USDA's (United States Department of Agriculture) Oversight of State Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs could be Strengthened

摘要

Federal legislation requires that meat and poultry products sold for human consumption be inspected to ensure that they are safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must inspect all products sold in interstate and foreign commerce, but States are permitted to inspect intrastate products provided that USDA has certified that their inspection laws and programs are at least equal to those of the Federal Government. Twenty-seven States operated 'equal to' inspection programs as of June 30, 1983. Although USDA's procedures for certifying the equality of State programs are consistent with the discretion the Congress gave USDA, GAO recommends several changes to make the procedures more effective. These changes would improve existing measures of inspection effectivness and provide a more objective basis for comparing State and Federal inspections. GAO also recommends expanding internal reviews to determine how well USDA's field offices oversee State programs.