Following departures prompted by the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures and a government-wide hiring freeze that had halted efforts to re-empower their workforce, several agency officials tell that nearly one in five positions across the Food and Drug Administration’s human food inspection divisions are now unfilled.
Several federal health officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity and were not permitted to speak to the media, claim that early retirements and resignations have made the FDA’s staffing shortage worse.
The FDA has long had trouble finding and keeping qualified investigators to inspect food producers and distributors.
“The FDA remains fully capable of fulfilling its public health mission to protect the safety of the American people. Under Commissioner Makary’s leadership, the agency continues to meet its inspection obligations, ensuring that all facilities are reviewed within mandated timeframes,” Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services stated.
In interviews, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary has denied that the agency’s extensive restructuring, which started in April and was directed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resulted in the retirements and resignations of any inspectors.
Furthermore, several FDA officials expressed concern about increasing attrition among the agency’s investigators in spite of Makary’s remarks.
“They’re not going to admit our mission is at risk and we’re missing timeframes, even though I’ve heard that’s happening,” a current FDA official stated.
Nearly 20% of the investigational posts in the FDA’s human foods inspectorate remain unfilled, according to one former official and another current official.
Since 2017, a decrease in inspectional capacity has made it more difficult for us to carry out its public health duty.
In response to a draft report by the HHS inspector general last month, the agency stated, “We continue to face significant obstacles in recruiting and retaining qualified investigators, particularly in the foods program, where nearly 90 investigative positions remain vacant.”
In order to achieve its objectives, the inspector general had determined that the FDA would have to expand inspections by almost 3,000 annually.
The FDA must examine food facilities at certain periods in accordance with congressional regulations, which government watchdogs have long criticized the agency for not meeting.
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“For FDA to meet the inspection timeframes moving forward, it would need to inspect approximately 7,000 high-risk facilities each year. However, FDA inspected only about 58 percent of that amount,” according to the inspector general’s June 2025 report.
According to a current official, the group of investigators responsible for checking “critical foods” such as infant formula facilities has about 40% of investigator posts open.
According to authorities, the Trump administration has made it more difficult for FDA investigators to make small transactions that are essential to their work, such as transporting samples or purchasing daily supplies.
Backlogs of testing and payments resulted from the layoffs of numerous laboratory scientists and administrative personnel who assisted the FDA’s food inspectors. Since then, the agency has reinstated a few.
“This position is being filled under a stream-lined hiring authority,” according to the job posting.
