The budget plan the president sent to Congress Monday would ax the Agriculture Department's tiny, $5 million Microbiological Data Program. It extensively screens high-risk fresh produce throughout the year for bacteria including salmonella, E. coli and listeria.
Food safety advocates and a top-ranking U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official say the information also can help pinpoint foods tied to illness outbreaks, and could not easily be replaced.
One expert calls the program "the radar gun that keeps the industry honest."
