January 27, 2021

US executive order leads to USDA withdrawal of poultry line speed increase

As part of recent executive ordeers announced by US President Joe Biden, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) withdrew proposed regulations that would have allowed much faster line speeds at poultry slaughter plants, Successful Farming reported.

No explanation was given for the latest move, but the decision was welcomed by a number of advocacy groups.

"We're pleased that the Biden administration has resisted the bidding of the immensely powerful corporate poultry lobby," said Wenonah Hauter of the consumer group Food and Water Watch. "But this is just the first of many steps the USDA must pursue to demonstrate a long-term commitment to prioritising public health and safety over corporate profits."

In a Bloomberg post, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UCFW) said: "This policy change is a critical step to putting worker safety ahead of industry profits as these plants continue to face elevated risks while COVID-19 cases surge nationwide." The UFCW represents 1.3 million workers in food plants, grocery stores and other front line industries.

However, Ashley Peterson, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs of the National Chicken Council, commented that "The modernised system has been studied, debated and reviewed in depth for 25 years to assure its effectiveness in further modernising chicken inspection while improving food safety and protecting workers."

According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA, the earlier proposal to allow line speeds of up to 175 birds per minute at poultry processing plants under its so-called New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) "would allow certain young chicken establishments to slaughter birds more efficiently while continuing to ensure food safety and effective online carcass inspections." The current limit is 140 birds per minute. Some 124 chicken plants have converted to NPIS before the latest order was announced.

From 2018, the Trump administration offered waivers to 54 poultry plants allowing them to increase speeds from 140 to 175 birds per minute. These 54 plants had a tenfold higher risk of COVID-19 cases than non-waiver plants, according to a Washington Post analysis.