From Snapshots to Solutions: The Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s Mission to Safeguard Public Health through Regular Retail Food Establishment Inspections

The Consumer Health Services Division of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture conducts regular inspections of retail food establishments throughout the state. This is especially important in areas where there is no local health department conducting inspections. Campbell County establishments are inspected at least once a year by the WDA, and their reports are made public and can be found on the WDA’s website.

During these routine inspections, businesses are either found to be in or out of compliance with critical or non-critical violations. The main goal of the WDA is to educate businesses on unsafe practices and ways to correct them, rather than simply punishing them for violations. Any violation makes a business out of compliance, but violations can vary in severity and do not necessarily mean that a business is unsafe.

Inspections are a “snapshot” in time, and many violations are corrected before the inspector leaves the facility. Depending on the severity of the violation, businesses will have anywhere between 10 and 45 days to correct it. Notable quotes or serious violations will be included in summary notes, but full reports for each restaurant can be found on the WDA’s website where all current information is published.

On May 7th, 2024, a health inspector conducted an inspection meeting with the chef at THE CENTER BAR kitchen in Campbell County. One violation was found: ice that was served for drinks was observed being used as a coolant for cold plates and drink lines. It was discussed with an employee that using ice as a coolant for food items would not comply with food safety regulations and could cause illnesses from contaminated food products. A food-safe plastic bin could be used instead to hold ice while still allowing soda to be served cold without compromising its quality or taste.