Food Safety Concerns Rise Amidst Federal Workforce Reductions
A recent report from Defend America Action highlights a potential correlation between the reduction of food safety enforcement under the Trump administration and an increase in foodborne illnesses across the United States.
In recent months, there have been over 15,000 cases of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne illness linked to iceberg lettuce, causing symptoms like low-grade fevers and painful diarrhea. Additionally, several store-bought guacamole products were recalled in August due to possible salmonella contamination.
The trend has been particularly noticeable during President Donald Trump’s second term. Last year, an outbreak of listeria in ready-to-eat pasta products resulted in 25 hospitalizations and six fatalities. The federal government was unable to determine the source for 13 out of the 28 foodborne illness outbreaks reported in the same year.
“As families spent this summer wondering what was safe to put on the dinner table, everyone is wondering what happened to the safeguards designed to protect our food supply,” the report states.
Federal agencies responsible for food safety and public health, namely the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), experienced significant staff reductions due to the White House initiative known as DOGE. This initiative aimed to streamline the federal workforce, which led to the FDA losing 3,859 employees and the USDA losing 19,984, including 874 from its Food Safety and Inspection Service.
While the White House claimed that food safety inspectors were not part of the layoffs, the reduction of support staff has contributed to a backlog of uninspected food producers. Notably, the farm implicated in the cyclosporiasis outbreak had not been inspected for seven years.
Under Trump, the CDC also reduced the number of foodborne pathogens it monitors from six to two, excluding cyclosporiasis and listeria from its surveillance.
The report emphasizes, “FDA inspections are the first line of defense for mitigating contamination outbreaks,” applicable to both domestic and imported products.
Beyond health concerns, the economic impact of foodborne illnesses is significant. USDA data indicates that such illnesses previously cost Americans $75 billion annually in medical expenses, lost productivity, and premature deaths. This figure is expected to rise as safeguards diminish.
According to a CBS poll, 40% of Americans are now consuming less produce across various brands and types, not limited to those affected by cyclosporiasis. Another survey revealed that many Americans have little to no confidence in government oversight of food safety.
“Even though Trump and his allies promised to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’” the report concludes, “his administration has made it harder to find out what is making Americans sick.”
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