Vilsack On Sequestration

Vilsack On Sequestration

Vilsack On Sequestration. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack was in front of the House Agriculture Committee discussing the furloughs of meat inspectors as part of the sequester with assurances that even though jobs are lost it will not compromise the safety of meat and poultry products.

VILSACK: No matter how you slice it; no matter how you dice it, there is nothing you can do without impacting the front line inspectors. I think it’s more about the supply and production of food and whether we are faced with higher prices or lower prices as a result of disruptions in supply and the impact it has on producers.

He explains the timeline and process for furloughing meat inspectors.

VILSACK: This week we will send out notices to the union representatives that furlough is possible and one of the challenges is that not every one of our workers in this particular area has email so we actually have to hand deliver a letter or a written notification to those employees. That has to be followed up under the agreement with oral conferences that has to take place for any employee who requests an oral conference.

And what about Rural Development programs?

VILSACK: On rural development I think we’re still going to have people on the ground and people doing business. We’re just not going to be able to do as much business because we don’t have the resources. We’ll see a reduction in wastewater and business and industry long programs and utility programs but we’re still going to do our job.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network. 

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