Agriculture is our state’s number one industry and as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee I’m committed to preserving the safety and security of our nation’s food supply. That’s why I’m concerned about recent comments made by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about meat and poultry inspections due to sequestration. 

I joined some of my Senate colleagues from rural states in sending a letter to Sec. Vilsack about the fear his comments are sparking among consumers, American workers, and producers about the food inspectors and the safety of meat because of spending cuts. 

“The comments you have made in the press, to farm groups and at the recent USDA Outlook Forum suggest you view there is a rigid legal duty to furlough all employees at USDA without concern for USDA’s statutory duties or for the health and safety of consumers,” the letter states. 

Instead of going through the federal budget with a scalpel, the President and his administration are in denial about the threat that our out of control spending poses to our nation's financial security. Now the President threatens us with a worse-case scenario if we refuse to raise taxes and move forward to reduce our rate of government growth by two percent. The United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) can continue to meet the demands of food inspection while working under these budgetary guidelines and the President should provide less fear mongering and more leadership on how to implement the sequester he proposed.

Click here to read the letter.