SAFE FOOD Act of 2025
The SAFE FOOD Act of 2025 would require the Secretary of Agriculture to study the possibility of consolidating the federal agencies that play a primary role in food safety—the Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—into a single agency. The study must be completed within 60 days of enactment, and a comprehensive report with the study results and the Secretary’s recommendations for consolidation must be submitted to Congress within one year. The bill does not itself create a new agency or authorize funding; it only mandates a study and a follow-up report to explore the framework and efficiency of potential consolidation. The bill is introduced in the Senate, sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton, and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. It is framed as a step toward evaluating organizational design and efficiency in food oversight, rather than making immediate policy changes.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act may be cited as the Study And Framework for Efficiency in Food Oversight and Organizational Design Act of 2025 (SAFE FOOD Act of 2025).
- 2Study requirement: Within 60 days after enactment, the Secretary of Agriculture must conduct a study on consolidating federal food safety agencies (FSIS, FDA, CDC) into a single agency.
- 3Scope of agencies: The study focuses on agencies with a primary role in ensuring food safety, explicitly mentioning FSIS, FDA, and CDC.
- 4Reporting deadline: Within 1 year after enactment, the Secretary must submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing the study results and any recommendations regarding consolidation.
- 5Limitations: The bill does not specify funding, implementation steps, or the creation of a new single agency; it only directs a study and a report to Congress.