Earlier today, Reuters reported that due to staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Food & Drug Administration is suspending a quality control program for its food testing laboratories.

Food & Water Watch Managing Director of Policy and Litigation, Mitch Jones, released the following statement:

“Make no mistake, these cuts will cost lives. The programs being suspended due to these cuts help respond to bird flu and to food borne illnesses. These cuts aren’t about efficiency or “cost saving”, they’re aimed at weakening our essential protections and passing on the “savings” to Musk and Trump’s billionaire buddies.”