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To sell fresh fruits and vegetables in Canada, you need to meet two sets of requirements. Canada's Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) set licence, preventive control, traceability, grade and label rules, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) enforces them. Your buyers may also ask for food safety certification, and CanadaGAP is the program built for Canadian produce. TSLC, part of Kiwa ASI, is licensed by CanadaGAP to audit growers, packers, repackers and wholesalers in every province and in the United States. For U.S. operations, Kiwa can also offer PrimusGFS and SQF, subject to auditor availability.
Last updated October 12, 2026
Tell us your crops, operations, location, season and current certification body (if any). We'll check whether we can audit your scope and, if so, confirm pricing.
Selling fresh fruits and vegetables in Canada means meeting the law and meeting your buyers. The law is the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). It decides who needs a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence, a written preventive control plan (PCP) and traceability records, and it sets grade, packaging and label rules for fresh produce. Importers, and most Canadian businesses that buy or sell produce between provinces or across the border, must also be members of the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC). Buyers are the second layer: retailers, foodservice companies and importers may ask suppliers for food safety certification, and each buyer decides which programs it accepts.
A U.S. farm or packinghouse doesn't need an SFC licence of its own to sell to a Canadian importer: the importer holds the licence and must show that the produce was grown and packed under conditions that protect food at least as well as Canada's rules. Certification is one of the ways CFIA says an importer can show that. The U.S. is a big supplier: in 2025, 54% of Canada's US$2.86 billion in fresh vegetable imports and 31% of its US$4.94 billion in fresh fruit imports came from the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service. For the CanadaGAP program itself, see our CanadaGAP certification page.
CanadaGAP certification doesn't replace an SFC licence where one is needed, and CFIA still inspects. CanadaGAP says certification is one of several factors CFIA considers in deciding whom to inspect, and CFIA's Food Safety Recognition Program lists CanadaGAP as a fully recognized on-farm food safety program.
Importers, and packers, graders and labellers that ship to another province or export, generally need an SFC licence. Growers, packers and importers whose produce crosses provincial or national borders must have preventive controls, and many need a written plan.
Canadian businesses that buy, sell, import or export fresh produce across provincial or national borders generally must be DRC members, with exemptions for small and grower-only sellers. For firms outside Canada it's optional, unless they import as U.S. non-resident importers.
Graded produce must meet its grade, and consumer packs need bilingual labels, a lot code and, for imports, the country of origin.
Buyers may ask for CanadaGAP or another program the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognizes; CanadaGAP Options B, C and D are GFSI-recognized.
What you need depends on what you do and where the produce goes. The table summarizes the SFCR and DRC rules for the businesses that most often ask us about selling produce in Canada; CFIA's fresh fruit and vegetable requirements and licensing guidance have the full detail. "Food sales" means gross annual sales derived from food.
| Your business | SFC licence | Preventive control plan (PCP) | Traceability records | DRC membership | Certification buyers may ask for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. or other foreign grower or packer selling to a Canadian importer | Not its own; the Canadian importer holds the licence to import | No Canadian plan of its own; the importer's PCP must cover how it verifies you | Your importer keeps them; label lots so they can be traced | Optional, but you can't use DRC dispute resolution without it | Whatever the importer or end buyer specifies, such as CanadaGAP (Options B, C or D), PrimusGFS or SQF |
| U.S. business importing its own produce as a non-resident importer | Yes; the U.S. is the only country CFIA currently recognizes for non-resident importers of food other than meat and live or raw shellfish, and produce must be sent directly from the U.S. | Yes, unless food sales are $100,000 or less | Yes, accessible in Canada | Yes, unless exempt | As your Canadian customers specify |
| Canadian importer of fresh produce | Yes (licence to import) | Yes, unless food sales are $100,000 or less; the plan must show imported produce meets Canadian safety standards | Yes, one step back and one step forward | Yes, unless exempt | Often asks its foreign suppliers for certification and yearly audit results |
| Canadian grower or harvester shipping to another province | No, for growing and harvesting; field packing and labelling is licence-free only if a licence holder in the other province will grade or process the produce | Preventive controls always; a written PCP only if you export with a CFIA certificate or ship between provinces with food sales over $100,000 | Yes | Not if you sell only produce you grew yourself | CanadaGAP Option C (or A1, A2, B or E), as buyers ask |
| Canadian packer, grader or repacker shipping to another province or exporting | Yes | Between provinces: yes, unless food sales are $100,000 or less. Export only: not needed unless you request a CFIA export certificate, which requires a plan at any sales level | Yes, plus lot codes on consumer packs | Yes, unless exempt | CanadaGAP Option C for packing and storage, D or F for repacking |
| Canadian wholesaler, distributor or broker trading between provinces | No, if it only buys and sells | No, if it only buys and sells | Yes | Yes, unless exempt | CanadaGAP Option D (repacking and wholesaling) or F (the only option for brokers) |
| Operation selling only within its own province | No federal licence; provincial rules may apply | No federal PCP; federal food and label rules still apply | If you sell at retail, yes: one step back, kept for two years. Otherwise, provincial rules may apply | Not required | As buyers ask |
Certification is a buyer requirement, not a legal one. No SFCR rule requires CanadaGAP or any other certification. CanadaGAP says some Canadian customers require their suppliers to be certified under Option C, or require it only for suppliers they consider high-risk. Other buyers may accept other GFSI-recognized programs, so ask your buyer which programs and options it accepts before you choose.
The SFCR's main rules for fresh produce cover licensing, preventive controls, traceability, DRC membership, grades, labels and containers, and ministerial exemptions. The SFCR came into force in January 2019 and replaced Canada's older fresh fruit and vegetable regulations; amendments in force September 19, 2025 made size designations optional, and since February 6, 2026 most produce grades sit in the DRC's grade requirements. The table summarizes the rules for fresh, whole produce.
| Rule | What it requires | Where to read it |
|---|---|---|
| SFC licence (SFCR Part 3) | Needed to import food; to grade, package or label fresh produce for trade between provinces or for export; and to export with a CFIA export certificate. Not needed to grow or harvest produce, to trade only within your province, or for a foreign supplier that sells to a Canadian importer. CFIA's fee is $307.96 for a licence valid for two years. | CFIA licensing guidance |
| Preventive controls and a written PCP (Part 4) | Everyone who grows or packs produce that's exported or shipped between provinces, and every importer, must control hazards. A written PCP is required for licence holders unless their food sales are $100,000 or less (for export-only activities, only if you request a CFIA export certificate), and for growers and harvesters only if they export with a CFIA certificate or ship between provinces with food sales over $100,000. An importer's PCP must show that imported produce was grown, packed, stored and labelled under conditions at least as protective as Canada's. | SFCR sections 86, 87 and 89 |
| Traceability (Part 5) | Keep records that trace produce one step back to your supplier and one step forward to your customer: common name, lot code, names and addresses, and dates. Keep them for two years, accessible in Canada, and give them to CFIA within 24 hours of a request. Consumer packs not packed at retail need a lot code. | SFCR sections 90 to 92; CFIA traceability guidance |
| DRC membership | Required to buy, sell, receive or ship fresh produce between provinces, or to import or export it, unless exempt. Exemptions include growers that sell only produce they grew, businesses handling less than 1 metric ton a day, and direct-to-consumer sellers that paid less than $100,000 for the produce they sold in the previous 12 months. | SFCR section 122; DRC |
| Grades | Produce with a prescribed grade that's traded between provinces or imported must be graded and meet the grade, except produce for manufacturing, processing or preserving. Since February 6, 2026, grades for apples, onions and potatoes sit in CFIA's Canadian Grade Compendium, Volume 2; grades for other produce sit in the DRC's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grade Requirements. | SFCR section 306; CFIA amendments |
| Labels and containers | Consumer packs need the common name, net quantity and grade name (where required) in English and French, your name and address in either language and, for imports, the country of origin. Standard container sizes now apply only to consumer packs of graded carrots and potatoes, with maximum sizes for apple, carrot and potato shipping containers. | CFIA labelling requirements |
| Ministerial exemptions | When Canadian supply is short, CFIA can exempt specific produce from some SFCR rules, such as bulk or non-standard containers, for one receiving province at a time. Produce going to a repacker must still meet its grade. | SFCR section 174; CFIA |
Where certification fits: CanadaGAP's requirements cover many of the same food safety practices CFIA expects, such as traceability, water, sanitation and worker hygiene, but an audit isn't a CFIA inspection. Licences, grades, bilingual and country-of-origin labelling, containers and DRC membership aren't part of a CanadaGAP audit, so check them separately. (CanadaGAP does check that market-ready packaging shows a name and address and a lot code.)
Graded produce traded between provinces or imported must meet its grade, consumer packs need bilingual labels, and imports must show the country of origin. These are CFIA trade rules, and none of them are checked in a food safety audit. CFIA's labelling requirements for fresh fruits or vegetables have the details and exemptions.
| Topic | What applies |
|---|---|
| Which produce has grades | Apples, onions and potatoes (CFIA's Canadian Grade Compendium, Volume 2), and, in the DRC's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grade Requirements, 13 fruits from apricots to strawberries and vegetables including asparagus, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, head lettuce and tomatoes. Grading is optional for blueberries, cantaloupes, crabapples, cranberries, field rhubarb and strawberries. |
| Canadian grade names | Names such as Canada No. 1 are only for Canadian-grown produce. Imported produce, or a blend of imported and Canadian produce, packed or repacked in Canada uses import grade names, such as "No. 1 Grade". Imported produce still in its original container may keep an equivalent foreign grade, and imported shipping containers don't need a grade name. |
| U.S.-graded produce | Produce graded in the U.S. is considered to meet Canada's grade if it meets CFIA's Grade Standard Requirements for Fresh Fruits or Vegetables Imported from the United States. Imported potatoes must meet the requirements for the Canada No. 1 grade, and U.S. apples the requirements for Canada Extra Fancy or Canada Fancy. |
| Inspection certificates | Imported apples, onions and potatoes need an inspection certificate showing they meet Canada's minimum import requirements; for U.S. product, that's usually a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certificate, or CFIA can inspect and certify the shipment instead. Shipments of no more than 15 containers and no more than 250 kg of that commodity are exempt. |
| Consumer pack labels | In English and French: the common name (unless the produce is visible), net quantity in metric units on the main panel, and the grade name where grading is required. Your name and principal place of business can be in either language. Apples also show the variety, and consumer packs not packed at retail carry a lot code. Shipping containers can be labelled in either English or French. |
| Country of origin | Imported prepackaged produce must show "Product of", "Grown in" or "Country of Origin" with the country on the main panel, near the net quantity or grade name, in bold type at least 1.6 mm high, even if it's repacked in Canada. Origin is voluntary on Canadian-grown produce. |
| Size designations | Optional since the 2025 amendments. If you use one, such as "38 mm and up" on carrots, it goes next to the grade name in type at least 1.6 mm high. |
| Standard containers | Consumer packs of graded carrots and potatoes shipped between provinces or imported must use standard sizes, and shipping containers can hold at most 200 kg of apples or 50 kg of carrots or potatoes. These rules don't apply to exports. |
Recent changes: CFIA's 2025 amendments (SOR/2025-192, in force September 19, 2025) dropped mandatory grading for produce going to manufacturing, processing or preserving, made size designations optional and set one 1.6 mm minimum type height for origin, grade, size and net quantity; most grades moved to the DRC's grade requirements, which took effect February 6, 2026. CFIA still enforces the grades. Older label templates may predate these changes.
Expect to be asked for evidence such as a food safety certificate and yearly audit report, product specifications, spray records and any test results, plus phytosanitary or inspection certificates where required. Your importer carries the legal duties and passes many of them back to you as supplier requirements. The table shows what the importer must meet and what it's likely to ask you for. Requirements change, so the importer must confirm them at the time of import.
| Topic | What the importer must meet | What suppliers usually provide |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and DRC | The Canadian importer needs an SFC licence to import and, unless exempt, DRC membership. A U.S. business can import its own produce as a non-resident importer if it holds a licence and ships directly from the U.S. | Your importer's name and licence number, so the shipment is declared correctly |
| Supplier verification | The importer's PCP must show how it knows your produce was grown, packed, stored and labelled under conditions at least as protective as Canada's. CFIA's importer guide lists options such as an audit to an internationally recognized food safety system, with evidence the audit covered all hazards and that you're in good standing with your certification body; sampling and testing; certificates of analysis and product specifications; or buying from a country with a food safety recognition arrangement with Canada, if the food is covered. | Your certificate and yearly audit report, product specifications and any test results the importer asks for |
| Plant health | Check CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) for each commodity and destination province. Many temperate fruits from the continental U.S., such as strawberries and pears, need no import permit or phytosanitary certificate, but British Columbia is stricter: U.S. apples and stone fruit going there face extra conditions, such as a phytosanitary certificate, and cherries from some states are prohibited. Fruit must be free of soil, and root crops shipped without soil generally need no certificate (D-95-08, D-94-26). | Phytosanitary certificates or permits where AIRS requires them |
| Potatoes | U.S. table and processing potatoes fall under CFIA directive D-96-05: certification of the state of origin, usually USDA form FV-205, plus extra conditions from states with regulated pests. | State-of-origin certification and, where required, phytosanitary certificates or permits |
| Pesticide residues | Health Canada sets maximum residue limits (MRLs) under the Pest Control Products Act. Where no specific MRL exists, residues can't exceed 0.1 parts per million. MRLs are in Health Canada's MRL database. CFIA tests domestic and imported produce, and Health Canada reports that in 2019–2020 testing, 94% of imported and 99% of Canadian fresh fruits and vegetables met their MRLs. | Spray records showing you used products allowed on the crop and met Canada's MRLs |
| Sulphites | Imported produce meant to be eaten raw can't be sold in Canada if it's been treated with sulphites; grapes are the only exception. | Confirmation that no sulphites were used |
| Specific and temporary conditions | CFIA sets extra import requirements for some higher-risk produce, including leafy greens from California and Arizona. From September 24 to December 17, 2026, importers of U.S. romaine, including salad mixes with romaine, need proof it was grown outside four Salinas Valley counties in California, evidence that the supplying California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) member takes part in its Romaine Test & Learn program, or a certificate of analysis for each shipment (CFIA). | Proof of origin or the documents your importer chooses |
Residues and testing: CanadaGAP requires growers whose product is exported to make sure residues don't exceed the destination market's published MRLs (Section 6.2), so a U.S. grower shipping to Canada works to Canada's MRLs. Kiwa ASI doesn't test produce, water or soil; auditors review the results from your labs.
Each buyer decides. CanadaGAP says some Canadian customers may require Option C, or require it only for suppliers they consider high-risk; other buyers may accept other GFSI-recognized programs. CanadaGAP is Canada's national on-farm food safety program for fresh fruits and vegetables, owned by CanAgPlus, a Canadian not-for-profit. CanadaGAP's 2025 annual report says it has strong support from Canada's retail, processing and food service sectors. It isn't only for Canadian farms: CanadaGAP's September 1, 2026 list of certified operations had 2,467 entries, 2,339 in Canada, 125 in the U.S. and 3 in Mexico, and fees can be paid in U.S. dollars. Every option uses the CanadaGAP food safety manuals, but A1 and A2 leave out GFSI-driven requirements such as environmental monitoring, food safety culture, food fraud and food defense, and Options E and F have the same requirements as C and D. Options differ in audit cycle, pass mark and GFSI recognition.
| Option | Who it's for | GFSI-recognized | Pass mark | Annual CanadaGAP program fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 and A2 | Individual operations: a full audit in Year 1, then self-assessments, with random audits (in A2, a random audit restarts the four-year cycle) | No | 85% | USD 625 (CAD 750) |
| B | Producer groups: the certification body audits the group's management system and a sample of members every year | Yes | 100% | USD 3,400 (CAD 4,000) for the first 25 members, plus USD 690 (CAD 800) per 25 more |
| C | Individual farms, packinghouses and storages: an on-site audit every year; the most common option, chosen by 62% of CanadaGAP participants in 2025 | Yes | 100% | USD 300 (CAD 350) |
| D | Repackers and wholesalers: an on-site audit every year, with a site-specific Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan | Yes | 100% | USD 865 (CAD 1,000) |
| E | The same as C, for buyers that don't require GFSI recognition | No | 95% | USD 300 (CAD 350) |
| F | The same as D, and the only option for brokers | No | 95% | USD 865 (CAD 1,000) |
Program fees in this table are paid to CanadaGAP on top of the audit fee, plus $50 a year per A1, A2, C or E operation or Option B member for the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (CanadaGAP fees).
Other GFSI-recognized programs: buyers in Canada may also accept other programs. Listed A to Z, GFSI recognizes CanadaGAP, Freshcare, GLOBALG.A.P., PrimusGFS and SQF for growing produce, and BRCGS Food Safety, CanadaGAP, Freshcare, FSSC 22000, GLOBALG.A.P., IFS Food, PrimusGFS and SQF for packing and storing whole produce (GFSI). For U.S. operations, Kiwa can also offer PrimusGFS (certificates from Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie, a Kiwa group certification body) and SQF Primary Plant Production (Kiwa ASI); compare them in PrimusGFS vs. GLOBALG.A.P. vs. Harmonized GAP vs. CanadaGAP. Kiwa ASI doesn't offer GLOBALG.A.P. in the U.S. or Canada.
A CanadaGAP audit is an on-site check of your operation against the CanadaGAP Version 11.0 food safety manuals and audit checklist, held while the work in scope, such as harvesting, packing or storage, is happening: activities that aren't happening can't be certified. A straightforward farm audit typically takes about half a day; packing, repacking and wholesaling usually take at least a full day. U.S. operations are audited to the same manuals as Canadian ones.
| Area | Focus |
|---|---|
| Growing and harvest | Agricultural water and testing, soil and growing media, crop protection products, fertilizers and manure, harvest practices and worker hygiene in the field |
| Packing and storage | Facility design, cleaning and sanitation, pest control, equipment maintenance, temperature control and water used after harvest |
| HACCP-based program | The manual sections and forms that apply to you, built on CanadaGAP's generic HACCP models; repackers and wholesalers keep a site-specific HACCP plan, and everyone reviews the program every year |
| Traceability and recall | Lot identification, one step back and one step forward, current supplier and customer lists, and a mock recall every year |
| Agricultural chemicals | Products registered for the crop where it's grown, applied as the label allows, with residues within the destination market's MRLs for exported product |
| Records | At least three months of records before your first audit, kept for at least four years |
The pass mark depends on your option, and every option also requires no automatic-failure items:
| Option | To be certified | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| B, C and D | 100%, reached by closing corrective action requests or with an approved corrective action plan | GFSI-recognized; certified for 12 months |
| E and F | 95% | Not GFSI-recognized; certified for 12 months |
| A1 and A2 | 85% | Not GFSI-recognized; corrective actions must actually be taken |
A failed automatic-failure item must be fixed and verified before you can be certified; a corrective action plan can't close it.
Send evidence of corrective actions within 45 calendar days of receiving the report, or before your season ends if that's sooner. Option B groups have 3 months after an initial audit and 28 days after later audits.
Each year, a certification body audits at least 5% of its A1 and A2 clients and 10% of its C, D, E and F clients unannounced, plus 25% of the Option B group members it samples. C and D operations and sampled Option B group members get no advance notice of the audit date; A1, A2, E and F operations get 2 to 5 business days' notice that the auditor is coming.
Certified operations appear on CanadaGAP's monthly list of certified companies and in each certification body's online registry, which is the definitive source for current status.
For the full audit process, automatic-failure items and certificate details, see our CanadaGAP certification page.
Canadian produce shipped to the U.S. must be grown under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Produce Safety Rule unless exempt, be verified under the U.S. importer's Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) and have FDA prior notice; off-farm packinghouses generally must register with FDA. FDA said in 2022 that about 16% of imported produce comes from Canada. The table covers the U.S. rules Canadian produce suppliers most often meet; for the Produce Safety Rule in depth, see our fresh produce certification page.
| Rule | What it means for you | Where certification fits |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Produce Safety Rule | Sets minimum standards for growing, harvesting, packing and holding covered produce on domestic and foreign farms. FDA began Produce Safety Rule inspections of farms outside the U.S. in April 2019. | CanadaGAP's August 2018 comparison lists Produce Safety Rule items that certified companies may need to add; it predates FDA's 2024 agricultural water rule |
| FSVP | Your U.S. importer must verify your produce under its FSVP. Because FDA recognizes Canada's food safety system as comparable (since 2016), importers of Canadian produce that won't be commercially processed can use modified requirements: documenting before importing, and every year after, that you're under CFIA oversight and the food is within the scope of FDA's recognition; checking before importing, and monitoring after, that you're in good compliance standing with CFIA; and keeping FSVP records. Produce sold for fresh-cut or other processing needs the full FSVP. | Your importer may still ask for your certificate and audit report |
| FDA food facility registration | Off-farm packinghouses that pack or hold food for U.S. consumption generally must register with FDA. Farms, including farms that pack their own produce, are exempt. | Registration is separate from certification |
| Prior notice | Every commercial shipment needs FDA prior notice, confirmed at least 2 hours before arrival by road (21 CFR 1.279). | Handled by whoever files your shipment, not by your auditor |
| Food traceability (Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) section 204) | Unless an exemption applies, such as for very small produce farms or produce that's commercially processed, farms and packers of foods on FDA's Food Traceability List, such as leafy greens, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, will need to keep key data elements for critical tracking events. Congress directed FDA not to enforce the rule before July 20, 2028. | CanadaGAP Version 11 (Section 22.1) says U.S. exporters may need to comply and points to its Appendix Z guidance |
No Produce Safety Rule equivalence: FDA's recognition of Canada's food safety system doesn't exempt Canadian farms from the Produce Safety Rule, and FDA says recognized systems will be evaluated against that rule when they're reassessed. Kiwa ASI doesn't file FDA registrations or prior notices, or run FSVPs for importers.
The official documents behind this page, all free. CanadaGAP documents open on canadagap.ca, grade requirements on CFIA's and the DRC's sites, and the regulations on Canada's Justice Laws website. Check for updates before you rely on them.
The fixed costs are published; the audit fee depends on your operation. Which of them you pay depends on your role: a U.S. grower selling to a Canadian importer usually pays for certification (program and audit fees) if its buyer asks for it, plus any inspection or phytosanitary certificates and lab tests, while the importer pays for the SFC licence and DRC membership.
Paid to CFIA by licence holders, such as importers, packers and graders; valid for two years. CFIA adjusts its fees each year.
Paid to the DRC each year, plus tax if applicable, as listed on January 1, 2026: CAD 1,306 for companies in Canada and USD 925 for companies outside Canada.
Paid to CanadaGAP each year, in Canadian or U.S. dollars: USD 300 (CAD 350) for Option C, USD 865 (CAD 1,000) for Option D, more for groups, plus $50 a year per A1, A2, C or E operation or Option B member for the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada.
Paid to the certification body and quoted for your operation: audit time, commodities, number of sites and travel.
Inspection certificates for apples, onions and potatoes, phytosanitary certificates where required, and residue or water testing by your labs.
Switching certification bodies doesn't change CanadaGAP's program fee. Request a quote for audit pricing for your operation.
Nine steps take a U.S. or other foreign grower or packer from a first Canadian customer to a steady supply. Canadian operations should first check their licence, PCP and DRC duties in the requirements table above, then use Steps 3 to 9. If CanadaGAP is new to you, allow at least three months to build records before the audit, and plan the audit for your season.
Find out who will import the produce, confirm it holds an SFC licence, and ask which certification programs and options it or its customers accept.
Look up each commodity and destination province in CFIA's AIRS for plant health rules, and ask your importer about any temporary conditions.
Grade produce that has a Canadian grade, use import grade names where required, and label consumer packs in English and French with the country of origin and a lot code.
Compare the products you use with Health Canada's MRLs for each crop, since residues must meet Canadian limits.
Canadian buyers and sellers generally must join; for a foreign supplier it's optional but gives access to dispute resolution.
If your buyer asks for CanadaGAP, choose an option: C for most farms, packinghouses and storages, D for repackers and wholesalers, B for groups. Compare the options.
Enroll with CanadaGAP and pay the program fee, then run the manual's requirements and keep at least three months of records before your first audit.
Book the audit while the work in scope is happening, then send evidence of corrective actions within 45 days, or before your season ends if sooner.
Send your certificate and audit report to your importer, keep CanadaGAP records for at least four years (SFCR traceability records for at least two), and recertify each year.
Live virtual courses from ASI Training and Consulting, LLC, which operates separately from the certification body. Taking a course is optional and has no effect on your audit outcome. CanadaGAP doesn't require these particular courses.
International HACCP Alliance (IHA)-accredited HACCP certification. Most useful for repackers and wholesalers, who keep a site-specific HACCP plan under CanadaGAP Option D or F.
16 contact hours · 4 half-days · Live online
Next date to be announced. Ask about upcoming dates
Plan, run and report internal audits, such as the annual internal audit CanadaGAP requires or an Option B group's audits of its members.
Full day · Live online
Next date to be announced. Ask about upcoming dates
For Canadian growers and packers shipping foods on FDA's Food Traceability List, such as leafy greens, cucumbers and tomatoes, to the U.S.
1.5 days · Live online
Next date to be announced. Ask about upcoming dates
CanadaGAP audits from a certification body that knows Canadian produce, with plain answers about what an audit covers and what it doesn't.
Kiwa ASI delivers CanadaGAP through TSLC, which CanadaGAP lists as licensed in all provinces and in the U.S.
ASI Food Safety, LLC is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to ISO/IEC 17065 (ID 1222) for CanadaGAP Version 11.0. Greenhouse operations: ask us to confirm we can certify yours before you enroll.
Announced audits are scheduled with you for when harvesting, packing or storage is happening, so the auditor sees the work in scope.
CanadaGAP's Version 11 rules count pre-audits as consulting, and a certification body can't consult for the operations it certifies, so we don't offer pre-audits. Training comes from a separate company and has no effect on your audit.
We certify. We don't issue licences, grade or inspect produce, test residues or file import paperwork; CFIA, the DRC, USDA, your labs and your importer handle those.
It depends on what you do. Under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), you need a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence to import produce, to grade, package or label it for trade between provinces or for export, or to export with a CFIA export certificate. Growing and harvesting don't need a licence, and neither does trading only within your own province. CFIA's fee is $307.96 for a two-year licence.
No, not if it sells to a Canadian importer: the importer holds the licence to import. A U.S. business needs its own licence only if it imports the produce itself as a non-resident importer. CFIA currently recognizes only the U.S. for non-resident importers of food other than meat and live or raw shellfish, and the produce must be sent directly from the U.S.
No. No Canadian law requires CanadaGAP or any other certification. Buyers decide: CanadaGAP says some Canadian customers require Option C, or require it for suppliers they consider high-risk. Other buyers may accept other programs recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), so ask your buyer which programs and options it accepts.
It can help. An importer's preventive control plan must show that imported produce was grown and packed under conditions at least as protective as Canada's, and CFIA lists an audit to an internationally recognized food safety system, with evidence that the audit covered all hazards and that you're in good standing with your certification body, as one way to show that. The importer decides what evidence it needs, and many ask for your certificate and yearly audit report.
Yes. CanadaGAP is open to operations outside Canada, including in the U.S., and its program fees can be paid in U.S. dollars. TSLC, part of Kiwa ASI, is licensed by CanadaGAP to audit in the U.S. as well as in every province; ask us to check auditor availability for your crops and location.
Most individual farms, packinghouses and storages choose Option C, an annual audit that's GFSI-recognized. Repackers and wholesalers choose D, producer groups B, and brokers F. Options A1, A2, E and F aren't GFSI-recognized, so choose B, C or D if your buyer requires GFSI recognition.
Two parts: CanadaGAP's annual program fee, such as USD 300 (CAD 350) for Option C, plus $50 a year for the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada, and the certification body's audit fee, which is quoted for your operation, crops and travel.
Allow at least three months. CanadaGAP requires at least three months of food safety records before your first audit, and the audit must take place in season, while the work in scope, such as harvesting, packing or storage, is happening.
Yes, if you're a Canadian business that buys, sells, receives or ships fresh produce between provinces, or imports or exports it: the SFCR requires membership in the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC) unless you're exempt. Exemptions include growers that sell only produce they grew and businesses handling less than 1 metric ton a day. For a company outside Canada, membership is optional unless it's a U.S. non-resident importer, but only members can use DRC's dispute resolution.
CAD 1,306 a year for companies in Canada and USD 925 a year for companies outside Canada, plus tax if applicable, as listed on January 1, 2026. The DRC says fees may rise each year with inflation.
If the produce has a prescribed grade, yes: imported produce must be graded and meet the grade, unless it's going to manufacturing, processing or preserving. U.S.-graded produce is considered to meet Canada's grades if it meets CFIA's requirements for produce imported from the U.S. Grading is optional for blueberries, cantaloupes, crabapples, cranberries, field rhubarb and strawberries.
No. Canadian grade names such as Canada No. 1 are only for Canadian-grown produce. Imported produce, or a blend with Canadian produce, packed in Canada uses import grade names such as "No. 1 Grade", and produce in its original container may keep an equivalent foreign grade.
Consumer packs need, in English and French, the common name (unless the produce is visible), net quantity in metric units and the grade name where grading is required, plus your name and principal place of business (in either language) and a lot code if not packed at retail. Imported produce also shows "Product of" and the country, in bold type at least 1.6 mm high, near the net quantity or grade name.
Yes. Imported apples, onions and potatoes need an inspection certificate showing they meet Canada's minimum import requirements; for U.S. product, it usually comes from USDA, or CFIA can inspect and certify the shipment. Shipments of no more than 15 containers and no more than 250 kg of that commodity are exempt.
Many don't. Strawberries and pears from the continental U.S., for example, need no permit or phytosanitary certificate, but British Columbia has stricter rules for apples, stone fruit and cherries, and potatoes need state-of-origin certification. Check each commodity and destination province in CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS).
Health Canada's maximum residue limits (MRLs). Where Health Canada hasn't set a specific MRL for a pesticide on a crop, residues can't exceed 0.1 parts per million. CFIA tests domestic and imported produce, and CanadaGAP requires exported product to meet the destination market's MRLs.
Not if it's imported and meant to be eaten raw: CFIA doesn't permit sulphite-treated imported fresh fruits or vegetables for raw consumption, except grapes.
Licence holders, such as importers and packers, need one unless their food sales are $100,000 or less. For export-only activities, a plan is needed only if you request a CFIA export certificate. Growers and harvesters need one only if they export with a CFIA certificate or ship between provinces with food sales over $100,000. Growers, packers and importers whose produce crosses provincial or national borders must still have preventive controls in place, even when no written plan is required.
Records that trace produce one step back and one step forward: the common name, lot code, names and addresses of your supplier and customer, and dates. Keep them for two years, accessible in Canada, and provide them to CFIA within 24 hours of a request.
No. Certification doesn't replace an SFC licence or CFIA inspections. CanadaGAP says CFIA considers certification as one factor in deciding whom to inspect, and CFIA's Food Safety Recognition Program lists CanadaGAP as a fully recognized on-farm program.
It helps. CFIA told growers in January 2019 that using CanadaGAP will position them well to show they meet SFCR preventive control requirements. The same letter told growers to check that all their PCP requirements, including labelling and grades, are met. Certification doesn't replace an SFC licence where one is needed.
No. CanadaGAP's Version 11.0 rules count pre-audits as consulting, and a certification body can't consult for the operations it certifies. Use the CanadaGAP audit checklist to check yourself, or work with a consultant.
Yes. TSLC, part of Kiwa ASI, accepts CanadaGAP transfers: send CanadaGAP a written request on its Change of Status form; the new certification body then scopes your operation as a new client. Option A1 and A2 operations that switch before finishing four consecutive years restart at Year 1, and Option B groups go back to Year 1 requirements.
Ask us before you enroll. CanadaGAP has a separate Food Safety Manual for Greenhouse Product, and we'll confirm whether we can certify your greenhouse operation and crops before we quote.
Yes, if they grow produce the rule covers. The rule sets minimum standards for domestic and foreign farms, and FDA began inspecting farms outside the U.S. under it in April 2019. Certification doesn't replace it; CanadaGAP's 2018 comparison lists rule requirements that certified companies may need to add.
The U.S. importer must verify you under its Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). For Canadian produce that won't be commercially processed, it can use modified requirements because FDA recognizes Canada's food safety system as comparable; it documents before importing, and every year after, that you're under CFIA oversight and the food is within the scope of FDA's recognition, and checks before importing, and monitors after, that you're in good compliance standing with CFIA. Many importers still ask for a certificate and audit report.
No. Kiwa ASI certifies. CFIA issues licences and enforces grades and labels, the DRC handles membership and disputes, USDA issues U.S. inspection certificates, and your importer files the import paperwork. We'll tell you up front what a CanadaGAP audit does and doesn't cover.
Tell us your crops, operations, location, season and current certification body. We'll check auditor availability for your scope and quote your CanadaGAP audit. Canadian operations can also email CA.Info.TSLC@kiwa-asi.com.
ASI Food Safety, LLC is accredited by ANAB to ISO/IEC 17065 (ID 1222) for the CanadaGAP Program, Version 11.0, delivered by TSLC, which is listed by CanadaGAP, and for specific SQF Edition 9.0 codes, including Primary Plant Production, under its SQFI license. PrimusGFS certificates are issued by Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie S. de R.L. de C.V., an Azzule-approved certification body accredited by ema. Training is offered by ASI Training and Consulting, LLC, a separate company from our accredited certification body, ASI Food Safety, LLC, to safeguard against conflicts of interest, and has no effect on certification decisions.