No question Indiana needs to trim its budget. But one proposed cut will likely create an undue financial burden on a state economic sector with promising growth. State officials should consider whether laying off meat inspectors to save money is worth the damage to Indiana’s smaller farmers and meat processors.

In January, the Indiana Board of Animal Health announced it was cutting its inspection program by 50 percent. The board said it would rethink the Draconian cuts after complaints flooded Gov. Mitch Daniels’ office. But it remains unclear exactly how many of Indiana’s 52 meat inspectors will lose their jobs.

A board official said the cuts are “still a work in progress.” The final trims are supposed to take effect July 1. But state-inspected meat and poultry producers are already operating under curtailed inspection schedules, and inspectors are spending fewer hours on site at slaughterhouses.

Meat and poultry must be inspected before it can be sold. Having fewer inspectors will slow that process, making it difficult to meet demand for locally raised meat. The cuts will hurt one of the few areas in the state’s economy that is growing. It’s also an industry that Daniels has previously held up as an economic development opportunity for the state.

Perhaps it’s the effects of movies such as “Food Inc.” and books such as Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” which discuss the danger of mass-produced food, especially meat, and advocate that eating locally grown food is safer and more environmentally friendly. The trend to eat locally produced food may have started on the coasts, but given Indiana’s rich agricultural heritage, it’s natural that more Hoosiers want to eat food produced by fellow Hoosiers.

Steve Beutler, the past president of the Indiana Meat Packers and Processors Association, told The Associated Press that he hired five new employees in 2009 and that growth is typical across the state. He said processors attending a recent statewide meeting all reported increasing revenue over the past year.

The cuts jeopardize federal money the state receives for its inspection program. The federal government matches state money dollar for dollar.

The less money the state spends, the less federal money Hoosiers get.

Processors who transport meat across state lines are required to get federal inspections. Those who sell locally can choose between state or federal inspections. Many choose state inspectors because they are more accessible and adept at working with small businesses.

State inspectors are better at keeping farmers and processors updated on new requirements. Indiana is one of 27 states with its own meat-inspection program. State inspectors must meet all U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.

Using federal inspectors is more expensive. For example, processors are required to have separate showers for federal inspectors – an amenity many small producers can’t afford.

There’s no debate that decreased tax revenue means state officials need to decrease spending to balance the budget. But state leaders need to be cautious about making cuts that will hamper one of the few state industries that is experiencing job growth and is so crucial to public health.