This episode of Food Safety Five discusses a storm of rapid-fire changes that have occurred since President Trump’s inauguration, affecting federal agencies responsible for U.S. food safety and foodborne illness response, namely, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Such changes include mass layoffs of thousands of federal employees, including those responsible for reviewing food ingredient safety and avian influenza response, followed by moves to-rehire some terminated staffers; the resignation of former FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, James (Jim) Jones and the announcement of his replacement, Miami-based attorney Kyle Diamantas, J.D.; the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the confirmation of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture; food industry and stakeholders’ response to the uncertainty; and more.

News Articles:

• FDA, CDC Ordered to Temporarily Pause All External Communications, Obtain Trump Admin Approval
• Dr. Sara Brenner Appointed FDA Acting Commissioner as Trump Nominee Awaits Senate Confirmation
• USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong Dismissed by Trump Administration
• Brooke Rollins Confirmed as Secretary of Agriculture, Cites 'Aggressive Plan' to Eliminate USDA Jobs
• FDA Leader Jim Jones Resigns After 89 ‘Indiscriminate’ Firings in Human Foods Program
• Major Advocacy Groups Say Mass Layoffs at FDA Could Jeopardize Food Safety, ‘MAHA’ Agenda
• Attorney Kyle Diamantas Expected to Replace Jim Jones as FDA Deputy Commissioner of Human Foods
• FDA Moves to Rehire Some Human Foods Staffers Who Were Previously Fired
• Letter From 85 Congresspeople Urges End to Federal Public Health ‘Gag Order,’ Addressing Bird Flu