President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut down the federal workforce may be linked to the Department of Health and Human Services and FDA suspending milk quality tests.
Existing and developing programs for testing bird flu in milk and cheese, as well as pathogens like the parasite Cyclospora in other foods, were also suspended in April, according to Reuters.
“The FDA is actively evaluating alternative approaches for the upcoming fiscal year and will keep all participating laboratories informed as new information becomes available,” said an April 14 email from the FDA’s Division of Dairy Safety addressed to “Network Laboratories.”
In total, the Trump administration proposes cutting $40 billion from the agency.
Should milk consumers be concerned? Here’s what we know.
What products has the FDA’s Division of Dairy Safety paused?
The newly introduced 16-ounce, resealable yellow plastic bottles of chocolate milk is running the production line at Purity plant in Nashville on March 10, 1998. Purity’s beverages haven’t previously been too portable as the shapes of their cartons and jugs weren’t friendly to cupholders and lunch sacks, but that changed with the new plastic bottles for its milks and juices.
The testing of Grade A dairy products like pasteurized and raw milk, cheese, and yogurt are currently being paused by the FDA’s Division of Dairy Safety. Grade “A” milk or fluid milk are products of the highest sanitary standards.
“Until now, these products were required to meet the agency’s strictest sanitary criteria before hitting shelves at your local grocery store, but that oversight is currently on hold,” said Yahoo News.
Why was testing suspended?
The Food Emergency Response Network Proficiency Program stated testing was suspended due to the FDA’s Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory “no longer being able to provide laboratory support for proficiency testing and data analysis,” according to the email from the FDA’s Division of Dairy Safety. Before staff layoffs, the laboratory was already in plans to be decommissioned, said a Department of Human and Health Services spokesperson. They also said that dairy testing will continue.
When will testing continue?
It is unclear when the Food Emergency Response Network Proficiency Program will continue testing for Grade A dairy products, but on April 22, an FDA spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY that the program is in the process of “transferring to another lab that will allow the program to continue.” The agency also said state and federal labs will continue to analyze food samples and will work with states to “protect the safety of the pasteurized milk supply.”
Should consumers be worried about the testing pause?
Cornell University assistant research professor Nicole Martin, who studies dairy foods microbiology, told the Washington Post that the testing suspension is “an inconvenience,” but that consumers should not be concerned.
“… we’re a very highly regulated industry, and it’s going to continue to be very careful regulated and monitored,” she said.
Matt Herrick, executive vice president of the International Dairy Foods Association, also weighed in on the situation.
“This is not a suspension of milk testing,” he wrote in an email to the Washington Post. “Dairy facilities and milk continue to be regularly tested and inspected by regulatory authorities (state and federal) as required by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, which has ensured milk safety for over 100 years.”
Milk and dairy are one of the items regularly given, as seen Thursday, March 13, 2025 at the Crooked Creek Food Pantry.
Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: FDA suspends milk, dairy testing: Is it safe to drink milk?
