Meat Industry May Shut Down for Two Weeks If Sequester Happens

Thousands of meat inspectors would be furloughed

It turns out the game of budget chicken in Washington could result in the meat industry temporarily shutting down. If the $85 billion sequester cuts are allowed to kick in on March 1, it could mean all meat and poultry inspectors would be furloughed for two weeks.

Without their seal of approval, meatpackers and processors can't ship beef, pork, lamb and poultry meat. An estimated $10 billion in production would be lost during a two-week furlough and consumers could see higher prices and empty shelves, as a result, Reuters reports.

Obama and Congress seem far apart on reaching a deficit reduction deal to avoid the sequester. Obama is calling for "a balanced" approach to trimming the deficit, which means a mix of tax revenue and spending cuts. But GOP leadership is demanding a cuts only approach.

Via Reuters

What's your reaction to the sequester possibly causing the meat industry to shut down?

[Litdes]

You may take my steak when you pry it from my cold, dead, fingers.

[Rocker]

Dadgum - that cut of beef looks good. Now I'm hungry.

[gammler]

Essential services won't be shut down. This is a tempest in a tea pot.

[frigginhell]

Health inspectors checking the quality of our meat is now an essential service? I'm sure the big government haters out there would disagree with you. Why I'm almost certain they'd prefer no health inspectors and are more than happy to eat whatever meat a self regulating capitialist model puts on their kitchen table. After they're alld ead from mad cow disease or whatever other tainted food death sentence their god hands them the rest of us can get on with our day and make our leaders do their jobs.

[Dan_Tien]

Eat fish. Go hunting.

[marine1]

Did these jerks not relize this when they voted for it? Have we become a goverment of the crisis,for the crisis and by the crisis? Will goverment ever get their head and asses wired togeather? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[Dan_Tien]

@marine1 Yes, Yes, No.

[marine1]

@Dan_Tien are you always this vague

[No_Bama]

How can we hunt after Obama takes our guns here shortly?

[txgurl001]

@No_Bama Don't be an idiot... Obama isn't taking your guns. He just wants more control over the guns that shouldn't be in the hands of the ordinary citizen.

[Emerald1]

GOP has already approved the exclusion of the top earners from the Bush tax cuts that Obama wanted...with the caveat that spending cuts would be revisited. A little bias here maybe????

[PoliticalSpice]

GOP approved nothing. The bush tax expired because repubs wouldn't co-operate, and after thevtaxes went up the GOP voted to refuce them to the middle class...

[Emerald1]

@PoliticalSpice If the GOP had not agreed to let the cuts stand with the exception of the top earners we would all have had our taxes raised.. If is the Democrats who are not cooperating. They haven't passed a budget since Obama came into office even tho several have been proposed by the House. Harry Reid has stated he would not even bring them up for a vote in the Senate and Obama said he would veto them anyway.(The one proposal put up by Obama was vote down unanimously both parties.). Now...HOW can that possibly translate into the Republicans being non cooperative????

[frigginhell]

It's the job of the House to make the budget. Where is the budget? Did Obama veto something while the entire nation was in the bathroom? A basic understanding of how our government works is on every immigrants citizenship test when they try to come to this country. I'm guessing you're here illegaly as you don't appear to know how it works.

[Emerald1]

@frigginhell LOL The House has presented numerous budgets to the Senate...Harry Reid says he won't bring it to a vote..Obama says he will veto it anyway. You are really the one getting it backwards. That is funny.

[FollowTheMoney]

I raise, slaughter and butcher my own meat. Heh heh heh. Let 'em shut down. This is only a scare tactic to get the sheepeople give congress a pass on putting the burden of paying for congresses indiscretions and failed policies.

[PoliticalSpice]

It won't work. My doctor wants me to eat less meat anyway. Like the pentagon won't stop spending, I won't stop meat, unless the sequester hits.

[harold_lloyd]

@PoliticalSpice ...or a heart attack.

[PoliticalSpice]

@harold_lloyd Yea, but the thing is that diesn't help if you are allergic to cholestorol fighting drugs. Cutting saturated fat is not enough, you have to reduce the choloestorol manufactured by the body and only drugs can do that.

[harold_lloyd]

@PoliticalSpice
I can sympathize in principle, but my cholesterol is 137. But don't feel bad, in my family we usually die from strokes.

[PoliticalSpice]

@harold_lloyd why strokes? High blood pressure?

[Emerald1]

I always keep six months worth of food in my freezer and pantry so bring it on.

[stepped_in_it]

Beat me to "my pantry and cheat freezer will hold me out just fine!". On the money!

[Jackie312gm]

Very bad news for people that eat dead cows and other dead animals.

[NTBFW]

It would be pretty hard to eat live ones.

[seedtick]

What do you eat, dead beans? I do, also, but I put a little bacon in them to go along with my steak. Dead cows are yummy...if cooked properly.

[Jackie312gm]

@seedtick i have been a vegetarian since 1969. There is nothing wrong with eating cow or chickens. For the past 50 years i have been involved heavily in science as my mother was. She made me a vegetarian by slowly removing meat from our diet.

[Rocker]

@Jackie312gm - Well, at least it was gradual. I don't think I could quit "Cold Turkey".(pun intended)

[culinary]

I always wondered how a person could stand not eating meat. Give me a rare steak, baked potato, some yeast rolls and a cold bud light and I'm the happist girl alive.

[wonka45ACP]

Just another ploy to push , or should I say ram up our as* their agenda..

[PoliticalSpice]

A vegetation adgenda. That will show tex ass

[stepped_in_it]

@PoliticalSpice Bahahaha....can't comment while I laugh to tears!

[texas_cutie75]

@PoliticalSpice
Hey! I have my dietary needs covered, 2 freezers full of deer, cattle, fish, shrimp, and chicken grown in this state. I'm not worried! Are you?? LOL, love ya my friend!!

[PoliticalSpice]

@texas_cutie75 Why would I worry. What time is dinner?

[texas_cutie75]

@PoliticalSpice
Dinner gets placed on the table at 6 pm. Come on!!

[whataGOVwehave]

Congress is gonna make me start killing animals.

[PoliticalSpice]

Start with cops and republicans...

[stepped_in_it]

@PoliticalSpice Bahaha....stop it!!!!

[PoliticalSpice]

@stepped_in_it I've only just begun...(carpenters)

[whataGOVwehave]

@PoliticalSpice I'll even go so far as to ask my target if they want to get it with a 10 round clip or a drum.

[stepped_in_it]

@PoliticalSpice Ahhhh.....Karen only lived 5 miles from where I grew up (Downey, Ca). Went by her families house many times to try to get a glimpse of her....did see her once and was some what let down....it was towards the end of her life! Too bad!

[DARSB]

Paradoxically, the service cut backs that would follow the sequester might help show how valuable government services can be.

[whataGOVwehave]

I hate to agree with this but its true.

[lawnmowrman]

Lentils and pintos are a better alternative to meat. I can't afford to buy meat anyway.

[stepped_in_it]

And you are assisting in the so called "gas" shortage!

[lawnmowrman]

@stepped_in_it Add a little sodium bicarb to the beans and that problem is no problem

[stepped_in_it]

@lawnmowrman Ahhhh......very "green" of you! lol

[Cheenoguy]

Maybe Americans will eat better for two weeks.

[stepped_in_it]

Naah, the warehouses are full of frozen burger patties.....but, it's a great thought!

[Cheenoguy]

@stepped_in_it
Yeah but they will jack the prices on flesh way up so maybe.

[WMCOL]

Money lost from beef sales will have to be made up by increasing prices of other meats and foods. Beef broth, cubes, canned soups, other beef based items prices will skyrocket. It is amazing how interconnected things are on this little earth.

[stepped_in_it]

But the cattle will be happier. Makes me think of the "eat mor chikin" campaign! LOL

[Chromalord]

at least McDonalds will be safe. Thats not real beef.

[JustTheFacts]

rotflmao ... good point!

[DARSB]

"at least McDonalds will be safe" But horses will be nervous.

[Knightkore]

I was thinking that PETA might actually like this....

[Thegrif]

Cut on meat industry-
"This hitsay is getting serious now"

Freezer full of deer, pig, and moo cow.
Fire pit out back and a dutch oven cookin expert, and a entire ocean full of food 3 miles from house.
I'm gonna survive just fine.
Lol

[Hireman]

Yet again proof that the government has far greater power to foul things up than to improve them. Shrink it.

[DARSB]

But seriously, did the person prepping that lovely meat in the pic never hear of letting it rest before carving? Clearly not a Food Network devotee. ;)

[Thunderchicken]

We had a government shut down for about a month during the Clinton administration. It didn't effect much as I recall.

[bsking]

You mean to tell me people on food stamps are going to have to eat healthy now?

[No_Bama]

Yep, no more gub'ment Filet Mignon for Obama voters.