The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods is (or was) an advisory committee housed within the USDA (but also working with HHS) which provides outside expert advice to advance food safety across the U.S. and across different levels of government. It was ordered disbanded this afternoon.
This is one of those little-known parts of the government that probably few of us have ever heard of. I wasn’t familiar with it until today. But I’m told it’s a pretty key part of the web of oversight that keeps the food we eat safe and generally not killing us. It’s a committee that brings together people from government, industry, academia etc. I’ve reviewed the guidance to the former members and the language is congenial but draconian. Immediately stop all work, meetings, everything. Any more recommendations are prohibited, etc.
The same document says the committee is being disbanded pursuant to the the Feb. 29 EO Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.
