USDA Announces Increased Funding for Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced on Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide a funding increase of $14.5 million in reimbursements to states for meat and poultry inspection programs.

In a press release, the USDA stated that without the funding, “states may not have the resources to continue their own inspection programs, which ensure products are safe. This funding increase ensures American-produced meat and poultry can make it to market and onto the tables of families across the country.”

In the press release, Secretary Rollins said, “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.”

Ted McKinney, chief executive officer of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) said, “this investment helps safeguard consumers, supports farmers, and ensures that state-inspected meat and poultry continue to reach American dinner tables efficiently and safely.”

Earlier this month, the Trump Administration announced a 2026 budget request for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that would see the budget cut by around 5.5%, from $7.2 billion in 2025 to $6.8 billion. This followed an announcement by the administration last month that it will carry out sweeping cuts in federal spending, including a plan to cut the USDA budget by more than $4.5 billion.

In March, an independent federal board ordered the USDA to temporarily reinstate almost 6,000 laid-off workers. The board found reasonable grounds that the agency acted illegally in terminating the employees.

At the same time, a U.S. District Judge in Baltimore ruled that the Trump Administration did not follow the legal guidelines for large-scale layoffs, including 60 days’ advance notice. 

In March, the Trump administration announced it will eliminate two safety advisory committees in the USDA, including the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMF) and the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMI).

A month earlier, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it is cutting 10,000 full-time employees across health agencies.