Budget cuts could threaten U.S. poultry production

(CBS News) LOS ANGELES - One week from today, March 1, is the date that automatic, across-the-board spending cuts will kick in, unless Congress and the president reach a budget deal. The cuts were designed to be so deep and harmful that the president and Congress would have to find a better way, but there is no sign of that. Essential government services will be cut back and one of the many industries that could feel the effects is food safety.

George Saffarrans owns a poultry plant near downtown Los Angeles

/ CBS News

George Saffarrans's poultry plant near downtown Los Angeles processes 30,000 to 40,000 chickens each day.

Nearly every day, inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture come by to look at paperwork and receiving logs and to check on sanitation.

But officials at the Agriculture Department estimate the automatic budget cuts would slash $2 billion from their budget and force them to furlough a third of their workers. That includes all food inspectors.

Saffarrans fears that a lack of inspectors means he will not be able to do anything with his chicken. "I can't open the box. I can't repack it. I can't cut it. I can't trim it. I can't marinate it, I can't do anything to it." he said. Without inspectors, the business will shut down.

Complete coverage: The sequester
Obama on budget cuts: "Hope springs eternal"
Carney: Another sequester delay may be needed
Obama: Sequester bad, but not as bad as default

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sent a letter to the Senate warning of a "nationwide shutdown of meat and poultry plants," costing businesses $10 billion and employees $400 million in lost wages.

The Obama Administration predicts consumers could find shortages, and higher prices, at grocery stores.

"I hope it doesn't happen," said Saffarrans. "It would be an economic disaster and there would be no winners. The Democrats wouldn't be winners, the Republicans wouldn't be winners, and Obama certainly wouldn't be a winner."

Among the losers would also be Saffarrans's 140 employees. He says he would be forced to lay them off.

[535Clownsplusone]

Can't wait to see who wins the Academy Award for best actor on this one!

[Jim1900]

FDR promised "a chicken in every pot". The Republicans are taking it out again.

[johnlockesghost]

Is this the kind of government that you want? A government that when faced with a minor reduction in their spending (while the private sector has had to cope with economic hardship), threatens their employer (American citizens).

[duzmafuzt]

There you go again. You must be a Scumacrate or a Rupukeblican or a maybe a spaced out doped up Librarian. Threatening everyone, and acting as if the "elected" government is to blame. We voted in the government. We have to accept the facts of modern life. We the people in order to perform a more perfect union, are now so dependent on this union, we cannot manage it!! Stupid founding father's could not have known this. They were not as educated, as our modern brilliant educators would have wanted them!! Ha Ha Ha! How pathetic we have become. First it was milk. Now it is Chickens! All we can do is blame the media. Good report. Luv that chicken. I like Popeyes, myself, and if the Gov can make it real, go Gov Go; Only the Government can protect us from tort reform, and hella lawsuits!! U can save the Billion. Get better organized. You know? We do not need a massive inspection force. If you trust someone to cook for you, then you are the dummy that has to check that the food is legit. It is your life. But, let me check with my lawyer first. It may be my life, but am I entitled to my stomach?

[Non-Political]

"... automatic budget cuts would slash $2 billion from their budget and force them to furlough a third of their workers. That includes all food inspectors."

IF they indeed had to layoff a third of their workers it would be completely IRRESPONSIBLE for them layoff essential personnel such as inspectors. This is more of the same chicken crap the president is trying to get people to believe.

I say call him on this. Let this sequester happen. Then when the dust settles we'll see who is correct.

[Non-Political]

Whoops! Forgot another piece of chicken crap: "The Obama Administration predicts consumers could find shortages, and higher prices, at grocery stores."

With the drought last year what do you think is going to happen to beef, pork, poultry and grain prices? That's right! They are going to go up. So if you buy this crap when prices do go up (due to the drought) you'll say to yourself "See, the prices have gone up due to sequester! The obamians were right after all."

AND YOU WOULD BE WRONG.

[crankyoleman]

You can add almost 800,000 defense employees to that number.

[Noval53]

Pravda could not provide better government baloney propaganda than CBS. Well done. CBS should print a manual on how to scare the masses with contrived BS. The US is rapidly on the way to becoming the world's largest "broke" banana republic; with the help of the mass media "one party" press.

[Non-Political]

Noval53,

You forgot to include NBC and ABC plus the new york times in your assessment of CBS's propaganda.

[Jim1900]

It makes perfectly good sense to reduce chicken inspection, since it complements the Republicans' effort to reduce corn production by Global Warming.

[consciousnes]

This is crazy, 90% of the jobs Obama is talking about are employeed by the State their in, not the federal government. OBAMA IS JUST TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE. just like he has been trying to do since he first got elected. Fire Fighters are paid by the community, police are by state or city. What has the FBI done lately? Hospitals and ambulances ect are all locally or medical facility paid, etc,etc,etc. LETS STOP THIS MADNESS AND FORCE OBAMA TO PRODUCE A "BUDGET"

[hypnotoad72]

Food safety? Who cares if people die, what the heck.

Oh, don't forget:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/24/who-is-the-smallest-government-spender-since-eisenhower-would-you-believe-its-barack-obama/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/obamas-and-bushs-effect-on-the-deficit-in-one-graph/2011/07/25/gIQAELOrYI_blog.html

Plenty of investigative articles have rebutted any rightwinger's claim Obama is a big spender, and it's not as quick and dry as 2 articles either - but the same rightwingers think having to read lots of info is "long-winded"...

[iAceMadman]

"he will not be able to do anything with his chicken. "I can't open the box. I can't repack it. I can't cut it. I can't trim it. I can't marinate it, I can't do anything to it."

This is what over-regulation does to business. And worst, YOU know who are going to riot when they don't get their fried chicken. There will be chaos everwhere. Without government they can't do anything, be taught anything, have medical procedures, or feel safe.

[Rocksman]

The sky is falling!

[Noval53]

Yes it's true. The "chicken littles" are running in a circular panic because their government credit card "might" have a limit. Oh my!