The FDA is preparing to eliminate most of its regular federal food safety inspections-a move some say could dramatically shift how food is monitored in the United States.
According to sources with insight into internal plans, the agency is working to transfer inspection authority of food facilities to state and local authorities. The move faces strong criticism from advocates for food safety and experts in public health.
But under the proposed policy shift, the FDA would no longer conduct most of the routine inspections of manufacturers, processing plants, and packaging facilities; instead, it would lean much more on partnerships with state-level health departments and other regulatory bodies.
While FDA would retain responsibility for high-risk inspections, outbreak investigations, and oversight of imported foods, the day-to-day monitoring work would largely be left to local jurisdictions.
This change comes amid federal budget constraints along with internal staffing cuts. Reports even suggest that the FDA’s own key system to respond to outbreaks of foodborne illness, the Food Emergency Response Network, FERN, is facing budgetary cuts. The cuts have forced the agency to concentrate on core emergency activities and to simplify routine operations.
The FDA spokesperson wouldn’t publicly confirm the extent of the change but said, “FDA’s ongoing restructuring efforts are intended to improve efficiency and modernize oversight systems.”
Critics, however, say that this is a dangerous backward step for public health.
“This decentralization increases the risk of uneven food safety standards across states”, according to Dr Angela Wilmot, a professor of food science at Tufts University. “Many of these local agencies are underfunded and may not be able to match the FDA’s oversight in terms of capacity and/or expertise.”
Public interest groups, such as Consumer Reports and the Center for Science in the Public Interest, have sounded the alarms, describing the move as short-sighted and calling for Congressional oversight.
“If this policy goes forward, we’re essentially gambling with the safety of the national food supply,” said the CSPI’s deputy director, John Carlson.
Currently, the FDA regulates about 80 percent of the U.S. food supply, including all non-meat and non-poultry products. By lessening federal inspections, watchdogs worry that:
- Inconsistent enforcement of safety protocols
- Slower Response to Contamination Events
- Increased burden on already stretched local health departments
- Greater variability between regions regarding the quality and safety of food
FDA inspections have traditionally formed the backbone of the detection of outbreaks linked to salmonella, E. coli, and listeria that have sparked recalls before the products hit the shelves or reach widespread distribution.
Some state officials have expressed concern that the added responsibility is being passed down without clear funding or staffing support.
“We support stronger state-level enforcement, but it needs to come with resources,” said the director of public health in New Jersey. “Otherwise, we’re being set up to fail.”
Whereas a few states with better-developed food safety infrastructures, like California and Minnesota, welcome the change as a way to move toward more localization and agility in inspections.
FDA is making plans to end routine food safety inspections — CBS News
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) April 17, 2025
This decision seems to form part of a general trend at the federal level to devolve oversight roles to states and municipalities.
In this respect, other proposed or enacted initiatives involve the administration of Medicaid, environmental regulation, and education policy. While the shift represents a return to state autonomy for advocates of limited government, to public health professionals, the consequences of such changes raise concerns about fragmented oversight and less national consistency in safety standards.
Though the FDA hasn’t published a final rule or any public roadmap for changes, leaked internal memos indicate that the transition could start as early as Q3 2025, including a phased withdrawal from low-risk facility inspections by federal agents.
Led by Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, and Senator Mike Braun, R-IN, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is working on legislation that would block the FDA from offloading federal inspection duties without Congressional approval. If the rule takes effect, this would represent the largest rollback of federal authority on food safety in decades.
While public health advocates raise the alarms and state agencies scramble for a preparation plan, one thing is almost certain: the task of keeping food safe could soon be a burden closer to your neighborhood.
- Dolly’s Locations in Cincinnati and Dayton Closing Early Ahead of Final Day - October 24, 2025
- National Guard Deployment to San Francisco Put on Hold After Trump Talks With Tech Leaders - October 24, 2025
- Mayor Eric Adams Backs Andrew Cuomo to Halt Zohran Mamdani’s Rise in NYC Race - October 24, 2025
