Food Safety: USDA Should Take Further Action to Reduce Pathogens in Meat and Poultry Products, Report to Congressional Requesters   [open pdf - 700KB]

"The U.S. food supply is generally considered safe, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 'Salmonella' and 'Campylobacter' in food cause about 2 million human illnesses per year in the United States. In 2014, GAO (Government Accountability Office) identified challenges USDA faced in reducing pathogens in poultry products, including standards that were outdated or nonexistent and limited control over factors that affect pathogen contamination outside of meat and poultry slaughter and processing plants, such as practices on the farm."