With federal food safety jobs on the chopping block, the regulatory rulebook is being quietly rewritten—raising critical questions about who’s now responsible for keeping the system from boiling over. In a sweeping shift, the FDA under the Trump administration has signaled its intent to delegate a significant portion of its food safety inspection duties to individual states. This, paired with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial proposal to eliminate thousands of FDA jobs, signals a future where oversight is inconsistent, accountability is blurred, and food safety threats are more difficult to detect and prevent.
To help decode this shift, consider the perspective of a compliance insider—TraceGains’ Regulatory Standards Manager. With many years spent navigating evolving frameworks and enforcement gaps, her insights offer a rare glimpse into how industry veterans are sizing up the future.
“Oversight isn’t disappearing—it’s shifting. Manufacturers now face more responsibility as inspections move to under-resourced state agencies.”
-Kari Barnes, Regulatory Standards Manager
Kari Barnes, Regulatory Standards Manager at TraceGains, is on a mission to shape global frameworks for the food, beverage, and dietary supplements industries. With nearly 20 years of dynamic leadership and expertise in regulatory compliance, food safety, and quality systems, Kari pairs technical precision with a people-first approach. Her background in molecular genetics and food microbiology, backed by a B.S. in Biological Sciences, fuels her innovative edge. Driven by a passion for sustainability, environmental protection, and social equity, Kari is dedicated to creating a healthier, more equitable world through smarter global standards.
So what should F&B brands do when the system built to protect them—and their consumers—is being restructured in real time? Let’s examine the most uncomfortable truths about this new era and what actionable steps companies can take to stay in control.
1. You’re now living in 50 different regulatory realities
The idea of a single national food safety standard is rapidly becoming outdated. With the FDA’s inspection duties shifting to the states, brands may soon be managing 50 different sets of compliance requirements.
“It’s like trying to play one game with 50 different rulebooks. A product you’ve sold for years might suddenly trigger a red flag—not because it’s changed, but because the local priorities have.”
Action Step: Combat regulatory fragmentation with centralized digital tools. Standardizing your compliance systems internally means you’re not constantly rewriting SOPs for every state line your product crosses.
2. State budgets aren’t built for this
Many states lack the staff, funding, and technical expertise to maintain FDA-level rigor. This opens gaps in oversight and increases the likelihood of underreported violations.
“Handing the baton to the states doesn’t mean they’re ready to run the race. We’ll see wide variation in inspection frequency, depth, and quality—and that introduces blind spots in the system.”
Former FDA officials publicly support this concern, noting how uneven resources may compromise enforcement standards. The result? An unpredictable regulatory patchwork where food safety threats can go undetected.
Action Step: Invest in internal safety nets. With automated quality assurance, critical control point monitoring, and AI-driven alerts, you’re no longer reliant on external inspections to keep your brand in the clear.
3. When oversight declines, contamination risks multiply
“When inspections slow, contamination doesn’t politely wait. Pathogens don’t care who’s in charge—they just spread. Without a strong safety net, outbreaks could become more likely. And for brands, that implies increased risk”.
The math is simple. Fewer inspections = more room for error. And those errors can be deadly.
Many experts and food safety officials have confirmed this risk, warning that delayed or inconsistent inspections could weaken our collective ability to prevent contaminated products from reaching the public.
Action Step: Implement full-spectrum traceability. End-to-end visibility into ingredients, production lots, and suppliers means you can act fast, isolate issues, and keep food safety threats from becoming front-page news.
4. Liability is landing squarely in your lap
In this new model, there’s no longer a consistent federal standard to fall back on if something goes wrong.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all protection anymore. If you’re facing a recall or a contamination issue, it won’t matter that state inspectors were slow, or that protocols were unclear—you could end up holding the bag.”
And in a decentralized enforcement environment, even proving you did the “right thing” becomes murky.
Action Step: Digital documentation is your insurance policy. Track every formulation, every supplier certification, every corrective action. It’s your best defense in legal disputes and brand reputation crises alike.
5. Consumer trust is easier to lose—and harder to regain
“Today’s consumers are savvy. If they think brands can’t guarantee safety anymore, they’ll switch allegiances fast. And thanks to social media, one bad batch can go viral before your team finishes its crisis response email.”
The patchwork of regulatory enforcement won’t just confuse manufacturers—it’ll confuse consumers too. And trust, once lost, doesn’t return easily.
Action Step: Invest in transparency. From supply chain dashboards to QR codes that verify sourcing, showing—not just telling—your commitment to food safety will help retain consumer confidence even in uncertain times.
What F&B brands should do right now
The future of food safety is fractured. But that doesn’t mean your operations have to be. Here’s your new to-do list:
1. Build your own consistency
Federal standards may vary, but your brand’s reputation shouldn’t. Set high internal benchmarks—and enforce them—no matter what the state requires.
2. Digitize your operations
Manual spreadsheets and paper records won’t cut it in a fragmented world. Automation, traceability, and real-time data-sharing are the new minimum.
3. Make friends in local places
Get to know your state regulators. Understanding their expectations (and timelines) will help you avoid surprise violations and create goodwill when issues arise.
4. Prepare for trouble
Be legally and publicly ready. Ensure you have foodborne illness coverage and a crisis comms playbook that doesn’t start with panic.
Retailers and manufacturers: Know your unique vulnerabilities
Retailers face increased risk of selling non-compliant goods as product quality fluctuates across state lines. That means deeper supplier vetting and better recall readiness.
Manufacturers, meanwhile, are staring down higher compliance costs, audit fatigue, and operational confusion as they try to satisfy dozens of overlapping standards. Digital tools that consolidate and streamline compliance are becoming essential.
In chaos, there’s opportunity
Yes, this shift brings volatility. But it also brings a chance to lead. Brands that act now—by investing in technology, embracing transparency, and doubling down on safety—can turn food safety threats into competitive advantages.
“Food safety isn’t just about meeting the bar anymore. It’s about setting it. In a fragmented future, the brands that lead on safety and accountability will win trust, loyalty, and market share.”
– Kari Barnes, Regulatory Standards Manager
Don’t wait for a crisis to modernize
In a decentralized regulatory world, TraceGains gives you the tools to centralize control. From supplier management to document automation to real-time visibility, we help you meet the moment—without losing momentum.
Request a demo today and learn why TraceGains is the food safety ally you need when the rulebook gets rewritten.
