Get Ready for Federal Inspections: Preparing Your Facility for Audits

When it comes to food safety, preparation isn’t just good practice — it’s required by law. Federal inspections from agencies like USDA, FDA, or FSIS are designed to verify that your facility is meeting food safety standards and staying compliant.

Whether you're a small-batch artisan or a mid-sized facility in growth mode, federal audits can feel intimidating. But with the right systems and support, they don’t have to derail your operations.

At AgriForaging Food Safety, we’ve worked alongside processors across the country — walking production floors, reviewing HACCP plans, and helping folks feel confident when an inspector shows up. Here’s a practical guide to help you get inspection-ready without losing sleep.

Know Who’s Coming and Why

Start by identifying which agency is conducting the inspection. Each one focuses on different products and processes:

• FDA Inspections cover food processors handling shelf-stable goods, dietary supplements, and packaged foods.

• USDA / Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) inspections are focused on meat, poultry, and egg products.

• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or APHIS may inspect imported goods, especially those with animal or plant ingredients.
  

What Federal Inspectors Typically Review

Most inspections touch on five main areas. Each one reflects your day-to-day systems in action:

1. Facility Sanitation

   • Cleanliness of floors, walls, ceilings, and equipment

   • Pest control programs

   • Water quality and plumbing

2. Employee Hygiene & Training

   • Handwashing protocols

   • Use of protective gear

   • Up-to-date food safety training

3. Documentation & Recordkeeping

   • HACCP or Food Safety Plans

   • Temperature, sanitation, and maintenance logs

   • Corrective actions and verification records

4. Labeling & Traceability

   • Labels that match what’s in the package

   • Lot codes and batch records

   • Supplier verification and recall plans

5. Process Controls

   • Monitoring of critical control points

   • Calibrated thermometers and tools

   • Preventive maintenance schedules

Pre-Inspection Checklist

Use this checklist to assess your current readiness:

Click to Download

Tips to Keep the Inspection Smooth

🔹 Assign a Point Person Designate a trained staff member to walk with the inspector, answer questions, and pull up records quickly.

🔹 Stay Calm, Stay Present Inspections are about verifying your systems — not catching you off guard. Lead with clarity and confidence.

🔹 Have Your Docs Handy Whether it’s a binder or a digital system, having everything organized makes a strong impression.

🔹 Respond Quickly to Any Issues If the inspector notes a non-conformance, don’t panic. Address it with a clear action plan and a realistic timeline.

You Don’t Have to Do a Federal Inspection Alone

Navigating inspections gets a whole lot less stressful when you’ve got someone by your side. At AgriForaging Food Safety, we team up with small and mid-sized processors to review paperwork, run mock audits, and walk your space like an inspector would — just without the clipboard and stiff vibe.

Whether you’re prepping for a USDA visit, building your first HACCP plan, or just need a sanity check, we’re here to support you.

An inspection isn’t just about passing. It’s a chance to show that you take food safety seriously, not just because the law says so, but because you care about what you’re feeding people.

Need help getting audit-ready?

Let’s talk. We offer mock inspections, HACCP reviews, and compliance checkups tailored to your operation. Call, email, or schedule online — whatever works best for your workflow.

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