The Agriculture Department To Back Off Poultry Plants

The Agriculture Department defended its plan to reduce inspections at poultry plants. Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator Alfred Almanza said the proposal would allow inspectors to focus on food-borne illnesses. He wrote a blog post in response to widespread fears that the plan could endanger food safety. Almanza said the proposal came after 13 years of study. It would save USDA $90 million over three years and cut up to 800 government inspectors.