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 CDC estimates Salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections in the United States annually, though only 1 in 30 infections is diagnosed. Resistance to antibiotics is increasing in Salmonella, which can limit treatment options for people with severe infections, according to the CDC.

The rule would have required poultry companies to keep levels of salmonella bacteria under a certain threshold and test for the presence of six strains most associated with illnes