I’ve written about it many times. You speed up meat processing lines and more workers get injured. They’re wielding sharp knives to cut, trim, and prepare meat. So when the lines speed up they need to work faster, which results in more injuries.
Faster line speeds are dangerous for consumers, too. When workers are required to perform their tasks at faster speeds, the chances of contamination occurring are greater.
Why is the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, setting up a regulatory process to speed up meat processing lines? So the meat industry will make bigger profits.
It’s one of the meat industry ways it wants to cut regulations that its lobbied heavily for over the decades.
The USDA temporarily allowed poultry plants to increase line speeds from 140 to 175 birds per minute during the pandemic. Now, the Trump administration is proposing to make the temporary rule permanent.
In announcing proposed regulations Tuesday for federal line speed regulations in poultry and pork establishments operating under modern inspection systems, the USDA said the updates reflect “years of data and experience, and are designed to lower costs for American families, reduce outdated regulatory barriers for processors, and support a more efficient and resilient food supply.”
“These updates remove outdated bottlenecks so that we can lower production costs and create greater stability in our food system,” Brooke Rollins, USDA secretary, said in a statement. “By bringing our regulations in line with proven, real-world capabilities, we are supporting a stronger supply chain, giving producers and processors the certainty they need, and helping keep groceries more affordable for every household.”
However, food safety, health, and consumer advocates don’t agree.
“Faster meat processing lines may increase output – but at what cost?” Darin Detwiler, professor of food policy at Northeastern University, asked in an article on Food Safety News, online news publication focusing on food safety. “A regulatory system that prioritizes corporate efficiency over public health isn’t just reckless – it’s a betrayal of consumer trust.”
The public can comment on both proposed rules. Comments will be accepted for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. More information will be available at www.regulations.gov.
