Salary Reductions on Tap for Alabama Agriculture Dept. Workers

     The number of employees at the Alabama Department of Agriculture has dropped from about 400 to 300 in the past year...now those remaining workers are about to be told a 7.5% pay cut is on the table...or else there may be layoffs.
     Commissioner John McMillan will meet with the employees this morning to discuss the cuts. CBS 8 News broke the story exclusively  last night.
     The Department has already reduced some services, and more cuts may be ahead....and meat and food inspection staffs could be hit. The FDA has informed the Department that it will not be able to pick up the slack if those inspections are reduced or eliminated.
     Deputy Commissioner Brad Hall says Governor Bentley has told the Department to expect a ten per cent cut in its budget for the remainder of the fiscal year. He says personnel costs make up 82% of the department's budget, making it difficult to cut expenses without impacting employees, either through salary cuts or layoffs.