WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared the nation's food supply safe despite active outbreaks of cyclospora in produce and screwworm infestations threatening livestock — a move that follows intense lobbying by agricultural conglomerates and saves large-scale producers millions in potential compliance costs while placing the burden of vigilance on consumers.
Cyclospora outbreaks, concentrated in leafy greens and berries, have sickened more than 300 people across 17 states in the last six weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Separately, screwworm larvae have been detected in cattle herds in Texas and Florida, prompting quarantine zones across 1.2 million acres. The dual threats carry serious financial exposure for the $1.7 trillion U.S. food sector, particularly for producers reliant on open-field agriculture and livestock exports.
Major industry players — including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association — spent a combined $8.7 million on lobbying in the second quarter, focused on the USDA and congressional agriculture committees. Their push centered on blocking new federal mandates and keeping the USDA's public messaging on the side of industry confidence. The headline win: the USDA declined to issue a nationwide recall for specific produce categories, sparing growers an estimated $400 million in losses this season.
The USDA is instead leaning on state health departments and voluntary industry best practices for pathogen control — a posture that sidesteps a push by Rep. Maria Rodriguez, D-Calif. for a $50 million federal emergency fund to subsidize advanced pathogen testing for small and mid-sized farms. Her bill, H.R. 312, has stalled in committee, blocked by lawmakers aligned with large corporate agriculture interests who argue it sets a precedent for costly new regulations.
The policy breaks cleanly along resource lines. Large agricultural corporations can fund in-house testing and absorb localized losses without federal help. Smaller farms and independent grocers face higher liability exposure and consumer distrust with none of the same financial cushion or lobbying power. Consumers pay more as suppliers pass unmitigated risks through higher prices, or cut corners on quality control.
The decision fits the Trump administration's deregulatory posture across sectors. It also sidesteps a potentially damaging public fight over food safety in an election year, when rural votes and agricultural state economies carry outsized political weight.
Public health advocates pushed back hard. Dr. Evelyn Reed, a senior policy analyst at the Food Safety Alliance, said, "The USDA is prioritizing corporate profits over public health. This decision will cost consumers in hidden ways, from higher prices to increased health risks, and sets a dangerous precedent for future outbreaks." The Alliance estimates that undiagnosed foodborne illnesses already cost the U.S. economy $77 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity.
