USDA Halts New Salmonella Rule Amidst Controversy

The Agriculture Department has withdrawn a proposed rule requiring poultry companies to limit salmonella in their products. This decision, based on feedback from over 7,000 public comments, reduces the Biden Administration's effort to prevent food poisoning, sparking praise and criticism from industry groups and food safety advocates.

The USDA has decided not to pursue a proposed rule that would require poultry companies to limit salmonella bacteria in their products, effectively halting a significant food safety effort by the Biden Administration. Officials cited feedback from over 7,000 public comments as a reason for the withdrawal.

The rule aimed to ensure poultry companies maintained salmonella levels below a certain threshold and tested for six illness-associated strains. Had the proposal been enacted, exceeded levels or the presence of these strains would have led to product recalls, in a move intended to significantly reduce salmonella infections annually.

The decision was met with approval from industry bodies like the National Chicken Council, who argued the rule was legally unsound and misinterpreted science. However, it received backlash from food safety advocates, expressing concerns over public health implications and potential increases in salmonella-related illnesses.

(With inputs from agencies.)