Vilsack says U.S. meat safety not hurt by cut in funding

Funding cuts for the U.S. meat and poultry inspections in the Obama administration’s 2015 budget proposal will not compromise food safety, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

The budget for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was trimmed by about $9.3 million for fiscal year 2015 from the enacted level of 2014 to just over $1 billion, according to Drovers CattleNetwork.

The budget proposal also included a plan to implement a new user fee for plants that have sample failures or require additional inspections due to non-compliance with regulations.

FSIS is responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry and egg products produced in the U.S.