USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack’s Feb. 8 announcement that USDA is considering a 15-day furlough of Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) personnel to reduce costs is troublesome, to say the least. Last week, Editor Joe Roybal asked the question, “Will FSIS furlough hold the food system hostage?” While some are saying it will be a non-issue, even if the furlough does occur, others see it as a political move using ranchers as pawns in a game we will struggle to win....
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