Two GFSI-recognized schemes that North American buyers name interchangeably — and that suit different operations.
PrimusGFS was written for fresh produce, and its modular scope handles the grower-packer case naturally: one certificate covering field, harvest and facility.
SQF is broader in reach across the food industry and strongest where the operation looks like a facility — packing, processing, cold storage. It also carries a requirement PrimusGFS does not: a named, HACCP-trained SQF practitioner employed by the business.
If you only grow, PrimusGFS usually fits better. If you primarily run a facility, or your buyer's programme is built around SQF, SQF is the natural choice. Both satisfy a GFSI requirement.
| PrimusGFS | SQF | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Azzule Systems | SQFI, a division of FMI — The Food Industry Association |
| GFSI-benchmarked | Yes | Yes, for the food safety codes |
| Written for | Fresh produce specifically | The food industry broadly, with codes by sector |
| Structure | Modules matched to your activities | Codes by supply chain stage, with levels of certification |
| Named practitioner required | No equivalent requirement | Yes — an employed, HACCP-trained SQF practitioner |
| HACCP plan | Required in the management system module | Required as the basis of the food safety plan |
| Quality as well as safety | Food safety focused | An additional quality code can be certified alongside food safety |
| Entry-level route | Scope can be narrowed to fewer modules | A food safety fundamentals programme exists as a stepping stone |
| Grower-packer fit | Strong — one modular certificate covers both | Workable, but the codes are stage-oriented |
| Cycle | Annual | Annual, with unannounced audits as part of verification |
For a small operation this is often the real decision point. SQF expects a named employee, trained in HACCP and competent in the code, to own the system. A consultant can help build it; they cannot be it.
That means budgeting for training and, more significantly, for the hours the role takes during a busy season. On a family operation that person is usually already doing two other jobs.
PrimusGFS also expects clear accountability for food safety, but it does not impose the same formal employed-practitioner structure. For a business without an obvious candidate, that difference is worth weighing carefully.
| If you are… | Lean toward |
|---|---|
| A field-only grower asked for a GFSI certificate | PrimusGFS |
| A grower who also packs on site | PrimusGFS, for the single modular scope |
| A packinghouse or cooler handling others' product | Either — go with what your buyers name |
| A fresh-cut or processing operation | SQF, or PrimusGFS with the facility module in scope |
| A business that also wants quality assessed | SQF, which offers a quality code alongside food safety |
| Supplying Mexico or Central America | PrimusGFS, which is dominant in those chains |
| Without anyone available to be a practitioner | PrimusGFS |
One table: recognition, scope, HACCP and who asks for each.
Read the guide →Whichever scheme you land on, the evidence underneath it is the same. Keep it in one place.
GAP APP provides audit-preparation tools and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited by GFSI, Azzule Systems, SQFI, CanAgPlus, GLOBALG.A.P. or USDA. Certification decisions are made solely by accredited certification bodies and their auditors.