Which USDA agency verifies that meat and poultry plants meet federal standards?

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service is the agency responsible for verifying that meat and poultry plants meet federal standards. This agency plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety by overseeing the inspection of meat and poultry products to ensure they are safe, wholesome, and labeled correctly. It conducts regular inspections of processing plants and has the authority to enforce compliance with federal regulations.

The other agencies mentioned have different focuses that do not pertain specifically to the inspection of meat and poultry products. For instance, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection primarily deals with safeguarding animal and plant health and pest control, while the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service focuses on marketing and pricing support for agricultural products. The USDA Forest Service is responsible for managing national forests and grasslands, which is unrelated to food inspection duties. Hence, the Food Safety and Inspection Service specifically stands out as the correct choice for compliance verification in the meat and poultry industry.