March 15, 2022

Three US pork plants approved for faster processing speeds

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved faster processing line speeds for three pork plants in the country as part of trial programme, restarting a policy proposed during the Trump administration, Reuters reported.

The three pork plants are at Clemens Food Group in Hatfield, Pennsylvania; Quality Pork Processors in Austin, Minnesota; and Wholestone Farms Cooperative in Fremont, Nebraska.

Nine pork plants were eligible for the trial programme as they were able to accelerate processing.

The rule proposed in 2019 was invalidated by a US judge last year after the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union sued the USDA over safety concerns for workers running faster slaughter lines.

The pork plants are restricted to processing 1,106 swine hourly.

The USDA said line speeds are "unique" for plants approved for the trial programme. They are allowed to operate at faster speeds for up to one year and must collect data on how line speeds affect workers.

Mark Lauritsen, UFCW international vice president for meatpacking, said the union is comfortable with the programme in plants it represents because the companies have agreed to increase staffing when line speeds are made faster to ensure safety. UFCW represents workers at Quality Pork Processors and Wholestone Farms.

The Biden administration has denounced the US meat sector for being too concentrated. They have proposed to incentivise new, smaller meatpacking facilities to increase production and reduce meat prices.

-      Reuters