FDA resuming inspections of riskier foods

NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration says it is resuming inspections of some of the riskiest foods such as cheeses, produce and infant formula as early as Tuesday.

Routine inspections had been briefly halted as a result of the partial government shutdown.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the agency is bringing back about 150 employees for the inspections. Riskier foods account for about a third of the agency’s roughly 8,400 routine inspections each year.

The FDA oversees packaged foods and produce. Meat, poultry and processed eggs are checked by another federal agency and have continued. States also handle about half of the FDA’S inspections and those have also continued.

working without pay.

The House and Senate passed legislation last week that would provide back pay for federal workers after the shutdown ends. Trump has vowed to sign the bill and said federal workers would get their money.

Historically, federal contractors have not received back pay for services not performed during a government shutdown, and small businesses that rely on federal workers and contractors as customers are feeling the squeeze as the shutdown moves into another week.

Farmers hit by shutdown

Another group hard hit by the shutdown is America’s farmers. The shutdown includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees nutritional programs and food stamps, as well as farm subsidies and loans.

Trump addressed the American Farm Bureau Federation in New Orleans, telling farmers “we’re going to have a wall, we’re going to have a barrier.”

The speech came after weeks in which state farm groups had urged the Trump administration and Congress to end the shutdown, noting its impact, along with tariffs the administration has imposed on foreign countries, have disproportionately hurt growers and livestock producers.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@ reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.