Letter
Dear Rep. Rulli and Rep. Ross:
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture supports H.R. 8430, the Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act of 2026. Thank you for your bipartisan leadership in introducing this important legislation to improve coordination between federal, state and local food safety agencies and strengthen the nation’s response to foodborne illness outbreaks.
NASDA represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. Our members oversee food safety programs, collaborate across government levels, and connect local and regional food systems at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition and public health.
Responding quickly to foodborne illness outbreaks prevents illness and saves lives. State and local agencies are often best positioned to respond rapidly, conduct recall effectiveness audits and ensure contaminated food products are removed from commerce. However, current federal restrictions on sharing certain distribution and supply chain information can delay investigations and hinder timely public health responses.
H.R. 8430 would allow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to share currently restricted information with state and local agencies that conduct food safety inspections and investigations. Improving access to this information would strengthen coordination among agencies and support faster, more effective responses to foodborne illness outbreaks.
State health and agriculture agencies rely on accurate distribution information to conduct thorough outbreak investigations and recall activities. Yet much of this information is currently treated as commercial confidential information and cannot be shared unless states enter into information-sharing agreements that may conflict with state public records laws. Even when these agreements are in place, states are restricted from sharing this information with other public health agencies.
NASDA supports this legislation because it would provide state and local officials with the information necessary to protect consumers, improve recall effectiveness and respond more effectively during outbreaks. Enhancing information sharing between federal and state partners is critical to maintaining a safe, resilient food system.
NASDA appreciates your leadership on this issue and encourages consideration and passage of H.R. 8430. If you have any questions, please contact Logan Moss, associate director of public policy, logan.moss@nasda.org.
Sincerely,
Ted McKinney
Chief Executive Officer
NASDA
