Poultry and poultry products are an important source of the nation’s total food supply. It is in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that slaughtered poultry and poultry products distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and packaged. Unwholesome, adulterated, or misbranded poultry or poultry products are injurious to the public welfare, destroy markets for wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and packaged poultry and poultry products, and result in sundry losses to producers and processors of poultry and poultry products, as well as injury to consumers. Unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively packaged articles can be sold at lower prices and compete unfairly with wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and packaged articles, to the detriment of consumers and the public generally. Regulation by the Secretary and cooperation by the State and the United States are appropriate to protect the health and welfare of consumers.