The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended its quality control program for testing fluid milk and other dairy products due to reduced capacity in its food safety division. The suspension affects Grade “A” raw milk and finished products, which meet the highest sanitary standards.
The move comes as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to shrink the federal workforce, resulting in the termination and departure of 20,000 employees, including those at the FDA. The agency has also suspended testing programs for bird flu in milk and cheese and pathogens like Cyclospora in other food products.
The suspension is temporary, with the FDA indicating it will evaluate alternative approaches for future testing. Laboratories that rely on these quality control tests to meet accreditation standards may face disruptions during this period.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-suspends-milk-quality-tests-amid-workforce-cuts-2025-04-21