FDA halts milk safety checks amid staff shortages
The FDA has suspended proficiency testing for Grade “A” milk and dairy products because of workforce cuts and lab closures, raising concerns about reduced oversight of food safety.
Key points
- The FDA stopped critical quality testing for Grade “A” milk due to staff shortages.
- The Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory can no longer support the program.
- The suspension follows the departure of employees from the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Routine proficiency checks for milk will not resume until at least September.
- Critics warn the move could weaken public health protections.
The FDA has suspended critical quality testing for Grade "A" milk and dairy products, citing staff shortages and lab closures. The agency’s Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory, responsible for ensuring consistent safety standards nationwide, can no longer support the program due to workforce cuts.
This move follows the departure of,00 employees from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of federal workforce reductions. The suspended program ensured labs could accurately detect pathogens like Cyclospora and avian influenza in dairy products.
Grade "A" milk, which adheres to strict sanitary regulations, will no longer undergo routine proficiency checks until at least September. The FDA is exploring alternative methods for future testing but has not provided specifics.
The suspension raises concerns about weakened oversight as other food safety programs, including pesticide and contaminant inspections, face similar cuts. Critics warn the decision could compromise public health protections established over a century ago.
Your questions, answered
Why did the FDA suspend milk safety testing?
The agency cited staff shortages and the closure of its Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory.
When might proficiency testing for Grade “A” milk resume?
The FDA said testing could resume no earlier than September.
What pathogens were previously checked in the suspended program?
The program helped labs detect pathogens such as Cyclospora and avian influenza in dairy products.
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