As the federal government scales back food safety oversight, Virginia lawmakers are preparing to take matters into their own hands.

On Wednesday, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) and Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax) voiced growing concern over sweeping cuts to federal food safety agencies—changes they say could jeopardize public health and undermine recent policy goals championed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

While Kennedy has spearheaded efforts to eliminate synthetic food dyes linked to health issues in children—an initiative mirrored in a Virginia law signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin banning such additives in school meals—the state lawmakers argue that simultaneous federal rollbacks send mixed signals.

“We are seeing contradictory actions coming from the federal government,” said Hashmi. “On the one hand, there’s talk of improving health, and on the other, we’re dismantling the infrastructure that ensures food safety.”

Federal Oversight Shrinks

Key federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) play critical roles in inspecting food, tracking outbreaks, and prosecuting violations. However, under recent directives tied to the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, several components of this system have been dismantled:

The DOJ unit handling food-related prosecutions has been disbanded.

CDC data-tracking teams have been cut.

A Biden-era rule limiting salmonella in raw poultry was withdrawn.

Two USDA food safety advisory panels were dissolved.

The FDA has been criticized for withholding public information about foodborne illness investigations.

Hashmi pointed to a recent Washington Post investigation about an Indiana child who nearly died after consuming E. coli-contaminated lettuce. Although the FDA internally identified the contamination source, the public was never informed.

“The FDA, under the Trump and RFK administration, has decided not to name names or alert the public to real dangers,” said Hashmi. “That lack of transparency puts lives at risk.”

State-Level Action in the Works

In response, Virginia lawmakers are exploring new state regulations to help bridge the gaps left by weakened federal oversight. As chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, Hashmi says she’s already pursuing measures modeled on her efforts to reform special education standards.

Del. Sickles, chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, plans to make food safety a priority at a July legislative “boot camp” focused on state health services. He emphasized that Virginia’s General Assembly—long reliant on federal regulators—must now take a more active role.

“We can’t afford to assume the federal government has this covered anymore,” Sickles said. “We need to be vigilant.”

Limits of State Protections

Still, some experts warn that state-level efforts can only go so far. Sarah Sorscher, regulatory affairs director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, noted that because food often crosses state lines, isolated policies may leave consumers vulnerable.

“Virginia could pass strong laws, but if food is coming from states with weaker standards, the risk remains,” said Sorscher. “This is why federal coordination is so important.”

Despite these limitations, both Hashmi and Sickles say they are committed to taking all available steps to protect Virginians—especially in the absence of strong national standards.

“We are doing what we can at the state level,” Hashmi said. “But we need federal accountability to truly keep our food safe.”