The agency said the Biden-era proposal would have been a burden on businesses. Food-safety experts criticized the decision as an unwillingness to protect the public.

The plan aimed to reduce an estimated 125,000 salmonella infections from chicken and 43,000 from turkey each year, according to USDA. Overall, salmonella causes 1.35 million infections a year, most through food, and about 420 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The USDA revoked a proposed rule to declare salmonella in chicken an adulterant. Consumer Reports experts explain how you can still stay safe.