If these spending cuts go into effect on March 1 like they are expecting, your local meat counter is going to feel it. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/20/us-usa-agriculture-meat-idUSBRE91J1CQ20130220 If the budget cuts happen, up to 30% of the USDA's 100,000 employees might be forced to take absence, USDA says. Along with that, a possible 600,000 poor women and children might be dropped from a program that provides them with additional food. These are the choices that the USDA has made to satisfy the 2 billion dollars cuts that they will be required to do.
The main reason why these inspectors might be furloughed is they are currently being labeled as "non-essential". We would not see the effects of the loss of these workers until the middle of April is what people are saying.
Processing plants and producers alike, along with grocers, depend on these workers to get their products on the shelf safely. A lot of people don't know that America has the safest food production and safest food distribution in the whole world! The possibility of these workers being put on hold for any amount of time is alarming. They are an essential piece of the large puzzle we call FOOD! All food that gets on the shelves and gets shipped needs to be inspected, its federal law. The thought that they are not considered essential is just preposterous.
What do these possible cuts mean for the consumer? On the far end of the scale you could see certain foods in shortage. Processing plants will have to stop production in many cases with so many inspectors being put on furlough.These things just don't happen in the U.S. And consumers will more than likely feel the punch at the cash register as well, with meat and poultry prices expected to rise dramatically.
What can we as consumers do to prevent this? Write to congress, contact your local politicians, and just hope that those who are working in Washington will stop this from happening.
The link below goes into greater detail about the buget cuts and the USDA's plan
http://news.msn.com/us/us-meat-inspector-layoffs-bad-way-to-cut-budget-lawmaker
Processing plants and producers alike, along with grocers, depend on these workers to get their products on the shelf safely. A lot of people don't know that America has the safest food production and safest food distribution in the whole world! The possibility of these workers being put on hold for any amount of time is alarming. They are an essential piece of the large puzzle we call FOOD! All food that gets on the shelves and gets shipped needs to be inspected, its federal law. The thought that they are not considered essential is just preposterous.
What do these possible cuts mean for the consumer? On the far end of the scale you could see certain foods in shortage. Processing plants will have to stop production in many cases with so many inspectors being put on furlough.These things just don't happen in the U.S. And consumers will more than likely feel the punch at the cash register as well, with meat and poultry prices expected to rise dramatically.
What can we as consumers do to prevent this? Write to congress, contact your local politicians, and just hope that those who are working in Washington will stop this from happening.
The link below goes into greater detail about the buget cuts and the USDA's plan
http://news.msn.com/us/us-meat-inspector-layoffs-bad-way-to-cut-budget-lawmaker
Your post makes me a little concerned about what the future holds for our food industry. I am a big meat eater, and I would not be happy if I would have to pay a couple more dollars a pound for it. I agree that the USDA workers are essential to healthy and safe food. I hope they figure out a way to fix all of this because I like my meat cheap and healthy.
ReplyDeleteI too enjoy a delicious and nutritious carnivorous meal. Luckily I raise my own beef, so I can sneak past that staple. It doesn't look like those working in Washington are getting it through their heads that American's are not happy with what could happen if things are not solved Friday. Just tonight I was watching the news and it doesn't look like there has been much motivation or cooperation to make some changes.
ReplyDeleteIt is also alarming that so many impoverished people may loose the additional food that has been provided for them. 600,000 people is a astounding number of people and its a shame that they may loose this.
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