Dairy's Safety Net Snaps Back: FDA Reboots Critical Milk Tests

FDA resumes key milk tests after brief halt, sparking an industry-wide rethink of dairy safety safeguards.

29 Apr 2025

The US Food and Drug Administration has resumed a key milk testing programme after a short pause earlier this year raised concerns over regulatory gaps and export readiness in the dairy sector.

The FDA's Grade "A" milk laboratory proficiency testing programme was temporarily suspended this spring due to staffing shortages at its central lab. The unexpected halt disrupted routine verification processes and prompted major dairy processors to bolster their internal testing capacity.

Industry leaders said the disruption, though brief, exposed a critical vulnerability in the nation's food safety infrastructure. "This was a wake-up call," said Nicole Martin, a dairy testing expert at Cornell University. "Redundancy is no longer optional."

In response to industry pressure, the FDA moved quickly to restore operations. Equipment was reallocated, staffing reinforced, and the programme was brought back online by early May. But the episode has left a lasting impact, prompting calls for structural reform.

Several producers have since expanded their use of rapid, automated testing technologies. Once viewed as a supplement to federal oversight, these in-house systems are now being treated as essential safeguards, especially in export-sensitive operations.

Suppliers of these diagnostic tools reported an uptick in demand as processors sought to minimise disruption and maintain compliance regardless of federal bottlenecks.

Trade groups including the International Dairy Foods Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association have urged the agency to strengthen its infrastructure. Their proposals include increased funding, dedicated staffing levels, and contingency planning to avoid future disruptions.

With global demand for US dairy products on the rise, maintaining food safety credibility remains a top priority for exporters. Industry advocates argue that any lapse in oversight could carry significant reputational and commercial costs.

While the FDA's swift action has reassured stakeholders, the incident is likely to accelerate efforts across the dairy sector to develop more resilient safety systems. Many now view multi-layered verification as essential, not optional.

"The lesson here is clear," said one industry executive. "You can't build a global market on a single point of failure."