Final answer:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Agriculture are the key government agencies responsible for enforcing standards for the quality and wholesomeness of meat, poultry, and eggs through regulations and inspection services.
Step-by-step explanation:
The government agency that enforces standards for the quality and wholesomeness of meat, poultry, and eggs is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This agency operates under the authority of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is tasked with ensuring the safety of food for human consumption, including the enforcement of hygiene rules in food handling, requiring that food be traceable to its point of origin, and also by mandating routine bacteriological testing to protect the public from acquiring foodborne illnesses. Additionally, in instances concerning meat processing and inspection specifically, the Department of Agriculture plays a critical role through agencies such as the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Responding to historical alarms like Upton Sinclair's exposé on the meatpacking industry, legislation such as the Meat Inspection Act and the creation of the FDA have significantly shaped policy and regulatory frameworks for food safety. The FDA along with the Department of Agriculture ensures that meat products are slaughtered and processed under sanitary conditions, thus preventing foodborne diseases.