Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2025This bill provides that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may, under specified circumstances, request access to a concentrated animal-feeding operation (i.e., a stabled or confined animal-feeding operation of a specified size) to conduct microbial sampling.Specifically, the bill allows the FDA to request access if the FDA determines that sampling is necessary to facilitate an investigation of a foodborne-illness outbreak, determine the cause of an outbreak, or address other public health needs. Concentrated animal-feeding operations must provide reasonable access for sampling, including sampling of plants, animals, water, and the environment. The bill imposes penalties on operations that refuse to provide reasonable access. Data collected in sampling efforts under this bill must be shared with the Department of Agriculture and state and federal public health agencies to facilitate the detection, investigation, and prevention of foodborne illness.
The introduction of HB 852 marks a significant step toward improving food safety protocols by allowing for increased oversight of concentrated animal feeding operations. The bill mandates that these operations provide reasonable access to FDA officials for microbial sampling, which includes testing of plants, animals, water, and the environment. This new authority not only aims to prevent future outbreaks of foodborne illnesses but also ensures that data collected from such testing is shared with the Secretary of Agriculture and relevant public health agencies, thereby promoting a coordinated approach to tackling food safety challenges.
House Bill 852, known as the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2025, aims to enhance food safety regulations by granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to conduct microbial sampling on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). This measure is designed to facilitate investigations into foodborne illness outbreaks, enabling the FDA to determine their root causes and address various public health needs associated with food safety. The bill reflects an increasing emphasis on proactive measures to manage food safety risks in the agricultural sector.
There may be concerns regarding the implementation of this bill from various stakeholders, particularly from agricultural producers who may worry about additional oversight and potential disruptions to their operations. Although the bill specifically states that it will not impose additional requirements beyond microbial sampling, the expectation that CAFOs will allow FDA access for testing could create tension between producers and regulators. Potential opponents may argue that this could lead to operational burdens or privacy issues, while proponents of the bill might emphasize its necessity for safeguarding public health.