The application period for the 2024 GAPC Tobacco and Hemp Certification programs is now open! 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

GAP Connections (GAPC) coordinates GAPC Training annually to provide growers the opportunity to learn from content experts about the latest crop, environmental, and labor best management practices. GAPC appreciates and recognizes the partnerships we have with the tobacco Extension Educators and Specialists and other content experts to best serve the growers.

In 2024, Annual GAPC Training will be available online and at a select few in-person training locations and events.

Deadline to complete is June 30, 2024. 

Growers will have a variety of content videos in crop & environment, labor, and GAPC that they may select from to view. Once a grower completes watching the video, a short quiz will evaluate knowledge gained. Growers must score a 100% on the quiz for training credit to count.

One video is not enough!

To complete Annual GAPC Training online and earn training credit, growers will be required to complete: 

Not sure about online training?

GAPC will be partnering with the County Extension offices, company members, and other partners to offer in-person training. In-person locations and dates are being scheduled now. Watch the GAPC Training Events Page for an in-person meeting near you.

For questions about Annual GAPC Training, please contact Amy Rochkes, Training and Resource Coordinator, at (865) 622-4606, extension 107 or arochkes@gapconnections.com.

GAP Connections (GAPC) was honored to host Brian Pasternak, Administrator Office of Foreign Labor Certification Employment and Training Administration U.S. Department of Labor on Friday, February 2, 2024, at the Southern Farm Show, Raleigh, NC.

Pasternak addressed the H-2A Agricultural Worker Program and 2023 H-2A AWER Final Rule that took effect as of March 30, 2023.

His presentation provided some excellent scenarios and examples on classifying workers regarding the Big 6, which are the most common agricultural occupations. Pasternak’s presentation slides are available to view on the GAPC website.

Two frequently asked question documents and a list of state contacts are also available on the GAPC H-2A Program page.

GAPC is working on a Labor Management Webinar and Q&A with Brian Pasternak for March 2024.  Watch your email for more information when it is available.

From left to right: Miguel Perez, US DOL NC CORPS; Drew Long, NC Department of Commerce State Workforce Agency Program Director; Brian Pasternak, Administrator Office of Foreign Labor Certification Employment and Training Administration US DOL; and Richard Blaylock, US DOL WH NC District Director.

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 US 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.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of Angie Snyder as Deputy Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Cotton and Tobacco Program (C&T), part of the Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area.

C&T supports the U.S. cotton and tobacco industries by providing standardization, grading, and market news services for cotton, cotton related products, and tobacco and administering the Cotton Research and Promotion program. C&T provides cotton grading services at its 10 regional cotton classing offices that serve all cotton-producing states in the U.S. and maintains one tobacco operations office based in Raleigh, NC.

“Angie Snyder brings more than three decades of diverse experience working across agriculture, a long tenure with AMS, deep knowledge of the agency’s programs and extensive experience working with our customers across the country,” said AMS Administrator Bruce Summers. “During her time with the agency she has engaged with the spectrum of AMS customers—producers, processors, packers, importers, and merchandisers. I am so grateful that Angie will serve as Deputy Administrator for the Cotton and Tobacco program, bringing her impressive track record of creating efficiencies and modernizing services to the role.”

In January 2023, Angie was tapped to rebuild and direct the Agency’s budget office. Prior to that, she served as the Associate Deputy Administrator of the AMS Fair Trade Practices Program, overseeing Packers and Stockyards, the national bioengineered food disclosure standard, country-of-origin labeling, warehouse and commodity management, and the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act program. Prior to these roles, she served as the AMS Livestock and Poultry Program Associate Deputy Administrator and Director of the Quality Assessment Division, where she managed nationwide voluntary grading services for meat, poultry, and eggs and domestic and export auditing and accreditation services for the livestock, poultry, fish, and fruit and vegetable industries. She also oversaw development of domestic and international standards, mandatory and voluntary market news reporting services, economic and statistical analysis services, food product specification development for Federal food and nutrition assistance programs, seed regulatory testing, and research and promotion programs. Angie graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BA in Biology.

Learn More. 

Tobacco Associates (TA) will hold its 77th Annual Meeting on Friday, March 8, 2024 at the Wilson County Agricultural Center, 1806 SW Goldsboro St., Wilson, NC 27893.  The meeting program will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 12 Noon. 

Beth Farrell, Agricultural Programs Specialist – NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, will welcome the five-state membership and relay the Department’s industry objectives and updates.  Darryl Jayson, Senior VP/Chief Analytics Officer, will provide updates on the U.S. tobacco market and FDA.  Alliance One International will report on worldwide demands and trends in the leaf sector.  Ivan Genov, Manager Tobacco Industry Analysis, International Tobacco Growers Association, will give an overview of the global tobacco market.  Hank Mozingo, President of Tobacco Associates, will present his Annual Report on TA’s export promotion programs and activities. Board members Jackie Thompson, Wake Forest, NC and Robert Mills, Callands, VA will share comments on TA’s 2023 U.S. Leaf Training & Study Mission program and other matters.  

Following the program, lunch will be provided.  The favor of a reply is requested.  Please call 919-821-7670 or email tar@tobaccoassociatesinc.org by Tuesday, March 5, 2024 to indicate your attendance.

TA's programs stimulate export demand for all US-produced flue-cured tobacco. Given the continuous decline in the domestic market, maintaining and expanding the export market is vital to our industry's future. Please make every effort to attend the 77th Annual Meeting and support the export promotion initiatives of Tobacco Associates.

Learn more. 

Click Here to learn more. 

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