ST. LOUIS, MO — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently unveiled a sweeping plan to modernize food safety enforcement, highlighted by the opening of a state-of-the-art Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory in Normandy, Missouri. The initiative, announced by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, underscores a renewed commitment to combating foodborne illness and strengthening consumer confidence in the nation’s food supply.
The plan centers on five key areas: expanded microbiological testing, enhanced inspector training, a new approach to reducing Salmonella, deeper state partnerships, and increased enforcement actions. Rollins emphasized the Trump administration’s focus on elevating safety standards for meat, poultry, and egg products while reducing regulatory burdens on small producers.
In 2025, FSIS has already increased Listeria testing by more than 200%, conducted 440 in-depth food safety assessments, and administered updated Listeria training to over 5,200 inspectors. The agency also scrapped the previous administration’s Salmonella plan, instead pledging to work collaboratively with stakeholders on a revised, less burdensome framework.
Additionally, $14.5 million in new funding was allocated to support state-run inspection programs, with all 29 participating states signing updated cooperative agreements. FSIS has conducted in-person reviews at 77% of establishments in the Talmadge-Aiken program and issued 103 enforcement actions so far this year — a 36% increase over 2024.
Rollins stated the USDA is “charting a bold new course” and reaffirmed her department’s mission to deliver a food supply that is “safe, wholesome, and second to none.”
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