USDA Allows Faster Processing Speeds

OMAHA (DTN) -- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday announced USDA will extend waivers to allow faster line speeds at pork and poultry industry, describing the actions as efforts to reduce burdens on the industries by getting rid of outdated requirements.

"America leads the world in pork and poultry production, and we are committed to ensuring our producers remain competitive on a global scale without being held back by unnecessary bureaucracy," Rollins said in a news release. "Under President Trump's leadership, we are cutting unnecessary red tape, empowering businesses to operate more efficiently, and strengthening American agriculture -- all while upholding the highest food safety standards."

The directive instructs the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to allow faster line speeds at pork and poultry processing facilities, "ensuring they can meet demand without excessive government interference," USDA stated. USDA will begin immediate rulemaking to increase line speeds at processing plants. FSIS also will not require processors to submit more workplace safety data. "Additionally, FSIS will no longer require plants to submit redundant worker safety data," as extensive research has confirmed no direct link between processing speeds and workplace injuries," USDA stated. "These reforms will strengthen U.S. food production, reduce costs for producers, and support a more resilient supply chain."

Industry groups and unions representing workers are split over the impacts of the decision.

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) noted the group has advocated for faster line speeds since 2019. FSIS permitted six pork plants to increase line speeds starting in November 2021 and extended that trial multiple times through Jan. 15, 2025. FSIS released a study of the plants concluding that line speeds were not the leading factor in "worker musculoskeletal disorder (MSD)" risk at these plants, NPPC stated.

"America's pork producers thank U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for this needed action that will provide financial security and more stability for pork producers," said NPPC President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio. "Without this program, some pork producers could have incurred an additional loss of nearly $10 a head."

The National Chicken Council (NCC) noted a pilot program using almost two dozen chicken processing plants was initiated under the Clinton administration allowing line speeds of up to 175 birds per minute (bpm). The group cited that part of the processing line (evisceration) that deals with the speed increase is almost entirely automated. This modernized system has been studied, debated, and reviewed in depth for two and a half decades to assure its effectiveness in further modernizing chicken inspection while improving food safety and protecting workers. Research has confirmed that higher evisceration line speeds in chicken processing plants do not lead to increased food safety risk, NCC stated.

"I want to thank Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration for adhering to science-based principles and following 25 years of experience, studies and data on increased line speeds in chicken processing plants," said National Chicken Council President Harrison Kircher. "The current approach has created significant uncertainty for companies with waivers and a competitive disadvantage for those without them. We appreciate the administration moving to ensure a level playing field and help increase the global competitiveness of the U.S. broiler industry. We look forward to providing input as the rulemaking process begins and request that the agency work expeditiously to finalize a rule."

USDA's study on musculoskeletal disorders at poultry plants found 81% of poultry workers were at increased risk across all establishments. Still, the study also showed that such pain was not reported more frequently at processing plants with higher evisceration line speeds.

In pork plants, 46% of all workers were at high risk for such musculoskeletal disorders, but also showed faster line speeds did increase the risk of injury at one plant while also showing a decrease in injuries at a separate plant.

Both studies recommended pork and poultry plants mitigate such injuries among by establishing ergonomic program guidelines.

Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), said the group represents 15,000 poultry workers across southern states as well as meatpacking and processing workers in other areas of the country. Appelbaum said the increased line speeds will lead to more injured workers. Appelbaum also said the faster production speeds will put food safety at risk.

"Today's announcement by the USDA and Secretary Rollins echoes the same lack of consideration they had for our essential food processing workers during the first Trump administration and it will put us all at risk," Appelbaum said. "We rely on the thousands of workers to safely produce the food on our tables every single day, they can't do that safely at these speeds -- we learned that lesson the hard way just five short years ago -- let's not irreparably injure workers to learn what we already know."

Appelbaum added, "Worker safety must be a priority, and these facilities cannot operate at these speeds without increased staffing, which cannot happen the way they are constructed now. Issuing waivers to a multi-billion dollar industry with no oversight to ensure it's done safely and properly is a recipe for disaster. The USDA must make worker safety a priority, not profits."

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

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