The government shutdown is now entering its third week with rumblings in Washington that the end might be in sight. Nevertheless, government services and agencies remain closed, suspended or otherwise affected. Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted its operations, putting most of the agency’s routine food safety inspections on hold, and placing food safety threats on imports. For example, 91% of seafood, 50% of fruits and 20% of vegetables that Americans consume—and are imported—are not being inspected.
So, what does this mean to our nation’s food supply? How are today’s food processors affected? Better yet, how is the average consumer impacted?