Congress passed a continuing resolution that will keep the federal government running through Sept. 30.  The resolution contains an additional $55 million for USDA’s meat and poultry inspectors to avoid furloughs. 

P. Scott Shearer, Vice President

March 25, 2013

1 Min Read
Amendment Helps Avoid Meat & Poultry Inspector Furloughs

Congress passed a continuing resolution that will keep the federal government running through Sept. 30.  The resolution contains an additional $55 million for USDA’s meat and poultry inspectors to avoid furloughs.  Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) offered the amendment to allow USDA to transfer funds in existing agriculture accounts to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to ensure inspectors would not be furloughed.  USDA originally estimated that because of sequestration, meat and poultry inspectors would have to be furloughed for 11 days, would result in $10 billion in production losses, plus $400 million in lost wages.  President Barack Obama has indicated he will sign the bill. 

 

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About the Author(s)

P. Scott Shearer

Vice President, Bockorny Group, Inc.

Scott Shearer is vice president of the Bockorny Group Inc., a leading bipartisan government affairs consulting firm in Washington, D.C. With more than 30 years experience in government and corporate relations in state and national arenas, he is recognized as a leader in agricultural trade issues, having served as co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for U.S.-China Trade and co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for Trade Promotion Authority. Scott was instrumental in the passage of China Permanent Normal Trade Relations and TPA. He is past chairman of the USDA-USTR Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products and was a member of the USAID Food Security Advisory Committee. Prior to joining the Bockorny Group, Scott served as director of national relations for Farmland Industries Inc., as well as USDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs (1993-96), serving as liaison for the Secretary of Agriculture and the USDA to Congress.

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