Key Federal Food Safety Advisory Committees, NACMCF and NACMPI, Have Been Terminated
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Two key food safety advisory committees have been terminated—the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI).
In a statement, food safety and consumer advocacy organization Consumer Reports said, “The termination of these two important advisory committees is very alarming and should serve as a warning to consumers that food safety will not be a priority at USDA in the foreseeable future. These expert panels provide impartial scientific advice and recommendations to USDA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on public health issues related to food safety in the U.S. The failure to recognize and leverage the value of this scientific expertise is dangerous and irresponsible.”
Sandra Eskin, J.D., former Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety at USDA and current CEO of food safety and consumer advocacy nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness, said, "NACMCF and NACMPI ensure that federal food safety oversight is science-based and informed by a broad range of stakeholders. Without the input of these committees, we [at Stop Foodborne Illness] have little confidence that the food safety policies at USDA and FDA will, in fact, Make America Healthy Again."
No statement about the cancellation of NACMCF and NACMPI has yet been made by the Presidential Administration or any other federal public health agency or department.
Prior to its termination, NACMCF was working on advice related to significant and deadly foodborne illness outbreaks, to prevent similar issues for reoccurring. Most recently, NACMCF was charged with reviewing USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Services’ (FSIS’) regulatory approach for Listeria monocytogenes, prompted by the fatal listeriosis outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats that occurred in the later half of 2024. Other issues NACMCF was addressing included Cronobacter in powdered infant formula for FDA, which has become a priority of the agency after illnesses and deaths of infants who consumed infant formula were reported in 2022. The foodborne illnesses led to an investigation of Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan facility—a major producer of infant formula in the U.S.—resulting in a nationwide shortage of formula after the discovery of Cronobacter led to a recall and halt in production.
Recent NACMPI meetings focused on USDA-FSIS’ definitions for establishment sizes and use of inspection technology, as well as ways in which FSIS could enhance engagement with underserved communities to promote equity while strengthening the food supply chain and ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.
NACMCF was established in 1988 by the Secretary of Agriculture, after consulting with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The committee provides impartial scientific advice and recommendations to federal agencies on microbiological and public health issues relative to the safety of the U.S. food supply. NACMPI was established in 1971 to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on matters affecting federal and state inspection program activities. The current Secretary of Agriculture and HHS Secretary were recently confirmed as Brooke Rollins and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (known for his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda), respectively.
Update, March 14, 2025: Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has written a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, urging her to rescind the decision to terminate NACMCF and NACMPI.
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