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Pork and poultry groups are calling for the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service to move ahead with proposals to allow faster line speeds at packing plants. However, union leaders argue loosening current speed requirements could create health risks for workers.
Industry groups and union representatives weighed in on proposed changes to pork and poultry line speed requirements as part of a public comment period that closed Monday.
One rulemaking proposed by FSIS in February would allow young chicken establishments operating under the New Poultry Inspection System to process up to 175 birds per minute, while maximum line speeds for turkey establishments operating under the same rules would increase from 55 to 60 birds per minute.
A separate proposed rule would allow pork facilities operating under the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System to "determine their own line speeds based on their ability to maintain process control.” USDA inspectors would be allowed to reduce line speed rates “at any point in the slaughter process when, in their judgment, there is a loss of process control” or if a carcass-by-carcass inspection cannot properly be performed within that time.
Both proposed rules would also do away with inspection requirements requiring poultry and pork processors to submit annual attestations on worker safety programs.
Ashley Peterson, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the National Chicken Council, wrote in a comment that equipment currently used to remove internal organs "can operate safely and effectively at speeds well over 220 bpm." She said the action "will have significant economic and competitive benefits for both the chicken industry and consumers."
Ashley Peterson (National Chicken Council photo)Peterson called on the agency to consider a subsequent rule completely eliminating maximum line speeds for poultry, which she argued would improve the U.S. poultry industry's competitiveness globally. She said the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada allow more flexibility than the U.S. when it comes to line speeds.
"Each of these countries has demonstrated that safe and wholesome poultry products can be produced without imposing line speed limitations," Peterson wrote. "FSIS should remove maximum line speed limitations to ensure U.S. poultry producers are not handicapped compared to these and other global competitors."
In a comment, Suzanne Finstad, vice president of food safety and quality assurance at Tyson Foods, said increasing line speeds minimums "appropriately aligns with a modernized, risk-based approach and eliminates outdated constraints that hinder innovation and operational efficiency." She added that the proposed change preserves FSIS inspectors' authorities while allowing processors to "optimize and innovate."
Meanwhile, Milton Jones, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers argued raising line speeds "is dangerous to both workers and consumers." He cited a University of California study that found 81% of workers at 11 poultry plants operating at speeds of between 140 and 175 birds per minute were "at increased risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders."
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"The proposed rule increases the top limit on line speeds in poultry plants which will endanger the health and safety of tens of thousands of workers in the poultry industry," he wrote.
Current regulations require young chicken slaughter establishments to operate at maximum speeds of 140 birds per minute.
In the past, the agency has also granted waivers to poultry processors allowing speeds of up to 175 birds per minute, though these waivers were challenged in a 2020 lawsuit brought by UFCW. In 2022, the agency adjusted the waiver process to require monthly worker safety data to study the effects of line speeds.
A study released by FSIS last January found that “while 40 percent of workers across all studied establishments reported work-related pain, such pain was not reported more frequently at establishments operating at higher line speeds.” Study results also "showed that musculoskeletal disorder risk was more closely associated with the number of chicken parts handled per minute by an establishment worker than line speed,” according to the proposed rule.
In a separate comment on the pork rule, Jones argued allowing processors to set their own line speeds without a ceiling could increase pressure to increase pace while also removing "safeguards designed to prevent excessive operational speeds." He said pork workers have reported back and shoulder injuries caused by repetitive motion to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Ashley Johnson (NPPC photo)However, National Pork Producers Council Food Policy Director Ashley Johnson argued in a comment that past FSIS assessments have "specifically confirmed that NSIS establishments can maintain process control and comply with humane handling regulations when operating at increased line speeds."
"NPPC supports a final rule that permits all NSIS establishments to operate at increased line speeds, as the waivers will be redundant and regulatory requirements ensure that NSIS establishments will adopt line speeds that consistently produce safe, wholesome, and unadulterated pork products," she wrote.
Pork processors are currently subject to maximum line speeds of 1,106 head per hour without a waiver. In 2019, the first Trump administration attempted to lift that limit, but its rule was challenged by UFCW. In 2021, a federal judge vacated it after concluding the agency failed to properly consider comments it received on its proposal.
Johnson said NPPC also supports removing the worker safety attestation requirements, which she argued is a responsibility that exceeds FSIS's statutory authority and instead falls under OSHA's purview.
