FDA Asks for $7.2 Billion in 2025 Budget to Improve Focus on Food Safety, Nutrition

Federal food and drug safety regulators are requesting $7.2 billion in funding as part of President Biden’s 2025 fiscal year proposed budget, indicating it has earmarked the money to improve food safety, advance medical product safety, support supply chain resiliency, and strengthen public health.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) budget request, announced on March 11, asks for nearly $500 million more than it was allocated in 2023, reflecting a 7.4% increase from 2023 and highlighting the agency’s top priorities for public health over the coming fiscal year.

The budget covers the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, and the request includes line items for various agency priorities, including:

• $15 million to promote a safe food supply and modernize the FDA’s ability to prevent and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks.
• $12.3 million to address food and medical supply chain disruptions and shortages.
• $146.3 million to modernize the public health workforce, IT modernization, and foreign office expansion.
• $8 million to modernize the cosmetics regulatory program under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA).

Among additional line items earmarked for various purposes, the request also includes $3.5 million in user fees, which are collected from device and drug manufacturers for certification and accreditation.

“This new funding request will help us build on our accomplishments and also modernize our agency and operations as we plan for the future,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf. “Our request for critical investments will help us address our most urgent priorities, strengthen our public health capacity, advance IT capabilities, and improve agency-wide infrastructure.”

The requests focus on key areas of human and animal health regulation, along with the ability of the FDA to prepare and respond to supply chain shortages of food and medical supplies and expand cosmetics regulation.

After federal agencies like the FDA submit their budget requests to the White House, the Office of Management and Budget develops a budget proposal for the President. The budget is then submitted to Congress and reviewed. Then, the House and Senate create their own budget resolutions, which are negotiated and merged before submitting a single version for approval to the President.