(SIOUX CITY, IA) - Meat may be a little tougher to get and a little more expensive if Congress doesn't act on pending, spending cuts. USDA Inspectors are on the list of those cuts, which means meat production would have to stop if there's no one inspecting the product.
The USDA said sequestration would force all food safety inspection services including inspectors to take 15 days of unpaid leave. That will impact 6,290 establishments and cost more than $10 billion in production losses. Industry workers would also lose more than $400 million in wages.
The Nebraska Cattlemen Association sent letters to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and the USDA to express concerns.
"FSIS Inspectors in times past have been considered essential federal employees, which means that even in times when there's appropriations debates, the government understands that food security is of significant importance to keep these people on the job. And we think this scenario is very much the same," said Michael Kelsey, Executive Vice President for Nebraska Cattlemen.
The USDA also said if the automatic budget cuts take place, consumers would have a limited meat and poultry supply.
