In recent months, significant workforce reductions within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have raised concerns about the strength of the nation's food safety infrastructure. With over 15,000 USDA employees and approximately 20,000 HHS staff members no longer in place, critical programs and inspections have been disrupted. As federal oversight diminishes, the responsibility for ensuring food safety increasingly falls on manufacturers and distributors, who must uphold rigorous third-party certifications to maintain trust and quality across the supply chain.