(a) Meat, meat by-products, and meat food products are an important source of the supply of human food in the State and legislation assuring these food supplies are not adulterated or misbranded is in the public interest. Therefore, it is the policy of the State to provide, at certain establishments, for the inspection of slaughtered livestock, carcasses, parts of them, meat and meat food products prepared for human food and to impose other requirements to prevent the distribution in intrastate commerce of livestock carcasses, parts of them, meat and meat food products which are adulterated or misbranded and are capable of use as human food.

(b) The Secretary may accept from the United States Secretary of Agriculture (i) advisory assistance planning and otherwise developing the State program; and (ii) technical and financial and other aid for administration of the program. The Secretary may spend public funds of the State, appropriated for administration of this subtitle, to pay the share of the estimated total cost of the cooperative program as may be agreed upon by the Secretary and the United States Secretary of Agriculture. It is the intent of the General Assembly that, whenever possible, all State expenses incurred pursuant to the provisions of this subtitle shall be matched by the federal government on an equal or greater basis.