MPS will be collaborating with VAL'HOR, a French organization that aims to represent and promote vegetables, fruits, flowers and plants produced in France. On Thursday, February 18 both parties signed a three-year cooperation agreement to this end, during the flower and plant trade fair Salon du Vegetal in Angers.
Chairman of VAL'HOR Benoit Ganem and director Theo de Groot of MPS sign the cooperation agreement at the Salon du Vegetal trade fair in France.
As a result of French government regulation VAL'HOR is committed to the development of quality marks that are both associated with quality and origin of the cultivated product as with an environmentally and socially responsible way of producing. In this context VAL'HOR has developed a certification methodology in the field of environmentally and socially responsible production of horticultural products called Plante Bleue.
Introduction of level 3
This Plante Bleue certificate until recently consisted of two levels. Since January 1, 2016 French horticultural companies may also qualify for level 3 of Plante Bleue. MPS director Theo de Groot: "The first two levels are related to self-diagnosis and certification of good practices. Level 3 goes further. It involves certification based on results." VAL'HOR approached MPS partly because of the relationship between MPS-ABC and level 3 of Plante Bleue.
Cost-effective solution
VAL'HOR and MPS have agreed that VAL'HOR may use MPS’ rating system. This way VAL'HOR can benchmark French growers’ results based on the international standard MPS-ABC. In addition, the organizations have agreed that growers can obtain both a Plante Bleue and an MPS-ABC certificate through one audit. De Groot: "This avoids double work and the tax on the growers is kept to a minimum in line with growers’ need for a cost-efficient solution. They see us as High Environmental Value on the basis of the sustainability indicators that we can deliver."
More information:
MPSArjan van der Meer
T: +31174615724
E: [email protected]
www.my-mps.com
