Family farmers are working responsibly to feed a steadily increasing world population with high quality food products in sufficient quantity. They strive to use the best farming methods resulting from technological and scientific progress, and manage their farms in a sustainable manner, while remaining competitive domestically and internationally. As new insights emerge as to what constitutes sustainable farming practices, farmers continue to adapt their operations in relation to the local environment and to local production systems.

Food safety and quality has become the subject of increased attention by consumers, the food industry and governments, particularly in the industrialized countries. The confidence of consumers in the safety of farm products is absolutely essential. As a result, it is important for farmers throughout the world to produce according to reliable food safety systems and standards.

A distinction must be made between ‘food safety’ and ‘food quality.’ Food safety is characterized by the fitness for consumption of food products, and protection of consumers against food-borne health risks, it is an obligation to be considered as a non competitive issue under governments’ responsibility. On the other side, food quality assurance is a private voluntary initiative related to special efforts made by farmers and others throughout the food chain to improve competition for their products.