What is FoodNet? 

FoodNet (Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network) is The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC’s) primary system for tracking foodborne illness in the United States. Established in 1996, it operates as a collaboration between CDC, 10 state health departments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FoodNet actively monitors laboratory-confirmed infections from major foodborne pathogens. 

Earlier this week, numerous articles (NBC, FS News) highlighted that the CDC is scaling back the scope of the long-running program that tracks foodborne illnesses across the United States, no longer requiring surveillance of six major pathogens. As of July 1, 2025, FoodNet will reduce surveillance to just two pathogens: Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Previously, the program had been tracking infections caused by six additional pathogens: Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia. Monitoring for the six pathogens is no longer required for states participating in the program, reporting is now voluntary by states.  

What does this mean to food safety? 

FoodNet, has been a cornerstone of food safety monitoring since its establishment. The program has provided national data on laboratory-confirmed infections, helping public health officials and researchers measure trends, identify outbreaks and shape prevention strategies. 

By reducing the number of pathogens under active FoodNet surveillance, CDC officials argue that resources can be concentrated on the two organisms most responsible for severe foodborne disease and outbreaks in the U.S. However, the change raises questions about how public health agencies, industry and researchers will track and analyze illnesses caused by other pathogens that still pose significant risks to consumers.  

For instance, from 2009 to 2023 the NORS database recorded 196,631 illnesses and related to 11,405 outbreaks: 

• Campylobacter alone accounted for 4,540 illnesses, about 2.3% of the national total, and 448 outbreaks, or nearly 3.9% of all outbreaks.  Similarly, FoodNet reported 9,751campylobacter related illnesses in 2022, more than STEC and Salmonella (8,285, and 2,882 respectively).  

• Similarly, Cyclospora was linked to 5,067 illnesses (2.6%) and 157 outbreaks (1.4%), a growing concern in recent years due to recurring contamination of fresh produce.  

• Listeria, though responsible for a small percentage 1,195 illnesses (0.6%), caused 116 outbreaks (1.0%) and is widely recognized as a serious pathogen disproportionately affecting pregnant women, newborns and immunocompromised individuals. 

Removing pathogens like Campylobacter, Listeria and Cyclospora limits visibility into illnesses that cause substantial public health burdens and require targeted mitigation strategies. 

Why this change? 

The decision comes amidst a broader series of federal budget reductions. CDC and other agencies have faced tightening resources, forcing prioritization of programs. In the proposed 2026 budget the CDC will see a -$3,588 million cut compared to 2025.  By concentrating FoodNet on just two pathogens, CDC is effectively channeling resources toward the most frequently cited causes of severe illness and outbreaks. Still, the change underscores how budgetary constraints are shaping food safety infrastructure, and learnings, raising concerns about the system’s resilience in the face of increasing pathogen pressures in an evolving environment.  

Misalignment With Listeria Priorities 

While Listeria monocytogenes tracking will no longer be included in FoodNet’s scope, listeriosis remains a top priority under other federal programs. The Listeria Initiative, a CDC-led program, exists precisely because listeriosis is a concerning illness. The CDC mentions that the program leverages detailed patient interviews and molecular subtyping to identify, stop and prevent outbreaks accurately. Without FoodNet capturing Listeria cases, the U.S. loses access to robust, standardized, population-level data on this pathogen. FoodNet’s removal of Listeria endangers interaction across epidemiological systems and minimizes opportunities to harmonize trend data, verify completeness of surveillance and identify gaps at the population level. 

Conclusions 

The CDC’s narrowing of FoodNet surveillance weakens the U.S. ability to track and prevent foodborne diseases across the spectrum. While focusing on Salmonella and STEC may seem like the highest priority, sidelining pathogens like Listeria and Campylobacter undermines depth of learnings, and early detection. Food safety risks exist irrespective of their detection, but food safety strategies and mitigations are difficult to design and monitor without information about the prevalence and burden of hazards.