The FDA has conducted record-low foreign food inspections this year, with a significant decline attributed to staffing cuts under the Trump administration. The agency oversees 80% of what people eat and regulates more than 220,000 farms, but it now conducts fewer foreign inspections due to staff losses.
Foreign food inspections have plummeted to historic lows, with some experts warning that an increased risk of outbreaks is a likely consequence. In recent years, the FDA has uncovered disturbing lapses in facilities producing food bound for American supermarkets.
The drop in foreign inspections coincides with other actions taken by the administration to undermine the nation’s food safety net. The FDA was forced to delay compliance with a rule to speed up the identification and removal of harmful products and suspend a quality control program due to staffing cuts.
Critics argue that the agency’s cutbacks will lead to fewer regulatory oversight, putting public health at risk. “When you take a wrecking ball to the federal government, you are going out undermining important government functions that keep all of us safe,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at Environmental Working Group.
The FDA has long struggled with retaining investigators who conduct both foreign and domestic inspections. With only 20 investigators dedicated solely to international assignments, the agency’s inspections have often been reactive instead of proactive.
Source: https://www.propublica.org/article/foreign-food-safety-inspections-historic-low-fda