FSIS Training

Inspection Methods In-Person Course

(IMI1_2026-1803, IMI2_2026-1803)

April 21 – May 6, 2026

Nominations are due: Friday, March 27, 2026

Nominations are to be entered in the Registration Application/Syberworks via OFO District Resource Coordinators or state registration contacts.  Nominations from all other FSIS program areas are to be submitted to CFL Class Registration on the attached Excel spreadsheet through Outlook.  Please include the employee’s full legal name.

When submitting nominations, identify employees required to successfully complete this course to meet the Training as a Condition of Employment (TCOE).

The final exam will be given in class on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

Course Overview

The Inspection Methods course covers the essential FSIS inspection verification tasks for newly promoted or newly hired Consumer Safety Inspectors (CSIs) and PHVs. This course focuses on the essential knowledge needed for the CSI position; some of the major topics covered include sanitation, Hazard Analysis Verification, HACCP verification, sampling, sanitary dressing procedures, humane handling, raw, ready-to-eat, and shelf-stable product hazards and preventive measures, the Listeria regulations, export certification, food defense, and the Public Health Information System (PHIS) establishment profile and the task calendar. This course is also part of the PHV program.

Target Audience

Newly hired or selected CSIs including those selected to work in NPIS/NSIS establishments, PHVs who have not attended PHV training, and State Inspectors.

Lodging

Please contact your District or State Office for details with lodging.

Travel Information

Travel to the course should be planned to ensure full course attendance.

NOTE: Baggage Costs: Reimbursement is limited to one checked bag. A receipt is required for every authorized expense of $75 or more (each way). There will be no reimbursement for overweight baggage.

Each nominated employee or travel arranger will be required to prepare a travel authorization in the Concur system prior to travel. Please select the above accounting code from the drop-down menu in the Accounting section.

Rental cars are not approved for travel to this training course. Students wishing to travel by POV to this training must contact their district office.

Travelers without government credit cards are allowed to request a travel advance through the Concur travel system.

Course Logistics

This course will be conducted in-person all 3 weeks at the designated hotel. Participants will need their government-issued computer for all 3 weeks of the IM training.

NOTE: Participants are now required to use a government-issued computer. If a government-issued computer is needed, please submit a request to CEC prior to the class.  Training computers will no longer be available for the IM class.  However, study guides will be shipped to the hotel prior to the class.  

Participants should bring their government-issued computer and power cord to the in-person training.

PHVs will also use their government-issued computer for the PHV training.

Prior to the class, District and State POCs will be provided with instructions to share with participants for accessing the training. These instructions will include logging into the computer and accessing the training website with the participant’s username and password. District and State POCs must provide this information to the participants prior to the start of the class. Participants should test the functionality of their computer and other equipment prior to the beginning of the class.

For technical assistance with accessing the training, please send an email to CFLHelpDesk@usda.gov. Do not contact the CEC Help Desk.  

Participants who do not receive a passing test result should have access to a government- issued computer & equipment for a retest.  A voluntary Retest Review Session will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 10 am – 2pm ET in Microsoft Teams for all IM participants who failed the exam.  An instructor will send the TEAMS invitation prior to the

review session.  The dates for the retest exam are May 21 and 22, 2026. 

Dress Code 

Although FSIS does not have a formal dress code, the goal is to always project a positive and professional image. Some examples of inappropriate clothing in the FSIS worksite include:

·         shorts

·         flip flops

·         short skirts

·         crop tops

·         tank tops

·         clothing that is not neat, clean, and free from holes/tears or that have messages that may be offensive to others

Participants are not to wear these types of clothing to any training sessions.

If you have any questions regarding the course, send an email to: CFL.ClassRegistration@usda.gov.  

The upcoming course calendar and course materials can be accessed on the FSIS website at: Inspection Training & Videos | Food Safety and Inspection Service (usda.gov).

The IM Workbook can be accessed on the FSIS website at:

• IM Workbook – February 2026
  • Part 1 
  • Part 2
  • Part 3