{"id":33769,"date":"2023-10-23T00:01:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T04:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=33769"},"modified":"2023-10-20T08:01:46","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T12:01:46","slug":"dont-get-comfortable-government-shutdown-exacerbates-food-safety-threats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2023\/10\/dont-get-comfortable-government-shutdown-exacerbates-food-safety-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Get Comfortable: Government Shutdown Exacerbates Food Safety Threats"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, October 23, 2023) As the immediate threat of a government shutdown has temporarily subsided, concerns are mounting over the potential threats to food safety in the United States if the government shuts down in mid-November. Experts are warning that a shutdown could jeopardize critical food safety inspections and oversight. A partial government shutdown in 2019 disrupted federal oversight of food monitoring for various pathogens and pesticides, as labs were shuttered, with agency employees furloughed. See Beyond Pesticide\u2019s reporting<\/a> about food safety risks during the last government shutdown. However, it should be noted that residues of pesticides in food continue to raise concerns about safety of food grown in chemical-intensive (conventional) farming operations.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) contingency plans dictate that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) continue its regulatory inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products, as mandated by law. However, it is important to note that the FSIS will operate with a reduced workforce, with a portion of employees deemed “essential personnel”<\/a> for food safety operations.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is also preparing for a potential shutdown. According to HHS’s contingency plans, the agency expects to furlough about 42% of its workforce, or approximately 35,000 staff,<\/a> with exemptions given to those involved in activities already funded or deemed necessary for the safety of human life or protection of property.<\/p>\n

Despite these measures, experts are expressing concerns about the potential impact on food safety. FDA, responsible for regulating approximately 80 percent of the U.S. food supply, <\/a>may be hindered in its ability to conduct proactive inspections and respond effectively to foodborne illness outbreaks.<\/p>\n

Former FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas has cautioned that government shutdowns can pose significant risks to food safety. During the 2018-19 shutdown, essential government services allowed the FDA to address foodborne outbreaks, but it hampered the agency’s ability to carry out essential proactive inspections. Mr. Yiannas elaborated on how shutdowns impact the agency’s operations. He noted that during that time, the classification of “essential government services” enabled the FDA to respond to foodborne outbreaks but prohibited the agency from conducting proactive inspections. Mr. Yiannas said during an interview with Politico<\/a>, \u201cWhile we worked hard to try to expand the definition of \u2018essential services\u2019 last time to include the inspection of high-risk food facilities, the reality is another shutdown would be extremely disruptive and it would result in a ripple throughout the food system ranging from inspections, food testing, interactions with other regulators, and the necessary interactions and consultation with the food industry at large.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the funding deadline approaches, the fate of U.S. food safety remains uncertain, with stakeholders and experts closely monitoring developments in Congress and their potential impact on the nation’s food supply chain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Farm Bill is one major point of contention and stalled negotiations say lead to a shutdown. Many conservatives are saying, “we need to put farms back into the Farm Bill.” However, this shortened “Farm Bill” name leaves out the “food security” history in the bill. The American Farm Bureau<\/a> is starting to make this rebranding change, by calling it the (Food and) Farm Bill. In 2018, the Farm Bill was called the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Originally, as part of the New Deal in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Agricultural Adjustment Act and it was later called the Soil Conservation Act (1935), the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (1936), and the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act (1973). Importantly, in 1985, the name was changed to The Food Security Act, which incentivized wetland preservation and prevention of soil erosion. Despite the various names of the Omnibus bill<\/a>, it was never just a “farm bill,” and over the past several decades, food stamps and SNAP benefits have been integral to the food security of the US and its “Farm Bill.”<\/p>\n

However, that is not the end of the story. Under the best of circumstances, the safety of the food supply is under threat of contamination from chemical-intensive practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The complete Pesticide Data Program (PDP)<\/a> database for 2020 yielded the following results: (Background on the program is available at\u00a0http:\/\/www.ams.usda.gov\/pdp<\/a>.)<\/p>\n