2016 Pest Management Standards for Food Processing and Handling Facilities Released

NPMA is pleased to release the 2016 Pest Management Standards for Food Processing and Handling Facilities. Since 2007, NPMA guidance on pest management in food facilities has been the cornerstone of NPMA’s commercial activities. These standards were last updated in 2013, and this 2016 version provides updates and improvements to better address changing regulatory requirements, new technologies, and better-integrated pest management practices. 

The publication of this 2016 revision coincides with the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FSMA will reform our food safety system by ensuring a safe food supply based on prevention rather than reaction. The new FSMA standards will bring increased scrutiny and oversight to the entire food industry, which requires sanitation standards only achievable through proper pest management practices. 

Of note in the 2016 revision, the name was changed from Pest Management Standards for "Food Plants" to "Processing and Handling Facilities" to better reflect the intended scope of these standards. Other new additions include addressing the use of remote monitoring technology and the addition of a "sample risk assessment" that may be used as a reference to assist in analyzing, creating and maintaining a successful pest management plan. In the 2013 revision, we moved away from prescriptive instructions regarding placement and monitoring frequency in favor of a results oriented approach based on trends, inspection, and observations. The 2016 revision maintains this approach but provides some baselines in situations where historical data is unavailable.

The standards are currently available for sale at the NPMA resource center and a digital version will be available to download in the coming weeks.