1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

The FDA's reported plans to end most routine food safety inspections and outsource this work to state authorities raise significant concerns over potential risks to public health. Abdicating a core federal responsibility for ensuring the safety of our national food supply could jeopardize consumer protection and open the door to more foodborne illnesses. While cost-saving measures may be a consideration, compromising rigorous oversight puts profits before people. I urge you to strongly oppose any efforts to diminish the FDA's vital role in routine inspections and enforcement. The federal government has resources and expertise that many states lack to conduct these inspections consistently and effectively across all states. A fractured, decentralized system raises the risk of lapses that could endanger the health and wellbeing of Americans. Food safety should be a top priority, not an area to cut corners. The public deserves full confidence that the food supply is receiving proper scrutiny from qualified inspectors following standardized protocols. Abruptly shifting this duty to states seems like an irresponsible dereliction that could enable more preventable contamination incidents. I ask that you use your authority to ensure robust federal oversight continues protecting our nation's food safety and public health.