Food Safety Spotlight: CDFA Produce Safety Rule Inspections

Pictured: Lisa Strickland, Food Safety Field Representative

Here’s the need-to-know details on random CDFA Produce Safety Rule Inspections happening now with California avocado growers and packers.

CDFA is conducting Produce Safety Rule Inspections of California avocado ranches and packhouses to ensure compliance with FSMA (FDA Food Safety Modernization Act).
Inspections started in 2021 and we’ve continued to see inspections this season amongst our grower community.

A CDFA auditor will contact you to set an inspection appointment within 30 days of the initial engagement (typically phone call, followed by email).
Growers/Packers are given a 2-week window to make the inspection appointment.
If you are unable to meet the 2-week window, you are given one opportunity to push back the inspection timeline.

Auditors provide a series of website links that gives information about inspection process and criteria. Inspection areas include:

Harvest Crews – food safety training, sanitization (gloves, ladders, clips, etc.), activity records
Additional Documentation – fertilization records, pesticide records
Water Systems

To date we have not seen any operators fined or shutdown due to non-compliance or gross negligence.
What we have seen is growers failing a portion of the inspection and then must follow-up with CDFA post inspection to show corrective action and prove compliance.
Real-life example: A harvest crew was not sanitizing the steps of their ladders resulting in a non-compliance demerit. The rancher had to then document that a policy had been implemented to sanitize ladder steps to avoid a fine and pass inspection.

If you are GFS Certified, most likely you are in full compliance and have records that meet the CDFA Produce Safety Rule Inspection requirements.
If you are not GFS Certified let Index Fresh help you prepare for your inspection! Index Fresh will meet with you prior to your inspection to review records and inspection protocols. If timing works with your inspection appointment, Index Fresh’s Food Safety Field Representative, Lisa Strickland, will help facilitate the on-site inspection.