The global food supply chain has become increasingly complex and expansive, making food safety compliance more critical than ever before. Despite growing demand for rigorous oversight, the food safety sector faces a significant workforce shortage, particularly in roles related to auditing, inspections, and assessments. This shortage poses serious risks to public health and the integrity of the food supply chain, necessitating immediate attention and action. Without intervention, these shortages could further strain an already burdened regulatory system, leaving gaps in food safety oversight that increase risks for consumers and food businesses alike.

The State of the Food Safety Workforce

The workforce shortage in food safety is not unique to the U.S.; it is a global issue affecting numerous countries. A report by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has raised concerns about resource limitations impacting FSA's ability to uphold food safety standards. The report emphasized that staffing shortages have led to increased risks of foodborne illnesses and regulatory lapses, underscoring the need for coordinated international efforts to address these challenges.^1,2

Regulatory agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state departments of agriculture, and local health departments are grappling with high turnover and vacancy rates. These challenges are exacerbated by a limited pool of qualified candidates, lengthy training periods, and an aging workforce that is nearing retirement. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of agricultural and food scientists—a category that includes food safety professionals—is projected to grow by 8 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.³ However, the demand far outpaces the supply of qualified professionals.

This shortage is not merely an administrative inconvenience; it has far-reaching implications. Insufficient staffing leads to inadequate oversight, increasing the likelihood of foodborne illnesses, product recalls, and loss of consumer trust. For example, the 2022 Abbott baby formula recall highlighted significant sanitation failures that went unnoticed for too long, contributing to a nationwide shortage of essential nutrition products.^4,5 Similarly, the 2024 Boar's Head Listeria outbreak underscored the critical need for consistent inspection protocols to prevent widespread public health crises.⁶ These cases highlight the need for a workforce that is not only large enough to handle regulatory demands but also sufficiently trained and equipped with modern food safety knowledge. Recently the 2025 U.S. Government Accountability Office's report on the status of foodborne illness in the U.S. further highlighted systemic weaknesses in food safety oversight, emphasizing the need for improved coordination among federal, state, and local agencies to address workforce shortages and inspection inefficiencies.⁵

Strategies to Address the Shortage

Seeing the Whole Elephant: A Collaborative Approach to Workforce Development

The challenge of building a robust food safety workforce can be likened to the analogy of the blind men and the elephant. In the story, several blind men each touch a different part of an elephant and come to separate conclusions about what it is. One man touches the trunk and believes it is a snake, another feels the leg and thinks it is a tree, while another touches the side and concludes it is a wall. Only by combining their perspectives can they understand the full picture (the elephant).

This analogy can be applied to the food safety workforce. Each stakeholder—whether government agencies, academic institutions, private industry, or certification bodies—has been working diligently on different aspects of the problem. However, without a unified approach, these efforts remain fragmented, limiting their overall impact.

Currently, universities focus on education and curriculum development, industry leaders create on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs, and regulatory bodies establish credentialing systems. While each of these initiatives is valuable, true progress will come when these entities work together toward shared goals. By fostering collaboration between these sectors, we can develop more comprehensive, competency-based training, improve workforce retention, and streamline pathways into food safety careers.

Developing strong communication channels and coordinated initiatives among these groups will lead to a more holistic solution. Industry experts should actively engage with academia to ensure that students receive practical, job-relevant training. Regulators must align their credentialing standards with industry needs to ensure that certifications reflect real-world competencies. Employers, in turn, should provide clear career pathways that encourage retention and upward mobility in food safety professions.

By stepping back and seeing the "whole elephant"—i.e., understanding how each piece fits together—we can create a workforce development strategy that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is time for all stakeholders to join forces and build a sustainable, well-trained workforce that ensures the continued safety of our food supply.

“North Carolina State University is leading a project to develop a turnkey, introductory level, hybrid curriculum that exposes students to a range of food safety careers, providing a sustainable and widely accessible program.”

Recruiting Youth Early for Food Safety Careers

To build a strong pipeline of food safety professionals, recruitment efforts should begin early. Research shows that students start forming career interests in middle and high school,⁷ making these years critical for introducing them to food safety careers. The University of Tennessee, with support from the Grocery Manufacturers Association's Science and Education Foundation, developed the Hands-On Classrooms curriculum for middle school students.⁸ Similarly, institutions such as Cornell University, North Carolina State University, and Purdue University have been working to expand food safety curriculum implementation in high schools.^9,10,11

To maximize impact, outreach initiatives should extend beyond traditional classrooms. Programs such as summer camps, career fairs, and mentorship initiatives can expose students to food safety career opportunities. Engaging industry professionals in high school education efforts can also provide students with real-world insights and inspire them to pursue food safety careers.

Developing Targeted Curricula in Higher Education

Higher education plays a key role in preparing future food safety professionals by equipping students with foundational knowledge and skills. North Carolina State University is leading a project to develop a turnkey, introductory level, hybrid curriculum that exposes students to a range of food safety careers, providing a sustainable and widely accessible program.¹² Collaborators from multiple institutions are working to create a community of practice among food safety educators. Additionally, FDA and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) have introduced a public health food inspections curriculum to strengthen workforce development efforts, which was piloted at North Carolina State University in 2024.¹³

To ensure that these educational programs are effective, there is a need for increased collaboration between academia and industry. Universities should actively seek industry input when designing curricula to ensure that students acquire relevant skills. Additionally, offering experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, apprenticeships, and research projects, will better prepare students for real-world food safety careers.

To receive updates and join these efforts in higher education, click here to join the updates email list maintained by North Carolina State University.

The Need for Recognized, Competency-Based Credentials in Food Safety Careers

Recognized credentials play a crucial role in improving career entry into food safety roles by ensuring that professionals possess both theoretical knowledge and practical competencies. However, two challenges remain: increasing engagement in credentialing and shifting from participation-based certificates to competency-based credentials that assess real-world skills. While many training programs exist in food safety, few validate an individual's ability to perform critical job tasks.

For example, the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) has developed food safety credentials that validate expertise in key areas of food inspection, auditing, and compliance.¹⁴ Expanding awareness of these credentials and increasing competency-based assessments will help bridge workforce gaps and create a more skilled food safety workforce.

How About Apprenticeship Programs?

There are several exciting new apprenticeship programs designed to train the next generation of food safety auditors. For example, in Australia, the Australian Food Safety Auditor Development Project, hosted by the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology, is a structured program that blends work experiences, hands-on auditing experiences, and expert mentoring to help participants gain the critical skills needed to succeed on their own. In the U.S., a certification group has launched a similar program, offering aspiring auditors the rare chance to train directly alongside experienced professionals while building both technical knowledge and practical expertise. Other standout apprenticeship programs combine classroom education, on-the-job training, and industry-recognized certification, giving participants a fully immersive learning experience.

While these programs represent a major step forward in strengthening the food safety workforce, they are also incredibly costly and time-intensive to develop and sustain. Industry leaders, educators, and policymakers all have a role to play in supporting, funding, and expanding these efforts. Whether by contributing resources, partnering with existing programs, or even developing their own, there is a real opportunity for more organizations to step up and invest in the future of food safety.

Retaining and Advancing Food Safety Professionals

While recruiting new talent into food safety careers is critical, retaining and advancing professionals already employed in the sector is equally important. Workforce retention ensures that experienced professionals continue to contribute their expertise while also reducing the financial and operational strain caused by high turnover rates.

A study conducted by an AFDO fellow, Krisden Ingram, examined the challenges associated with retaining regulatory food safety professionals and provided key recommendations for improving workforce retention.¹⁵ The research highlights that while recruitment is a pressing issue, agencies must also focus on creating long-term strategies to retain skilled professionals.

“Recognizing employees' contributions through professional development opportunities and performance-based incentives can also improve job satisfaction and long-term retention.”

Key Challenges in Retention

Key challenges in retaining food safety workforce include:

• Burnout and high workloads. Many food safety inspectors and regulatory officials face excessive workloads due to staffing shortages, which leads to job dissatisfaction and burnout.
• Limited career advancement. Without clear paths for promotion and leadership opportunities, employees may seek roles in the private sector.
• Compensation gaps. Public sector food safety roles often pay less than equivalent positions in private industry, making it difficult for agencies to compete for top talent.
• Lack of continuous training and mentorship. Professionals need ongoing support and development to remain engaged and effective in their roles.

Best Practices for Retention

To address key challenges in workforce retention, the study suggested implementing structured mentorship programs, creating clear career advancement pathways, increasing salaries and benefits to be competitive with private industry, and providing adequate resources to manage workloads more effectively. Recognizing employees' contributions through professional development opportunities and performance-based incentives can also improve job satisfaction and long-term retention.

Ongoing Research in Retention and Recruitment

In addition to this study, the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR) is conducting a national survey aimed at identifying best practices for recruitment and retention in the food safety workforce.¹⁶ This research will provide valuable insights into the most effective strategies for keeping skilled professionals in food safety careers and ensuring that regulatory agencies and private employers can maintain a strong, experienced workforce.

A Call to Action

The food safety workforce stands at a critical juncture. Addressing the workforce shortage requires a coordinated effort from government agencies, academic institutions, industry leaders, and community organizations. Each sector has been working to address workforce gaps, but consolidating efforts will establish synergies and maximize impact.

Just as the analogy of the blind men and the elephant illustrates how different perspectives contribute to understanding the full picture, collaboration among these sectors is essential to tackling workforce challenges holistically. By aligning training programs, credentialing efforts, education initiatives, and industry partnerships, we can create a unified approach to building a competent and diverse food safety workforce that ensures a secure food system for generations to come.

The stakes are high, but the opportunities for impact are immense. With strategic and collaborative action, we can fortify the foundations of food safety, thereby protecting public health and sustaining global food security.

References

1. Whitworth, J. "FSA concerned about lack of local authority resources." Food Safety News. January 4, 2024. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/01/fsa-concerned-about-lack-of-local-authority-resources/.
2. Galler, G. and S. Jebb. "Workforce Shortages and Food Safety: Insights from FSA's Chair." New Food. November 24, 2023. https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/article/196355/workforce-shortages-and-food-safety-insights-from-fsas-chair/.
3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Agricultural and Food Scientists." https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-scientists.htm.
4. Beach, C. "Documents show ongoing problems at infant formula plant linked to outbreak." Food Safety News. March 22, 2022. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2022/03/documents-show-ongoing-problems-at-infant-formula-plant-linked-to-outbreak/.
5. U.S. Government Accountability Office. "Food Safety: Status of Foodborne Illness in the U.S." February 3, 2025. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107606.
6. Food Safety Magazine Editorial Team. "Following Deadly Listeria Outbreak, USDA Launches Internal Investigation Into How it Handled Boar's Head's Unsanitary Production Facility." Food Safety Magazine. October 16, 2024. https://www.food-safety.com/articles/9832-following-deadly-listeria-outbreak-usda-launches-internal-investigation-into-how-it-handled-boars-heads-unsanitary-production-facility.
7. Steinberg, L. Adolescence. McGraw-Hill, 2008. https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/Adolescence-Steinberg.html.
8. Partnership for Food Safety Education. "2023 Annual Report." https://fightbac.org/about-us/partnership-history/.
9. Barrett, T. and Y. Feng. "Effect of Observational Evaluation of Food Safety Curricula on High School Students' Behavior Change." Journal of Food Protection 83, no. 11 (November 2020): 1947–1957. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X22107647?via%3Dihub.
10. North Carolina State University, Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). "CASE Institute Food Science and Safety Course." https://units.cals.ncsu.edu/tastefoodscience/case-institute/.
11. Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "High School Food Safety Curriculum." https://cals.cornell.edu/national-good-agricultural-practices-program/resources/educational-materials/high-school-food-safety-curriculum.
12. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Research, Education, and Economics Information System (REEIS). "Development of a Diverse and Competent Food Safety Compliance Workforce to Enhance Trust in a Secure Food System." December 15, 2023. https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/1031610-development-of-a-diverse-and-competent-food-safety-compliance-workforce-to-enhance-trust-in-a-secure-food-system.html.
13. Pilet, J. "FDA, NC State, NASDA launch public health food inspections course." Food Safety News. August 28, 2024. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/08/fda-nc-state-nasda-launch-public-health-food-inspections-course/.
14. Association of Food and Drug Officials. "Food Safety Regulatory Professional Credential Series." https://www.afdo.org/credentials/.
15. Ingram, K. "Intergenerational Factors Influencing Food Safety Inspection Staff Retention." International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI). https://www.ifpti.org/cohort-11/krisden-ingram.
16. Varma, A. "Survey on Recruitment and Retention Practices in the Food Safety Workforce." Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR) and National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). January 17, 2025. https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/cifor-survey.

Other Resources

• Chadde, S. "As Foodborne Illnesses Sicken Tens of Millions Each Year, FDA Falls Behind on Mandated Inspections." Modern Farmer. January 16, 2025. https://modernfarmer.com/2025/01/as-foodborne-illnesses-sicken-tens-of-millions-each-year-fda-falls-behind-on-mandated-inspections/.
• Food Standards Agency. "Our Food 2023." October 8, 2024. https://www.food.gov.uk/our-work/our-food-2023.
• Hsu, L., S. Ahles, L.W. Senger, and A. Prakash. "Exploring pathways to food science careers in Southern California: A case study in food science career development." Journal of Food Science 89, no. 1 (January 2024): 727–739. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37983874/.
• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). "Introduction to Public Health Food Inspections." https://www.nasda.org/inspectioncourse/.
• Rogers, M.C. "Building the Next Cadre of Food Inspection Investigators: A Federal, Stakeholder, and Academia Collaboration." Food Safety Magazine. August 6, 2024. https://www.food-safety.com/articles/9655-building-the-next-cadre-of-food-inspection-investigators-a-federal-stakeholder-and-academia-collaboration.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). "Food Inspector." https://www.fsis.usda.gov/careers/career-profiles/food-inspector.
• U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. "Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)." https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.
• Whitworth, J. "Food agencies raise resource concerns in food standards report." Food Safety News. October 10, 2024. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/10/food-agencies-raise-resource-concerns-in-food-standards-report/.
• Whitworth, J. "FSA is concerned about the lack of local authority resources." Food Safety News. January 4, 2024. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/01/fsa-concerned-about-lack-of-local-authority-resources/.