USDA Proposes Faster Meat Processing Lines: Worker and Environmental Risks Spark Outrage

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in February two proposed changes to federal regulations governing meat processing line speeds, a move critics argue would endanger workers, public health, and the environment.

The first proposal would increase the maximum line speed in poultry slaughter from 140 birds per minute to 175 for chicken and from 55 birds per minute to 60 for turkey. The second proposal would remove all line speed caps for swine slaughter entirely.

Public Comment Period Closes

Last week marked the end of the public comment period for these proposed amendments. If finalized, the USDA claims the changes would “lower production costs and create greater stability in our food system” while also helping “keep groceries more affordable.” Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made these remarks in February, emphasizing the administration’s broader push to encourage higher meat consumption among Americans, including through a revised food pyramid prioritizing protein intake.

Expert and Advocate Opposition

Despite the promised economic benefits, experts and advocacy groups warn that the proposed rollbacks pose significant risks. “This is doubling down on an already broken and polluting food system,” said Dani Replogle, staff attorney at Food and Water Watch, an environmental nonprofit that submitted public comments opposing the rules.

The USDA must now review tens of thousands of comments submitted during the public comment period. The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), a union representing workers in the food supply chain, estimates that over 22,000 comments oppose the poultry rule, while more than 20,000 oppose the pork rule.

Worker Safety Concerns

The UFCW, which successfully sued to block a similar USDA proposal for swine line speeds in 2021, highlights that increasing line speeds will lead to more injuries for workers. While many parts of meat processing facilities are automated, the initial stages—where animals are herded into plants—remain hazardous. Workers in poultry plants often hang birds by their feet, frequently becoming covered in fecal matter. In swine slaughterhouses, employees on the “kill floor” guide pigs into stunning chambers. Unlike climate-controlled areas of the facility, these workers are exposed to extreme temperatures and face heat stress during hot days.

Further down the processing line, workers handle knives and labor side-by-side, performing repetitive motions for hours. They make the same cuts repeatedly to process hundreds or thousands of birds and swine, putting them at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, lacerations, and even amputations. Research indicates that injury rates rise when line speeds increase, a finding the USDA disputes in its proposed poultry rule, citing a study funded by its Food Safety and Inspection Service.