I have read that the inspection regulations require a designated room to be set aside for the inspector to be used for no other purpose, and there are other onerous requirements.
If you eased some of the nonessential requirements but still required inspection, that would make sense.
Now if you have someone selling ten chickens a week locally, how often does it make sense to inspect the facilities? The FDA regulations are geared to large agribusinesses and not the small farmer.
Mrs VS
Your number (10) and your realistic assessment of the problems involved seem sound, but 1000 tainted chickens on the market can do a lot of damage.
Further, because our chickens weren't crowded into battery cages where they pooped on each other and developed paralysis from lack of exercise, they produced a far better, more sanitary meat than anything done on the conglomerate large commercial scale.
My brother was a government meat inspector at some of these large operations and could tell you a few stories about how his colleagues came to work drunk, stoned or otherwise if they had the right connections to get and keep the job.
The Mennonite family operation, meanwhile, did not have inspectors but were always happy to show small-time farmers like my Dad or I around because they took pride in what they did.