the updated record template. These can be downloaded and printed from the GAPC website. 

The Worker Safety Training and Worker Crop Integrity Training record templates can be found under the Training Records section.  The Worker Concern Process Documentation record template can be found under the HR Records section.

Updated U.S. DOL WH Templates and Posters

The U.S. Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division has updated the English and Spanish versions of the Wage Statement templates, Terms & Conditions of Employment, and Terms & Conditions of Occupancy.  All three of these templates have a new Expiration Date of 01/31/2027.  The updated templates can be found at here under the US DOL Forms section. 

Labor Records

GAPC has created a Labor Infographic to assist growers in managing the required labor management records. The infographic is separated into four parts: Before Arrival, Arrival, Working on Farm, and Departure or Termination.

The “Before Arrival” section contains a list of policies to be reviewed or drafted, required posters, preparations for housing and vehicle inspections, preparations for field sanitation, and purchasing the applicable personal protective equipment for the upcoming growing season.

The “Arrival” section contains a list of documents that should be completed by the workers on the first day of work, a list of documents to be reviewed with the workers as part of an orientation, and list of documents that copies should be provided to the workers.  Day one of a job is a good time to provide workers with training and orientation to the farm, transportation, and housing.

While “Working on Farm” growers should be maintaining time records, wage statements, vehicle inspection logs, disciplinary records and if using the H-2A program the hours offered.  Throughout the growing season housing should be maintained and repairs made.

At the end of the growing season, records should also be recorded for “Departure or Termination.”  The employer should review and check to see the ¾ guarantee was met, if using the H-2 program, and outbound transportation is paid.  Throughout the growing season, maintain records on any worker that abandoned or was terminated.

Check out the online training module to learn more about Labor Management Best Practices. 

For questions or assistance on recordkeeping and record templates, contact GAP Connections at info@gapconnections.com or (865) 622-4606.

You are invited to attend the 2024 Virtual Agricultural Seminar hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. This free, virtual event will be held March 28, 2024, from 9:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. CST to provide guidance on federal labor rules pertaining to the agriculture industry. Please see flyer and agenda for additional information.

Presented in coordination with other federal agencies and stakeholders, the 2024 Virtual Agricultural Seminar will focus on labor topics affecting the agriculture industry, such as:

Attendance is free, but space is limited. Register here: Virtual Agricultural Seminar

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage and participate fully. Simultaneous Spanish translation will be offered at this event. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact William Sabik, Sabik.william@dol.gov, by March 23, 2024. View flyer in Spanish. 

Please email William Sabik sabik.william@dol.gov if you have any questions. 

GAP Connections Grower Members and interested parties are invited to attend our virtual 2023 Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 21 at 9:00am EST. GAPC will present an overview of 2023 activities and share our future plans.

If you are interested in joining the Virtual Annual Meeting, please call GAPC at 865.622.4606 or email info@gapconnections.com to request a link for the meeting.

Please note this is NOT the same as Annual GAP Training - growers will not receive training credit for attending.

GAPC has a partnership with Jackson Lewis to provide growers with a comprehensive risk management helpline service carefully designed to help manage workforce employment issues and reduce exposure to employment-related liability. 

This helpline is FREE to all GAPC grower members. Growers can access the helpline by phone (833) 499-0275 or email GAPConnectionsHotline@jacksonlewis.com.  When contacting the helpline, please be prepared to provide, your name, GAPC grower ID #, location, type of issue, phone, and email (if available). 

865.622.4606 | info@gapconnections.com | 2450 E.J. Chapman Drive Knoxville, TN 37996