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Natural Resources Building
P.O. Box 42560
1111 Washington ST SE
Olympia, WA 98504-2560
Phone: (360) 902-1800

Produce Inspections

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Produce Safety Inspections

Phone (360) 902-1848
Email producesafety@agr.wa.gov






Our farm inspection program is focused on promoting food safety and preventing foodborne illnesses linked to fresh produce.

Inspections are different and separate from audits requested or required by marketing groups or buyers. Inspections are mandatory and provided at no charge to farms as the program is federally funded.

Inspections are prioritized based on crop type, location, compliance history, size, and overall farm preparedness. Keep in mind that all inspections must occur during growing, harvesting, packing, and/or holding activities. We will do their best to make reasonable scheduling accommodations.

More information about inspections:

1. English: What to Expect of Inspections

2. Spanish: Qué esperar durante una inspección de productos agrícolas fresco

3. Hmong: Yam Uas Vam Tseg Ntawm Qhov Kev Ntsuam Xyuas Ntawm Qhov Khoom

4. Punjabi: ਉਪਜ ਦੇ ਨਿਰੀਖਣ ਵਿੱ ਚ ਕੀ ਉਮੀਦ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ


 

FSMA Final Rule on Agricultural Water (Subpart E)

On May 6th 2024, FDA published a final rule on pre-harvest agricultural water. The revised requirements are intended to enhance public health and to be practical across various agricultural water systems, uses, and practices, while remaining adaptable to future advancements in agricultural water quality science.


The final rule replaces certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce (other than sprouts) in the 2015 Produce Safety Rule with requirements for systems-based agricultural water assessments to determine and guide appropriate measures to minimize potential risks.

Specifically, this rule:
  • Requies an annual agricultural water assessments that evaluates a variety of factors that are key determinants of contamination risks associated with pre-harvest agricultural water. This includes an evaluation of the water system, water use practices, crop characteristics, environmental conditions, potential impacts on water from adjacent and nearby land, and other relevant factors.
  • Includes testing pre-harvest agricultural water as part of an assessment in certain circumstances.
  • Requires farms to implement effective mitigation measures within specific timeframes based on findings from their assessments. Hazards related to certain activities associated with adjacent and nearby land uses are subject to expedited mitigation.
  • Adds new options for mitigation measures, providing farms with additional flexibility in responding to findings from their pre-harvest agricultural water assessments.

Specific Items the Rule Does Not Change:
  • Existing requirements for sprouts.
  • Existing requirements for harvest and post-harvest water activities.

Existing Requirements for Harvest and Post-Harvest Water:
  1. Quality Standards. Your water must be safe and of adequate sanitary quality for its intended use, including no detectable generic E. coli per 100 ml of agricultural water.
  1. Testing. Untreated ground water must be tested 4x per year initially, then 1x per year if meeting no detectable generic E. coli per 100 ml. Testing is not required for public water sources provided you obtain written documentation from your city or municipality.
  1. Annual inspection. Conduct inspections on your harvest and post-harvest water system, at least once per year, to identify and correct conditions that introduce hazards and to conduct relevant maintenance.

Produce Safety Alliance Revised Module 5-1 (Version 1.2a):
If you attended a PSA training before June 2024, you likely received the old version of Module 5-1.

Options to receive the Revised Module 5-1 (V1.2a) and a Certification of Completion:
  1. Attend a live webinar. Check your email for registration links, or update your contact information with PSA if you did not receive this as a previous attendee.
  2. Watch a video presentation (English). Presentación en video del Módulo 5-modificado.

Produce Safety Alliance Resources on Agricultural Water:
  1. Records Required by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (Version 3.1 updated 2/25/2025 to include revisions to agricultural water-related records requirements)
  2. Resources Related to Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule Requirements for Agricultural Water Used During Harvest and Postharvest (21 CFR 112 Subpart E)
  3. FSMA Produce Safety Rule Water Requirements: Insights to Get You Organized! Focus on Harvest and Postharvest Uses (Version 2, November 2023)
  4. FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Agricultural Water Systems Inspection is Different from the Agricultural Water Assessment (Version 2, February 2025)
  5. The Water Analysis Method Requirement in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (Updated April 2019 to reflect recent FDA announcements, URLs update 10/13/22)
  6. FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Documentation Requirements for Water Laboratory Analysis Results (September 2023)

Additional FDA Resource Fact Sheets:
  1. Final Rule Overview
  2. Agricultural Water Assessment
  3. Corrective and Mitigation Measures
  4. Annual Ag Water Risk Assessment Outcomes
  5. Pre-Harvest Ag Water Equivalent Testing Methods
  6. Intended Enforcement Discretion for Subpart E

Industry Expert Webinars:
  1. Wading into the Agricultural Water (CONTACT's Produce Safety Webinar Series featuring Dr. Betsy Bihn, March 2025)
  2. FSMA Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water - Experts on Tap (CONTACT's Produce Safety Webinar Series and research extension group, June 2024)
  3. Resources from FSMA Final Rule of Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water (Western Growers, June 2024)
  4. Blueberries + FSMA Final Pre-Harvest Agircultural Water (U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, May 2024)
  5. FSMA Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agicultural Water (FDA, May 2024)

Compliance Dates for Covered Farms

Farm Size* General Requirements
(excluding sprouts)		 Harvest and Post-Harvest
Ag Water		 Pre-Harvest
Ag Water
Large Farm

(Greater than $500,000)

 1/26/18 1/26/22 4/7/25
Small Farm

($250,000 - $500,000)

 1/28/19 1/26/23 4/6/26
Very Small Farm

($25,000 - $250,000)

 1/27/20 1/26/24 4/5/27
*Based on average annual produce sales.

The Compliance Date Chart from the Produce Safety Alliance and the Southern Regional Center provides additional detail about sprout and qualified exempt farm requirements that are in effect now.

Inspection Documents

Notice of Inspection

Inspectors will use this form on inspection day to request permission to enter your property and to initiate their inspection. Sampling will not be conducted during routine inspections.
Full Details

Observation Form

Inspectors will record their discussions, observations and corrective actions on this form. Farms will receive this document at the end of their inspection. 
Full Details

Inspection Criteria Form

This key provides further explanation of inspection requirements. Each section symbol (§) relates directly to the regulation.
Full Details

Recordkeeping Tips


  • Records required for most covered farms
    • Employee Training
    • Cleaning and Sanitizing 
    • Biological Soil Amendment Treatment (if applicable)
  • Electronic and handwritten records (using permanent ink) are acceptable. 
  • Records must be accurate and legible.
  • You can use existing records from other audits or inspections.
  • Most general records (except sales and water related records) must be kept for two years.
  • Records must include (as applicable):
    • Farm name and location
    • Actual value or observations obtained
    • Description of produce
    • Location of growing area
    • Activity date and time
  • Records must be signed and initialed by person performing the activity. 
  • Some records must be reviewed, signed and dated by a supervisor or responsible party.

PSA Recordkeeping Templates

Frequently Asked Questions

  1.  Lack of annual employee training.
  2.  Missing or incomplete records.
  3.  Animals in the field or packing area.
  4.  Lack of pre-harvest monitoring to identify contaminated produce. 
  5.  Portable toilet not accessible for cleaning and located too close to produce.
  6.  Insufficient cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces.
Inspectors must be able to observe growing, harvesting, packing or holding of produce. Inspectors will work with businesses to schedule inspections during a time period where they can observe activities that most represent that operation. In most cases, the best case scenario for farms is during harvest and for packing houses that's during sorting and packing times. 

The length of an inspection will depend on the size of the operation and complexity of business practices. Standard inspections take between 2 and 4 hours.
A standardized inspection frequency has not been established, however most farms required to comply with FSMA should anticipate an inspection every few years. Inspectors may schedule a follow-up visit if there are reoccurring violations that have not been addressed.