There are nearly 10,000 food establishments licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and 37 food safety inspectors responsible for checking up on those businesses. Trying to get to every facility on an annual basis is difficult, if not impossible. But thanks to ODA’s Weights and Measures Program, another set of trained eyes are helping provide some basic oversight of low risk food establishments around the state. Internally, it’s called the “Just Checking In” Food Safety Audit. The cooperative agreement between two ODA programs helps leverage the agency’s presence in the field, increase efficiency, and direct resources where needed. Currently, ODA’s 20 weights and measures inspectors are checking in on 366 businesses that have both a food safety license and a weights and measures license. With those inspectors spread across the state– just like ODA’s food safety inspectors– identified low risk facilities throughout Oregon will get the once-a-year inspection. These facilities are often combination gas stations/convenience stores that weights and measures inspectors visit annually anyway. Some of them offer more than just pre-packaged food.
