U.S. Senators agreed to shift $55 million in funds within the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday to avoid temporary layoffs of all U.S. meat inspectors due to federal budget cuts.

The timing and assignment of furloughs would be spread across the country to minimize the impact on processors.

The USDA has said that U.S. meat processors, who would have to essentially shut down while inspectors were laid off, would lose about $10 billion in production.

The Obama administration warned on Friday that across-the-board spending cuts set to take effect in March may result in furloughing every U.S. meat and poultry inspector for two weeks, causing the meat industry to shut down.

The North American Meat Processors Association has confirmed that FSIS headquarters yesterday told all district managers that all inspectors in the plant, all front line supervisors, and all EAIO’s are deemed “essential employees” and should work as usual if the federal government shuts down at midnight Friday.

The meatpacking industry hopes federal inspectors would be exempt from furloughs if the government shuts down.