This bill creates a brand new federal agency called the Federal Food Administration, which would be housed within the Department of Health and Human Services. Right now, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) handles both drugs and food, but this bill would split off all food-related responsibilities into its own dedicated agency with its own leadership.

The new Federal Food Administration would be responsible for making sure food is safe, properly labeled, and wholesome. It would review food research, monitor products after they hit the market, and work with other countries on food safety and fair trade. The agency would be led by a Commissioner of Foods, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. To do its job effectively, the new agency would work closely with the Department of Agriculture, the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and other science-focused federal agencies.

A major part of this bill focuses on food facility inspections. The new agency would categorize food facilities as high-risk, intermediate-risk, or low-risk, and inspect them accordingly—high-risk facilities at least once a year, intermediate-risk every two years, and low-risk every three years. Infant formula manufacturing facilities would get inspected every six months. The bill also requires the agency to conduct follow-up compliance checks within 30 days after finding problems during an inspection. To make this work, the agency would contract with state officials to conduct at least half of all inspections.