USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Fresh Products Division Audit Programs offers voluntary independent audits of produce suppliers throughout the production and supply chain. USDA Audit Programs focus on best agricultural practices to verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored in the safest manner possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. USDA Audit Programs verify adherence to the recommendations made in the Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and industry recognized food safety practices.

In 2011, the USDA Audit Program performed over 3,000 Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) & Good Handling Practices (GHP) audits in 46 states and Canada covering over 90 commodities. Other audit services include food defense protocols and traceability procedures. USDA also provides oversight for commodity specific audits performed to satisfy the requirements of the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, the California Tomato Growers Cooperative, the mushroom industry, and government purchase programs.

• USDA GAP & GHP

• Produce GAPs Harmonized Audit

• Fresh Tomato Supply Chain

• Mushrooms GAP

• California LGMA

• Arizona LGMA

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• USDA GAP & GHP Audit Checklist (Excel)

• USDA GAP & GHP Checklist for Subway Distribution Centers (Excel)

• Produce GAPs Harmonized Food Safety Standard Packinghouse

• Produce GAPs Harmonized Field Operations & Harvesting Checklist

• Produce GAPs Harmonized Packinghouse Checklist

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• Tomato Audit Protocol Checklist for Open Field Production and Harvesting

• Tomato Audit Protocol Checklist for Packinghouse

• Tomato Audit Protocol Checklist for Greenhouse

• Tomato Audit Protocol Checklist for Repack/Distribution

• Food Safety Standards for the Mushroom Industry (pdf)

• Audit Checklist for Mushroom Production (pdf)

• Audit Scoresheet for Mushroom Production (pdf)

• CA LGMA Audit Checklist

• AZ LGMA Audit Checklist