Guide for commercial pest control companies serving food plants · checked 30 October 2026
Food plant pest control, run to the auditor's device map, not the route sheet
In a GFSI-certified bakery, mill or food warehouse, the pest company is audited as hard as the plant. Every station needs a number on a dated map, every check a record the auditor can sort by area and pest, every insect light trap a distance from exposed product, and every finding a corrective action someone closed. This guide covers FDA's 21 CFR 117.35(c), the NPMA food plant standards, what AIB, SQF, BRCGS, PrimusGFS and other schemes each expect, rodenticide label limits, fumigation plans, state use records, the FDA warning letters that show what goes wrong, and how to run multi-plant food accounts.
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Short answer
Pest control companies serving food plants use software that keeps a numbered, dated device map per plant, records every station, trap, light trap and pheromone check against that map (usually by scanning a barcode inside the device), logs pesticide use with EPA registration numbers, and produces the trend reports, corrective actions and audit binder that AIB, SQF, BRCGS and FDA inspectors ask for. Common tools are PestPac by WorkWave and FieldRoutes for the service business, with sensor platforms such as Bell Laboratories' iQ traps alongside; large providers such as Rentokil run their own connected systems like PestConnect. Fieldproxy is a configurable option built around each plant's device register, audit scheme rules, thresholds and corrective-action loop.
117.35(c)
FDA's food plant rule: "Pests must not be allowed in any area of a food plant", with effective exclusion measures required
Weekly
Minimum service on interior rodent monitoring devices under the NPMA food plant standards unless the customer agrees otherwise in writing; exterior devices monthly
source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition)
20-40 ft
Initial interior trap spacing (50-100 ft for exterior stations) when 12 months of activity history is not available, per NPMA and AIB
source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition)
10 ft
AIB minimum distance from an insect light trap to food contact surfaces, exposed product, packaging and raw materials
How a job runs
One food plant pest control job, from first call to paid
The order the work really happens in, and what has to be written down at each step so nothing is argued about later.
- 1
Win the account on the plant's audit scheme
Before quoting, find out which certificate the plant holds or is chasing (AIB, SQF, BRCGS, PrimusGFS, FSSC 22000) and which customer audits it faces. They set different minimums: AIB wants interior devices checked at least weekly, NSF-Cook & Thurber accepts weekly or a documented risk assessment, Merieux asks for at least twice a month. The NPMA standards expect a signed contract listing visit frequency, scope, emergency calls, approved materials, the records the plant receives and a duty to notify it of new products.
- 2
Assess the plant and its history
Interview the plant's IPM coordinator, read the last 12 months of trend reports and the pest sighting log, and walk the outside (receiving and shipping docks, dock levelers, waste, silos, roof, vents) and the inside (floor-wall junctions, drop ceilings, racking, returned goods, locker rooms, lab). Note gaps at doors: AIB wants exterior openings proofed to under 6 mm (1/4 in), PrimusGFS 1/8 in (3 mm).
- 3
Design the device map
Place exterior tamper-resistant stations, interior mechanical traps, insect light traps and pheromone traps from the assessment, and fall back to NPMA's starting spacing (20-40 ft inside, 50-100 ft outside) only where history is missing. Number every device, put it on a dated site map, and stick the barcode or service card inside the device so it must be opened to be recorded. Rodenticide stays outside the building unless the plant contact approves it and the label allows.
- 4
Get the paperwork into the plant's binder
Before the first service: the approved materials list signed by the plant, EPA labels and SDS for every product, the company's state license, each technician's applicator certification and food facility training, the insurance certificate, the device map, and the SOPs (inspection methods, sighting log, treatment records, trend reports). Auditors read these first.
- 5
Service every device on its frequency
Open, scan and record every station, trap and light trap: activity (catch count by species, feeding, droppings), condition (damaged, missing, moved, blocked), and action taken. Read the plant's pest sighting log and record what was done about each entry. Categorize light trap catches as stored product insects, structure-infesting flies or other flying insects, and compare them with the thresholds agreed with the plant.
- 6
Record every application to the label and the state
Every application gets the product name, EPA registration number, target pest, rate or concentration, amount, time and exact location. Texas, for example, requires use records with EPA numbers, total amounts, devices used, mixing rate, date and the applicator's license number, kept for two years. Some schemes (NSF-Cook & Thurber) also want product lot codes on the usage log.
- 7
Write findings the plant must act on
Each visit ends with a report the plant contact signs: activity by device and area, conducive conditions (open dock doors, spilled product, gaps, overgrown grass), and recommendations with an owner. NPMA expects at least a monthly pest management survey with recommendations signed by the facility contact. Corrective actions stay open until someone records the fix.
- 8
Trend, review and escalate
Trend catches per device, area and species each month so problem zones show up before an auditor finds them. AIB expects an annual assessment that looks at at least the prior 12 months of data and the sighting log reviewed each quarter; NPMA expects an annual quality assurance audit by a supervisor before the contract anniversary and offers annual training for plant staff.
- 9
Support the audit and the FDA inspection
On audit day the plant needs the map, every service record, trend charts, corrective actions and credentials in minutes, sorted by area, pest, product and date. FDA has cited plants whose pest reports covered only roaches and ants and never mentioned rodents, and rejected responses that promised a pest contractor without records to prove it.
What to record
The fields every food plant pest control job should capture
Plant and programme
- Plant name, address, FDA registration, audit scheme and certificate (AIB, SQF, BRCGS, PrimusGFS, FSSC 22000), next audit window, customer audits (e.g. YUM supplier)
- IPM coordinator and backup, shift pattern, PPE and GMP rules (hairnets, no jewelry, glass policy), allergen rules (no peanut butter attractants without approval)
- Contract: visit frequency per device type, scope, emergency call terms, fee, term, approved materials list with plant signature
- Credentials on file: company license, each technician's certification and food facility training, insurance certificate, expiry dates
- Fumigation history and Fumigation Management Plan references where the plant fumigates
Each device and each check
- Device ID, type (exterior bait station, interior multiple-catch trap, snap trap, glue board, ILT, pheromone trap, sensor trap), zone, map coordinates, barcode inside the device
- Install date, map revision, temporary or permanent, bait or lure type and change date, ILT bulb change date and shatter protection
- Each check: date, time, technician, scanned yes/no, activity (count by species, feeding percentage, droppings), condition (OK, damaged, missing, moved, blocked, inaccessible)
- ILT catch split into stored product insects, structure-infesting flies and other flying insects; pheromone trap species and count
- Threshold breached yes/no and the corrective action raised
Applications, findings and reviews
- Application: product, EPA registration number, lot code, target pest, rate or concentration, amount, time, exact location, applicator license
- Sighting log entries from plant staff: date, time, location, pest, reporter, response
- Conducive conditions with photo, area, owner (plant or pest company), due date, status, close-out photo
- Monthly survey and annual assessment reports with the plant contact's signature
- Training sessions for plant staff: date, content, attendance list
Rules and standards
The rules that shape the work, with their sources
| Rule | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| FDA 21 CFR 117.35(c): pests not allowed | Pests must not be allowed in any area of a food plant, effective measures must exclude them from manufacturing, processing, packing and holding areas, and pesticides may be used in the plant only under precautions that protect food. 117.35(b)(2) adds that pesticide chemicals must be identified, held and stored so they cannot contaminate food, food-contact surfaces or packaging. source: 21 CFR 117.35, Sanitary operations, incl. (b)(2) toxic materials and (c) pest control (Cornell LII) |
| FDA warning letter: a pest report that ignored rodents | At a Houston food warehouse inspected in August 2023, FDA found rodent excreta pellets too numerous to count near food. Its December 2023 letter noted the latest pest control report appeared to address only German roaches and crazy ants, with no mention of inspection for rodent activity or rodent control. source: FDA warning letter, US Gulf Coast Trading Co., Houston (5 Dec 2023) |
| FDA warning letter: a promise is not a corrective action | At a Burlingame, CA bakery inspected November 2024 to January 2025, FDA found live and dead beetles and larvae in mixers and ingredient bins and rodent excreta pellets in a mixer gearbox. FDA called the firm's response inadequate because it said only that it was finalizing quotes with pest control, with no details or timeframe. source: FDA warning letter, Middle East/Soli's Baking Co., Burlingame CA (25 Jul 2025) |
| FDA warning letter: no pest records to show | At a Fort Smith, AR distributor inspected in August 2025, FDA found about 50 apparent rodent excreta pellets in a box of styrofoam bowls and gnawed candy cases. Its March 2026 letter said FDA had not received documentation of corrective actions, including pest control records, and noted a pest spray can stored on top of chocolate bars. source: FDA warning letter, JZ Wholesale, Fort Smith AR (9 Mar 2026) |
| NPMA food plant standards: frequency and spacing (2016, sections 2.4-2.6) | Exterior devices are serviced at least monthly and interior rodent monitoring devices at least weekly unless otherwise agreed with the customer, with the change documented at the facility. Without 12 months of history, start at 50-100 ft outside and 20-40 ft inside, then adjust from data and review placement quarterly. Every device is numbered, mapped, opened and inspected at each service, with the barcode or service card inside the device. source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition) |
| NPMA: no rodenticide inside without approval | Rodenticides are not used inside food facilities in any area unless approved by the facility contact and permitted by the label; the action and reasoning are documented and use is temporary, when no food is exposed. No peanut butter or nut-based attractants inside without approval, because of allergens. Facilities should keep an inspection aisle of at least 18 in along walls. source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition) |
| NPMA: records that can be sorted on demand | Service and treatment records carry the EPA or PMRA registration number, brand name, target pest, rate or concentration, time and location. Electronic records must allow recovery on demand sorted by product, area, pest, date, time and shift, with assessments and trend reports available. Contracts list frequency, scope, emergency calls, approved materials and the records issued to the facility. source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition) |
| NPMA: monthly survey, annual QA audit, annual training | At least monthly the pest company inspects building maintenance, employee practices, incoming materials, processing and shipping, and the facility contact signs the observations and recommendations. At least once a year, before the contract anniversary, a supervisor or manager audits the whole programme on site. The company offers plant staff training at least annually and keeps the date, content and attendance. source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition) |
| AIB: weekly interior, 10 ft light traps, 12-month review | In NPMA's scheme comparison, AIB expects exterior devices at least monthly and interior devices at least weekly (or as the IPM programme defines from the facility assessment), tamper-resistant exterior stations that are anchored, locked and labeled, ILTs more than 10 ft (3 m) from food contact surfaces and exposed product, ILT bulbs changed at least annually, and an annual assessment covering at least the prior 12 months of data with the sighting log reviewed each quarter. source: NPMA, 3rd Party Audit Scheme comparison: AIB, BRC, FSSC 22000, NPMA, NSF-Cook & Thurber, PrimusGFS, Merieux, SQF, YUM (Aug 2023) |
| Other schemes set different numbers | NSF-Cook & Thurber: exterior once a month in winter and twice a month in summer, interior weekly unless a risk assessment with trend data supports otherwise, ILTs not within 8 ft of food, and lot codes on the pesticide log. Merieux NutriSciences: interior at least twice a month, mechanical stations within 10 ft of both sides of exterior doors, high-voltage ILTs at least 30 ft from exposed product. YUM Brands: minimum monthly, exterior stations no more than 50 ft apart at packaging and distribution sites. source: NPMA, 3rd Party Audit Scheme comparison: AIB, BRC, FSSC 22000, NPMA, NSF-Cook & Thurber, PrimusGFS, Merieux, SQF, YUM (Aug 2023) |
| SQF Edition 9, 11.2.4 Pest Prevention | SQF sets frequency by risk and the site's pest prevention plan. NPMA's comparison records that poison rodenticide may not be used where product or packaging is handled, processed or exposed, and that the site map identifies the location, number and type of monitoring devices. NPMA reported Edition 9 as the first SQF code with specific language on remote monitoring devices, in 11.2.4. source: NPMA ePestWorld, SQF releases new standard with remote monitoring device language (11.2.4) |
| BRCGS 4.14: frequency by documented risk assessment | Under BRCGS clause 4.14.2 the frequency of inspections is determined by risk assessment and documented. Techni-K, a UK consultancy, notes that an infestation (evidence of pests breeding on site over time) draws a major non-conformance. NPMA's comparison records that BRC expects trend results assessed regularly and at least annually, including an in-depth inspection of the site and catch analysis. source: Techni-K, Is your BRC pest control contract compliant? (BRCGS clause 4.14) |
| Rodenticide labels: 100 ft and tamper-resistant stations | Many rodenticide labels limit use to inside and within 100 ft of buildings. The Ramik Green label (EPA Reg. No. 61282-48), for example, makes bait stations mandatory for outdoor above-ground use, requires tamper-resistant stations in USDA inspected facilities, and forbids contaminating food, food handling equipment or food contact surfaces. The label is the law; check each product. source: EPA label, Ramik Green Bait Packs, EPA Reg. No. 61282-48 (2012 amendment) |
| State use records (Texas example) | Texas 4 TAC 7.144 requires use records with the customer's billing name and address, service address, pesticide names and EPA registration numbers, total amount applied, devices used and how many, mixing rate, target pest, date, and the names and license numbers of the applicators, kept two years at the business location and shown to the department on request. source: 4 Tex. Admin. Code § 7.144, Pest Control Use Records |
| Fumigation Management Plans for phosphine | Phosphine labels require a written Fumigation Management Plan for each fumigated site. Nebraska's guidance: at least two people under the direct supervision of a certified applicator, warning placards on every possible entrance, a monitoring log with the timing, number of readings and concentration found at each location, a gas detector check before re-entry, and records kept two years (three in Nebraska). source: Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Guidance for developing a Fumigation Management Plan (phosphine) |
Rules vary by state, council and contract. Checked 30 October 2026; confirm against the source for your area before relying on it.
Numbers
What the audit schemes expect, side by side
From NPMA's comparison of audit schemes (Aug 2023) and its 2016 food plant standards. A documented, risk-based plan can change most of these; the starting numbers are what an auditor checks you against when you have none.
| Item | Requirement or starting point | Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Interior rodent devices, service | At least weekly | AIB; NPMA (unless agreed in writing) |
| Interior rodent devices, service | At least twice a month | Merieux NutriSciences |
| Exterior rodent devices, service | At least monthly | AIB; NPMA; Merieux; YUM |
| Exterior rodent devices, service | Monthly in winter, twice a month in summer | NSF-Cook & Thurber |
| Interior spacing, no history | 20-40 ft along walls | AIB; NPMA |
| Exterior spacing, no history | 50-100 ft | AIB; NPMA; PrimusGFS reference |
| Exterior spacing | 25-50 ft, risk-based | Merieux NutriSciences |
| Exterior spacing, packaging/distribution | Max 50 ft | YUM Brands |
| Traps at exterior doors | Within 10 ft of both sides, incl. dock doors | Merieux NutriSciences |
| Insect light trap distance | More than 10 ft (3 m) from exposed product or food contact surfaces | AIB |
| Insect light trap distance | Not within 8 ft of food | NSF-Cook & Thurber |
| High-voltage ILT distance | 10 ft from covered product, 30 ft from exposed | Merieux NutriSciences |
| ILT bulbs | At least annually (or per manufacturer) | AIB; NPMA; PrimusGFS; Merieux; YUM |
| Door gaps | Under 6 mm (1/4 in) | AIB |
| Door gaps | Max 1/8 in (3 mm) | PrimusGFS |
| Programme review | Annual, using at least 12 months of data | AIB; NPMA |
source: NPMA, 3rd Party Audit Scheme comparison: AIB, BRC, FSSC 22000, NPMA, NSF-Cook & Thurber, PrimusGFS, Merieux, SQF, YUM (Aug 2023)source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition)source: AIB International, Tip of the week: Using pest monitoring devices effectively (14 Dec 2018)
Where it breaks
Where spreadsheets and generic software fall over
The route sheet says 'serviced all stations'. The auditor asks for station 47's last six checks, and the record is a monthly PDF with a total count and no device-level history.
Every device is a record with its own check history. The technician scans the barcode inside the device, and the audit view filters any device, area, pest or date range in seconds.
The plant added a new dock door and moved a production line. Three traps were pulled, two added, and the map on the wall still shows last year's layout, which is the first thing an auditor compares.
Map revisions are tracked: adding, moving or retiring a device creates a new dated revision, and the old one stays in history. Technicians cannot record a check on a device that is not on the current map.
A plant runs AIB, its co-packer customer audits to YUM, and a second plant in the account is BRCGS. One service frequency template is used for all three, and one plant gets twice-monthly checks when its scheme wants weekly.
Each plant carries its scheme rules (frequency by device type, spacing, ILT distances, records required) and the schedule is generated from them. Missed frequencies show up before the audit, not during it.
Light trap catches rise for three weeks in the flour room. Each visit report notes the count, but nobody compares visits, so the stored product insect problem is found by the customer.
Thresholds per device and per category (stored product insects, flies, other) are agreed with the plant. A breach or a rising trend opens a corrective action with an owner and a due date.
The technician writes 'dock door 4 gap, recommend door sweep' every month for a year. It is the plant's job, nobody tracks it, and an FDA investigator writes up open doors.
Conducive conditions are tracked as findings with a photo, an owner (plant or pest company), a due date and a close-out photo, and the plant's open findings list goes to the IPM coordinator every month.
A technician leaves. His food facility training record and state certification were in his manager's inbox, and the auditor asks for them for every person who serviced the plant this year.
Credentials live on the technician record with expiry dates, and the plant's audit binder pulls the credentials of everyone who actually serviced it in the period.
Checklist
The food plant pest control operations checklist
Print it, or hand it to whoever runs the office side.
- Signed contract per plant: frequency by device type, scope, emergency calls, approved materials, records issued
- Audit scheme and certificate recorded per plant with the next audit window
- Approved materials list signed by the plant; EPA labels and SDS on file for every product
- Company license, technician certifications, food facility training and insurance certificate current in the plant binder
- Every device numbered on a dated site map, barcode or service card inside the device
- Interior devices on the scheme's frequency (weekly unless a documented plan says otherwise)
- No rodenticide inside without plant approval and label permission, documented
- ILTs placed at the scheme's distance from exposed product, bulbs dated, shatter protection in place
- Pest sighting log read and answered at every visit
- Every application logged with EPA registration number, rate, amount, time and exact location
- Conducive conditions tracked with owner, due date and close-out photo
- Thresholds agreed per device type; breaches open corrective actions
- Monthly survey signed by the plant contact; monthly trend report by device, area and species
- Annual programme review and QA audit before the contract anniversary; annual staff training with attendance
Software options
What software commercial pest control companies serving food plants actually use
Judge each one on whether it fits the way your jobs run, not on the feature list. Bring a real job to every demo.
PestPac by WorkWave
Pest control companies with large commercial books that want a pest-specific system
Commercial features include scanning bait stations and traps (by phone camera barcode or Bluetooth/Wi-Fi for connected traps), floor plan schematics to locate devices, a digital logbook for sightings, trend logs, a customer portal, and auditor-only access during audits. Chemical tracking keeps EPA registration numbers and builds state reports such as California and Arizona filings.
FieldRoutes
Pest companies, often residential-led, adding commercial accounts
Its commercial page lists trend reporting, multi-unit support, audit-ready documentation, conducive conditions recorded on site in the mobile app, product-to-equipment associations such as bait to bait station, and a branded customer portal. Check how deep device-level history and scheme-specific frequencies go for audited food plants.
Bell Laboratories iQ traps (Bell Sensing Technologies)
Pest companies that want sensor data on traps without a gateway
Traps such as the Trapper 24/7 iQ have a built-in sensor and antenna that timestamp rodent activity and send it over Bluetooth to the Bell Sensing app when the technician is on site, with no gateway equipment. It is device hardware and an app, not a full service business system, so it usually sits alongside one.
source: Bell Laboratories iQ traps (Bell Sensing Technologies)
Rentokil PestConnect
Food plants that buy Rentokil's connected service (it is not sold as software to other pest companies)
Launched in North America by Rentokil Steritech as infrared sensors on rodent traps that log activity 24/7 and notify on a catch, aimed at food processing, pharmaceutical and warehousing sites. Useful to know as the benchmark a plant may compare your reporting with.
Configurable field service platforms
Pest companies whose food accounts need records and rules a pest package will not model
Fieldproxy and similar platforms let you build the device register, scheme rules, thresholds and corrective-action loop around your own process. You will configure what a pest-specific package ships with, so compare the setup effort with the gap you are trying to close.
Questions to ask any vendor
- Can each plant carry its own audit scheme rules, so interior devices are weekly at an AIB plant and twice monthly at a Merieux-audited one, from the same account?
- Does the technician have to scan a barcode inside the device to record a check, and can the auditor see every check on one device for the last 12 months?
- When a device is added, moved or retired, does the map get a new dated revision while the old one stays in history?
- Can light trap catches be split into stored product insects, flies and other flying insects, with thresholds that open a corrective action?
- Can conducive conditions be assigned to the plant with a due date and close-out photo, and sent to the IPM coordinator as an open list?
- Can the plant's audit binder (map, records, trends, labels, SDS, credentials of everyone who serviced it) be produced for a date range in one click?
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Food plant pest control on Fieldproxy: built around how you already work
A Fieldproxy setup for a food plant pest programme is built around the plant's device register and its audit scheme, not the route. Every station, trap, light trap and pheromone trap is a numbered record on a dated map, every check is a scan with counts and condition, every application carries its EPA number and lot, and the corrective actions, trend reports and audit binder are built from those same records for each plant in a multi-site account.
Module 1
Accounts, plants and audit schemes
A food account is often one company with several plants on different schemes. The scheme decides frequencies, spacing and records, so it has to live on the plant.
- Records: Account (food company, 3PL, co-packer) → Plant → Zone (exterior perimeter, building exterior, receiving, production, packaging, warehouse, silo, locker room, lab)
- Plant fields: FDA registration, scheme (AIB, SQF, BRCGS, PrimusGFS, FSSC 22000, customer audits such as YUM), certificate expiry, next audit window, IPM coordinator, GMP and glass rules, allergen restrictions
- Scheme rule set per plant: frequency by device type, spacing reference, ILT distance, records required (e.g. lot codes), review cadence
- Contract record: frequency, scope, emergency call terms, fee, term, approved materials list with plant signature and date
Module 2
Device register and map revisions
The auditor's first check is whether the map, the devices on the wall and the records agree.
- Device record: ID, type (exterior tamper-resistant station, interior multiple-catch trap, snap trap, glue board, ILT, pheromone trap, sensor trap), zone, map position, barcode, install date, bait or lure and change date, ILT bulb date and shatter protection
- Map revision record: revision number, date, devices added, moved or retired, reason (new door, line moved, activity), approved by plant contact
- Blocks: a check cannot be recorded on a device that is not on the current revision; an ILT cannot be placed in a zone flagged 'exposed product' without a distance entry that meets the plant's scheme
- Bulk import from the existing map spreadsheet; map image per revision attached to the plant
Module 3
Service schedule from the scheme rules
A missed weekly check is an audit finding. The schedule has to come from the rules, not from a route template.
- Recurring visits generated per plant from device frequencies (e.g. interior weekly, exterior monthly, ILT weekly in season and monthly in winter where the plan allows)
- Seasonal switches stored as dated rules, with the documented risk assessment attached when a plant moves off the default
- Visit status: Due, Scheduled, In progress, Devices incomplete, Report pending signature, Complete
- Coverage check: a visit cannot complete with unscanned devices unless each one has a reason (inaccessible, line running, area closed) logged
Module 4
Technician app: the device-by-device walk
A plant visit is 150 devices across freezers, flour rooms and dock aprons, with GMP rules and no signal in half of it.
- Opens on the plant's zone list; each zone shows its devices in walking order and last check's activity
- Scan the barcode inside the device; record activity (catch by species, feeding percentage, droppings), condition (OK, damaged, missing, moved, blocked) and action (cleaned, rebaited, replaced, glue board changed)
- ILT and pheromone checks: counts split into stored product insects, structure-infesting flies and other flying insects, with species for pheromone traps
- Pest sighting log screen: each plant entry since the last visit must have a response before the visit can close
- Works offline and syncs on reconnect; photos per finding
Module 5
Materials, applications and state reports
Every gram applied in a food plant has to be on the approved list, on the label, and on the state's use record.
- Approved materials list per plant: product, EPA registration number, label and SDS files, approved zones (e.g. no residuals in production), plant approval date
- Application record: product, EPA number, lot code, target pest, rate or concentration, amount, time, exact location, applicator and license number
- Blocks: a product not on the plant's approved list cannot be selected; interior rodenticide requires a plant approval record and reason
- State use record export with the fields your state requires (e.g. Texas 7.144) and two-year retention
- Fumigation jobs carry the Fumigation Management Plan, placards, monitoring log (time, readings, concentration by location) and re-entry clearance
Module 6
Thresholds, findings and corrective actions
Audits fail on what was seen and not closed. The loop from finding to fix has to be visible to both sides.
- Thresholds per device type and category agreed with the plant (e.g. a set number of stored product insects per ILT per week)
- Corrective action record: trigger (threshold breach, sighting, FDA or auditor finding), owner (plant or pest company), action, due date, status (Open, In progress, Verified, Closed), close-out evidence
- Conducive conditions: door gaps, spillage, open doors, vegetation, harborage; photo, zone, owner, due date
- Root cause note required before a repeat finding in the same zone can be closed
Module 7
Signed visit reports and monthly survey
NPMA expects the facility contact to sign the monthly observations and recommendations, and the plant files them in its binder.
- Visit report PDF from your template: devices serviced, activity by zone, applications, sightings answered, new findings
- Monthly survey checklist covering maintenance, employee practices, incoming materials, processing and shipping, signed on the phone by the plant contact
- Copies go to the plant and stay on the pest company record
Module 8
Trend reports, annual review and the audit binder
Auditors read trends, not visits. The annual review and the binder are where a programme proves it works.
- Monthly trend by device, zone, species and category, with 12-month comparison
- Annual review record: exterior and interior inspection, infestation summary, trend analysis, QA audit result, due before the contract anniversary
- Staff training record: date, content, attendance list
- Audit binder for any date range: current map and revisions, contract, approved materials, labels and SDS, credentials of everyone who serviced the plant, every check and application, trend charts, corrective actions
Module 9
Plant portal and multi-plant view
The plant's QA manager wants the binder without emailing you, and the corporate food safety lead wants every plant at once.
- Plant users see their map, open corrective actions with due dates, visit reports, trends and the binder
- Corporate users see all plants: open findings, missed frequencies, threshold breaches, upcoming audits
- Auditor view with read-only access for an audit window
The AI agents, set up for commercial pest control companies serving food plants
| Agent | When | What it does | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watcher agent | A device misses its scheme frequency (e.g. an interior trap at an AIB plant not scanned in 7 days), a threshold is breached, or ILT stored product insect counts rise three visits in a row in one zone | Checks the plant's scheme rules, the device's check history and open corrective actions, and separates a missed scan from real activity | A corrective action opened on the zone with the device IDs and counts, and an alert to the account manager and the plant's IPM coordinator |
| Scheduler agent | First business day of each month, and 30 days before each plant's audit window | Builds each plant's trend report by device, zone and species, lists open findings by owner, missed frequencies and expiring credentials | A monthly trend pack emailed to each plant's IPM coordinator, and a pre-audit readiness summary to your operations manager |
| Vision agent | A technician photographs a glue board, an ILT board or a pheromone trap liner | Reads the photo to estimate counts and flag likely categories (stored product insect, fly, other), for the technician to confirm | Count and category fields pre-filled on the check, with the photo kept on the device record |
| Voice agent | The technician speaks while walking, for example 'station 47, two mice, glue board replaced, gap under dock door 4' | Parses device, counts, action and finding and matches them to the current map | A check on device 47 and a conducive-condition finding on dock door 4, waiting for the photo |
| Autopilot | A plant-owned finding passes its due date (e.g. 14 days), or an FDA or auditor response deadline is 5 days away with corrective actions still open | Drafts a note to the plant contact listing each open finding with its photo, zone and due date | A draft email that a person approves before it is sent |
| Command Center | An auditor or QA manager asks, for example, 'show every rodent capture in the warehouse zone at plant 2 since March and what we did about it' | Queries device checks, applications and corrective actions across the plant | A filtered table and a PDF for the auditor, built from the live records |
Straight answers
Food plant pest control: FAQ
What software do commercial pest control companies serving food plants use?
They use software that keeps a numbered device map per plant, records every check by scanning a barcode inside the device, logs pesticide use with EPA registration numbers, and produces trend reports, corrective actions and an audit binder. PestPac by WorkWave and FieldRoutes are common pest-specific systems; sensor hardware such as Bell Laboratories' iQ traps sits alongside them; Rentokil runs its own PestConnect system for its customers. Fieldproxy is a configurable option built around each plant's device register, audit scheme rules and corrective-action loop.
How often should rodent traps be checked in a food plant?
Under the NPMA food plant standards, interior rodent monitoring devices are serviced at least weekly unless the customer agrees otherwise in writing, and exterior devices at least monthly. AIB expects at least weekly inside and monthly outside; Merieux NutriSciences expects interior checks at least twice a month; NSF-Cook & Thurber accepts weekly or a documented risk assessment with trend data.
How far apart should rodent devices be in a food facility?
Where 12 months of history is not available, NPMA and AIB start interior traps 20-40 ft apart along walls and exterior stations 50-100 ft apart, then adjust from activity data. Some schemes are tighter: Merieux uses 25-50 ft outside and wants traps within 10 ft of both sides of exterior doors, and YUM Brands asks for no more than 50 ft outside at packaging and distribution sites.
Is fixed spacing of rodent devices backed by research?
Not strongly. NPMA notes that 20-40 ft indoor and 50-100 ft outdoor spacing goes back to the 1940s and 1950s. A 2021 study of 12 food distribution centres in New York and Ontario found about 45% of interior devices caught mice and 56% of exterior stations showed feeding, with activity linked to warm areas, pathways, wall edges and dense vegetation, which supports placement by assessment.
Can rodenticide be used inside a food plant?
Generally not. The NPMA standards say rodenticides are not used inside food facilities unless approved by the facility contact and permitted by the label, documented and only temporarily. Several schemes, including SQF as summarised by NPMA, bar poison bait where product or packaging is handled or exposed. Many labels also limit use to inside and within 100 ft of buildings and require tamper-resistant stations in USDA inspected facilities.
How far should insect light traps be from food?
AIB wants ILTs more than 10 ft (3 m) from food contact surfaces, exposed product, packaging and raw materials, and not visible from outside. NSF-Cook & Thurber says not within 8 ft of food; Merieux NutriSciences wants high-voltage units at least 30 ft from exposed product. Bulbs are changed at least annually unless the manufacturer says otherwise.
What records does an auditor want from the pest contractor?
A signed contract, the approved materials list, EPA labels and SDS, the company license, technician certifications and food facility training, the insurance certificate, a current dated device map, service records for every device, pesticide application records, the pest sighting log, trend reports and corrective actions. NPMA adds that electronic records should be sortable by product, area, pest, date, time and shift.
What does FDA cite pest control under?
21 CFR 117.35(c), which says pests must not be allowed in any area of a food plant and requires effective exclusion. Recent warning letters cite rodent excreta pellets near food, open doors, pesticides stored on food, pest reports that ignored rodents, and responses with no pest control records.
Does BRCGS require a set number of pest visits a year?
No. BRCGS clause 4.14.2 says inspection frequency is determined by risk assessment and documented. Consultants often quote eight routine visits and four specialist visits a year as common practice, but that is practice, not the standard.
Do food plant pest technicians need special training?
Yes. The NPMA standards expect proof of verifiable food facility pest management training and an exam for each technician servicing the plant, alongside state applicator certification, and a five-year criminal background check for new hires entering food facilities.
Related guides
All sources on this page (22)
- source: 21 CFR 117.35, Sanitary operations, incl. (b)(2) toxic materials and (c) pest control (Cornell LII)
- source: NPMA, Pest Management Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities (2016 edition)
- source: NPMA, 3rd Party Audit Scheme comparison: AIB, BRC, FSSC 22000, NPMA, NSF-Cook & Thurber, PrimusGFS, Merieux, SQF, YUM (Aug 2023)
- source: FDA warning letter, US Gulf Coast Trading Co., Houston (5 Dec 2023)
- source: FDA warning letter, Middle East/Soli's Baking Co., Burlingame CA (25 Jul 2025)
- source: FDA warning letter, JZ Wholesale, Fort Smith AR (9 Mar 2026)
- source: NPMA ePestWorld, SQF releases new standard with remote monitoring device language (11.2.4)
- source: Techni-K, Is your BRC pest control contract compliant? (BRCGS clause 4.14)
- source: EPA label, Ramik Green Bait Packs, EPA Reg. No. 61282-48 (2012 amendment)
- source: 4 Tex. Admin. Code § 7.144, Pest Control Use Records
- source: Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Guidance for developing a Fumigation Management Plan (phosphine)
- source: AIB International, Tip of the week: Using pest monitoring devices effectively (14 Dec 2018)
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