Which government agency is primarily responsible for ensuring food safety in meat and poultry products?

The agency primarily responsible for ensuring food safety in meat and poultry products is the USDA, specifically through its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The USDA sets and enforces standards for the processing, handling, and safety of meat, poultry, and egg products to ensure they are safe for public consumption. This includes inspections at meat and poultry processing facilities to ensure compliance with safety regulations and guidelines.

The USDA's role encompasses the monitoring of food production from farm to processing, ensuring that products meet safety standards before they reach consumers. This agency is distinct in its focus on meat and poultry, which separates its function from other agencies focused on different areas of food safety, such as the FDA, which regulates all other food products, or the CDC, which focuses on public health and safety.

In summary, the USDA's dedicated mission to oversee the safety of meat and poultry establishes it as the key agency for this specific aspect of food safety.