Associated Grower Criteria

All of the below criteria must be met in order include the Associated Grower on the Certification application:

1. The Associated Grower must currently be a GAPC Grower Member.

2. The Associated Grower must be a family member of the Primary Grower or in a legal, verified business entity (see Entity Determination Documentation List). Family is defined as spouse, children, stepchildren, foster children, parents, stepparents, foster parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandparents, and grandchildren (In-laws are included).

3. The Associated Grower’s name must be listed on a 578(s). 

4. The Associated Grower must share the same labor force, whether family or hired, with you. Specifically, the same labor force must work in all fields and be hired and paid by the same person or entity for all work. If the labor is paid from separate accounts, the individuals or entities cannot be an Associated Grower.

5. All the decisions about management of fields farmed by the GAPC Grower Member and Associated Grower must be made jointly, i.e. there are not designated fields for each individual in which that grower makes separate management decisions. There are one set of records detailing the management of the crop and labor force that will be verified at the monitoring activity.

6. The Associated Grower must be involved in the day-to-day management of the tobacco crop. This includes making management decisions about how the crop is grown and managing labor which works in the crop. If the individual is only providing financial support for the operation and tobacco crop, they are not considered an Associated Grower. 

Associated Growers are approved at time of application. No additions to or changes to Associated Growers are allowed once an application for a Certification Audit is approved. Deletions or drops are allowed but cannot be re-added unless completing an application for a Certification Audit.

There will be no switches from Primary to Associate or Associate to Primary allowed without approval of Certification Committee. 

Associated Growers are reverified at time of monitoring activity. Associated Growers must maintain compliance with the GAPC Criteria for Associated Growers and be present for the Monitoring Visit. 

Documents from the Entity Determination Documentation List used at time of application to seek approval of Associated Growers can be asked to be reviewed by auditor at time of monitoring activity. Growers, to whom this applies, should have copies at the operation at the time of monitoring activity. Documents are a part of the growers’ Certification profile and are shared with companies with whom grower has a data release with.

Last updated January 2022