The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has suspended its quality control program for testing fluid milk and other dairy products due to workforce reductions and a transition in lab facilities, according to internal communications obtained by Reuters.
The program, known as the Proficiency Testing Program for Grade “A” dairy products, ensures the consistency and accuracy of lab testing across the country. It plays a key role in verifying that milk, cheese, and yogurt meet strict safety standards before reaching consumers.
The suspension took effect on April 21 and follows significant staff layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the FDA. Earlier this month, HHS eliminated approximately 10,000 positions across multiple agencies, including the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. While the FDA has not officially confirmed that staffing reductions are the direct cause, internal emails suggest that the loss of critical lab personnel has impacted operations.
The suspended testing program was managed by the FDA’s Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory, which can no longer support testing functions or data analysis. The lab was already slated for decommissioning, but the sudden workforce changes have accelerated the pause in services.
In the interim, state and federal labs will continue to analyze food samples. An FDA spokesperson confirmed that the agency is working to transfer the program to another facility to resume operations, though no timeline has been provided.
The pause is part of a broader disruption in food safety oversight. The Food Emergency Response Network (FERN), a joint initiative between the FDA and USDA, also suspended its lab quality assurance program due to similar staffing challenges. That program oversees testing for contaminants such as Cyclospora and glyphosate in fruits, vegetables, and grains. The pause affects about 170 food testing labs nationwide.
These developments have raised questions about the robustness of the country’s food safety system, especially as bird flu monitoring in dairy products has also been curtailed. Without the FDA’s regular proficiency testing, labs may face challenges maintaining accreditation and ensuring accurate results.
As the FDA works to reestablish these programs at alternative sites, consumers and industry stakeholders alike are left wondering when — and how — full oversight will return.
