The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending audit certifications that expire on or before May 31 by 60 days.
The extension was put in place because of COVID-19 national emergency, according to a news release,
The certification extension applies to 400 current auditees certified under the USDA Good Agricultural Practices, Domestic Origin Verification and Plant Systems Audit programs, according to the release.
Audit certifications are normally valid for 12 months.
“Extending the expiration date for auditees with current certifications will allow AMS to concentrate resources on providing food safety verification audits for entities new to USDA audit programs who require certification to move product into commerce,” the news release said.
“(USDA) recognizes that USDA specialty crops inspections and audits are critical to the nation’s food supply chain, and we are committed to ensuring the continuity of our audit operations.”
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