The U.S. Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) issued a July 2022 report to urging federal agencies to better coordinate regulatory guidance on food-related challenges, including diet-related chronic health conditions and food safety. 

With regard to chronic health conditions related to diet and food, the report found that regulatory efforts were fragmented and ineffective.  Last year, in September 2021, GAO recommended that Congress consider identifying and directing a federal entity to lead a strategy on diet-related efforts, but the recommendation was not implemented.  The GAO report found that 21 different federal agencies had made 200 diet-related efforts in multiple categories including research, education, food access, and regulatory access.

The GAO’s findings on food safety noted that 15 different federal agencies are part of a highly complex regulatory system, and that food safety was at high risk because it is vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement.  The report provided an example of the USDA having information regarding contaminated eggs that sickened more than 1,900 people, but not being able to share that information with other agencies.

Lastly, the GAO noted that the federal government respond to food insecurity in emergencies may be outdated and uncoordinated, and recommended that the U.S. Department of Agriculture develop a strategy for nutrition assistance programs to report to emergencies.