In the event of a government shutdown that has now come to fruition, the USDA says it’s taken steps to be ready. Back in the 2018 federal shutdown, Food Safety and Inspection Service meat inspection and laboratory testing personnel continued to work. USDA says it is prepared for all possible contingencies covering operations, including critical services and support programs. Two people with direct knowledge of the agency’s plans said that USDA employees may face more layoffs.
The department submitted its tentative shutdown contingency plan to the Office of Management and Budget, and it does include a reduction-in-force provision. No further details were provided on which employees could be cut, but the two people said the rest of the proposal largely mirrors USDA’s typical shutdown contingency plan, last updated during the Biden administration.
-NAFB