ARRC Signs Joint Letter Urging Continued Support for FDA Human Foods Program

The Alliance for Recall Ready Communities has joined a diverse coalition of consumer advocates, public health leaders, and industry organizations in signing a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging continued support for the Food and Drug Administration’s Human Foods Program.

As an alliance focused on improving recall readiness across the supply chain, we recognize that strong leadership and resources at the FDA are essential to protecting public health. We’re proud to stand alongside fellow organizations committed to advancing a food safety system that is coordinated, well-resourced, and future-ready. The full text of the letter appears below:

March 5, 2025

The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Hubert H. Humphrey Building

200 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20201

via E-mail

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

As a coalition of consumer, industry and public health stakeholder groups with a vested interest in the Food and Drug Administration’s work on food safety, nutrition and chronic disease, we urge you not to cut additional resources and staffing for the agency’s Human Foods Program critical to achieving its statutory based mission. Maintaining safe, accessible, and affordable food is a fundamental public health priority and a key component of your Make America Healthy Again platform. An under-resourced food safety agency could jeopardize your stated objectives to improve nutrition and ingredient safety for children and adults.

Adequate resources are critical not only for foodborne illness outbreak response but also for developing and updating food safety standards, providing science-based industry guidance, and ensuring a well-trained federal-state inspection force to protect the integrity of our food system. We are optimistic that under your leadership, and with sufficient funding and manpower, FDA can realize several critical improvements that will advance the health and wellbeing of all Americans.

Ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply is a shared responsibility. Moreover, finding efficiencies, increasing transparency and coalescing the agency around its core objectives will improve public health. The undersigned organizations stand ready to provide feedback on key programs and assist in proactive dialogue to look for efficiencies and potential cost savings that could be used to enhance the effectiveness of FDA programs.

Sincerely,

Alliance for Recall Ready Communities

American Frozen Food Institute

Association of Food and Drug Officials

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Consumer Brands Association

Consumer Federation of America

Consumer Reports

Council for Responsible Nutrition

Edible Oil Producers Association

Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security – The George Washington University

International Association of Color Manufacturers

International Dairy Foods Association

International Food Additives Council

North American Millers’ Association

Recall InfoLink

STOP Foodborne Illness

The Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association

Western Growers

Dr. Darin Detwiler

Bill Marler

Dr. Jennifer McEntire

Sharon Natanblut

Dr. Stephen Ostroff

Michael Taylor

cc: Kyle Diamantas, Acting FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods