Meat industry wants FSIS inspectors exempted from government shutdown
The meatpacking industry hopes federal inspectors would be exempt from furloughs if the government shuts down. Meat processors can’t operate without the inspectors on the job. But Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today that he won’t tell the companies before the inspectors are notified.
Vilsack told reporters that there is an exemption for workers who are critical to public safety but he stopped short of saying that would apply to meat inspectors, reports the Des Moines Register.