80 percent of America's food hasn't been inspected during the shutdown
The federal government shutdown has led to waves of TSA agents quitting their jobs. It's caused national parks to be flooded with trash. And, perhaps most terrifyingly, it's suspended all Food and Drug Administration inspections of America's food facilities, The Washington Post reports.
In an interview Wednesday, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the agency "has suspended all routine inspections of domestic food-processing facilities." The agency inspects 80 percent of America's food supply facilities, per the Post, including typically risky foods like dairy and seafood. Gottlieb is trying to find a way to resume inspecting "high-risk facilities" next week, he told the Post.
The FDA usually inspects 160 American processing locations per week, and about a third of them are "high risk," Gottlieb told the Post. He's so far canceled 50 high-risk inspections, but says under "new guidance," he could bring back enough furloughed workers to cover them. The agency is still looking at foreign imports and any "domestic facilities involved in recalls or outbreaks," the Post writes. Department of Agriculture inspections of meat, poultry, and eggs have also continued through the shutdown.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
President Trump and Democratic leaders were supposed to discuss ending the 19-day-long shutdown on Wednesday. But Trump apparently walked out of the room when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said "no" to Trump's border wall demand for the umpteenth time. Read more about what's at stake at The Washington Post.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there’s an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of distrust in science
In the Spotlight Science and politics do not seem to mix
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
The Nutcracker: English National Ballet's reboot restores 'festive sparkle'
The Week Recommends Long-overdue revamp of Tchaikovsky's ballet is 'fun, cohesive and astoundingly pretty'
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published