They want to sound the alarm. The advocates say budget cuts put at risk 80 percent of all government testing of produce -- tests that have prompted recalls of tainted fruits, vegetables and other foods around the country.
You might remember the recall of a half billion eggs last summer due to a nationwide salmonella outbreak. The testing program on the chopping block is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's marketing service. The White House says other departments have better resources to test produce.
An industry trade group agrees saying the Department of Agriculture is not the right place to conduct food testing. But the publisher of Food Safety News says the $4 million saved is "chump change" compared to the benefits.
