1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

President Trump's decision to eliminate the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) is a major setback for food safety in the United States. These expert committees provided crucial scientific advice and recommendations to government agencies responsible for safeguarding the nation's food supply. The NACMCF was established in 1988 to provide an interagency approach to microbiological criteria, as numerous federal, state, and local agencies are involved in food safety. Its impartial guidance has been vital for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, FDA, CDC, and other agencies in carrying out their food safety missions. Likewise, the NACMPI advised the Secretary of Agriculture on matters affecting federal and state meat and poultry inspection programs. Disbanding these long-standing committees eliminates an essential layer of scientific expertise in identifying and responding to foodborne illness threats. Their absence increases the risk to public health and food safety. I urge you to call on the Administration to reinstate the NACMCF and NACMPI immediately. Restoring these expert advisory bodies is critical to protect American consumers from preventable foodborne diseases.