據美國食品安全新聞網消息，針對美國近日公布的自動減赤方案（sequestration），美國農業部長湯姆·維爾薩克認為，自動減赤方案出臺后，美國農業部將被迫裁減肉品檢測人員。

　　然而美國立法人員以及行業組織對這一觀點有異議，他們質疑裁減檢驗人員的必要性，并認為美國農業部有義務確保肉品安全。

　　部分原文報道如下：

　　Under the sequester, which recently put in place across-the-board budget cuts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has no choice but to eventually furlough meat inspectors, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack again said on Friday. The statement comes after some lawmakers and industry groups questioned whether USDA needed to furlough inspectors and argued that the department had a legal obligation to provide meat inspection.

　　When it comes to meat inspection, "there will be disruption in that process," said Vilsack, in remarks at the Commodity Classic, a convention of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers. "Make no mistake about it, there is not enough flexibility in the sequester language for me to move money around to avoid furloughs of food inspectors."

　　"It is not something I want to do, its not something I like doing, but it´s the law and it´s something I am going to have to do, unless this thing gets resolved," he added.

　　With the mandated cuts, which kicked in on March 1, USDA´s budget in 2013 will be less than it was in 2009, according to Vilsack, who highlighted that the department had recently trimmed more than $700 million by modernizing and reducing waste.