The Food and Drug Administration announced today that routine Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule inspections will resume in Oregon. The FDA will continue to prioritize and inspect large farms that were not inspected in 2019. Large farms are those that, on a rolling basis, have sold an average of more than $500,000 over the last three years of gross produce sales.
Farms that are being called by the FDA are given multiple days advanced notice of the inspection. Typically, inspections are conducted at harvest. The 2020 inspections had been postponed due to COVID-19.
If you are unsure if the Produce Safety Rule applies to you or what to expect, visit ODA’s Produce Safety Rule Decision Tree to get a provisional assessment of your farm’s coverage; or email [email protected].
What to Expect of a Regulatory Inspection
Visit the FDA’s factsheet “What to Expect of a Regulatory Inspection” to get a summary of the process, including:
- Scheduling the Inspection
- Announced Inspections
- Unannounced Inspections
- Day of the Inspection
- Initial Interview
- Walk-Through of the Farm
- Exit Interview
Want ODA’s help preparing for an inspection?
On-Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRRs) are free and voluntary. These educational, confidential visits help farmers identify an operation’s strengths and weaknesses relative to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
Reviewers are ODA staff who are well-versed in the Produce Safety Rule and will only cover the portions of the rule that apply to your operation. Email the Produce Safety team or call 503-986-4620 for more information.