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MDARD says food safety efforts continue during shutdown

The new director of Michigan’s Department of Agriculture says food safety inspections are continuing by state officials during the government shutdown.

Gary McDowell tells Brownfield along with local health departments, state  food safety inspectors daily respond to all complaints and conduct routine, risk-based inspections.

“We’re going to do everything that we can to ensure that our food is safe, but we really need USDA to get back on the job.”     

The department is currently assessing what impact the shutdown is having in Michigan and where there might be gaps.

“There’s a lot of things that we just can’t do that are the federal government’s responsibility.  We don’t have the resources or the technology.  It’s imperative that the federal government get back to work.”

The lifetime Upper Peninsula crop farmer says the Whitmer administration is still setting priorities for the department and expects to focus on rural broadband, education, other issues important to the ag community.

AUDIO: Brownfield interview with Director Gary McDowell