Michigan health officials say fresh produce, including lettuce and other salad greens, has emerged as a possible source of a record US outbreak of Cyclospora infections. Investigators stress the sourc
The number of CDC field investigators and overall agency personnel has decreased significantly compared to 2024. The CDC's total federal workforce has declined by about 27%, dropping from approximately 12,763 employees in 2024 to 9,270 by April 2026. Not only has the number of personnel decreased, the quality has also been degraded. A lot of experienced staff have either resigned or been laid off.
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) handles mandatory inspections for commercial meat, poultry, and processed egg product. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) inspects whole vegetables and fruits.
The number of FDA food inspectors and broader staff has decreased significantly since 2024. The FDA lost 3,859 employees in 2025 and an additional 473 employees in 2026. This reflects a more than 14% drop from its 2024. Roughly 170 staff members were cut specifically from the newly restructured Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII), which oversees food safety field operations.
The field workers are probably told to go to the bathroom in the growing fields because walking back to the farmhouse or main building to use the bathroom takes too long.
Michigan investigators believe lettuce may be linked to many of these cases, but they stress the investigation is ongoing and no single source has been confirmed. Has this outbreak changed how you prepare fresh fruit and vegetables?
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The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) handles mandatory inspections for commercial meat, poultry, and processed egg product. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) inspects whole vegetables and fruits.
The number of FDA food inspectors and broader staff has decreased significantly since 2024. The FDA lost 3,859 employees in 2025 and an additional 473 employees in 2026. This reflects a more than 14% drop from its 2024. Roughly 170 staff members were cut specifically from the newly restructured Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII), which oversees food safety field operations.
for the coming increase of groceries, very predictable.