U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins plans to exercise the USDA’s authority to provide a much-needed funding increase of $14.5 million in reimbursements to states for meat and poultry inspection programs. Without this funding, states may not have the resources to continue their own inspection programs which ensure products are safe, she said in a release on May 27.
“Today I exercised my authority to robustly fund state meat and poultry inspection programs to ensure states can continue to partner with USDA to deliver effective and efficient food safety inspection,” Rollins said in a release. “While the Biden Administration let this funding decline in recent years, the Trump Administration recognizes the importance of our federal-state partnerships and will ensure services that our meat and poultry processors and producers rely on will continue to operate on a normal basis.”
President Trump’s commitment to ensuring Americans have access to a safe, affordable food supply is reflected in the President’s 2026 budget proposal, Rollins said. It calls on Congress to address this funding shortfall moving forward.
This is not a sustainable path forward, USDA points out. Policymakers across the federal government are encouraged to come together to think through ways to continue these critical state meat and poultry inspection programs.
“The continued partnership between USDA and states to provide inspection services for meat and poultry processors of all sizes means food safety, food security and economic growth in rural communities across Oklahoma and the nation,” said Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture.
South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts said, “State meat inspection programs play a critical role in ensuring the safety, quality, and availability of our nation’s meat supply and we’ve worked hard to expand market access for our producers through expanded capacity and the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.”
In Iowa, state-inspected meat lockers expand market access, boost processing capacity, and provide consumers with more locally-raised protein options, adds Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
“In my tenure as Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA), I have advocated for our federal partners to fully fund the agreements with states,” said West Virginia Commissioner Kent Leonhardt.
West Virginia has been a participant in the USDA State-Federal Cooperative Inspection Agreement for the last 54 years.
“The efforts of WVDA Meat and Poultry Inspection staff benefit both consumers as well as local producers looking to start or expand processing facilities,” Leonhardt said. “To properly support these efforts, funding must be a priority to maintain the 50/50 state-federal cost share. Therefore, we welcome and appreciate the additional funding to help support our local food system to shorten the distance food travels to our dinner plates.”
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