Worker Safety Fears As Trump Admin Moves To Speed Up Meat Processing

Photo: Reuters

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – The Trump administration is pushing to make faster meat processing speeds a permanent fixture in U.S. poultry and pork plants, a move that has sparked alarm among worker safety advocates. Critics argue that higher line speeds increase the risk of injuries in an industry already plagued by high rates of musculoskeletal disorders and hazardous working conditions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on March 17 that it would begin formalizing rules to maintain higher processing speeds at certain facilities currently operating under waivers, according to a statement cited by Reuters. Under these waivers, poultry plants can process up to 175 birds per minute, up from the previous limit of 140. The agency will also extend existing waivers, saying they help plants “meet demand without excessive government interference.”

While the USDA claims there is no clear link between processing speeds and workplace injuries, labor unions and advocacy groups strongly disagree. Meatpacking workers—many of whom are immigrants or undocumented—perform repetitive tasks in extreme conditions, often using sharp knives at a relentless pace. A 2022 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that occupational illness cases in animal slaughtering and processing were six times higher than the national average.

The industry, however, sees the change as a win. The National Chicken Council and National Pork Producers Council have long pushed for faster line speeds, arguing that they improve efficiency without sacrificing safety. The USDA-funded data released in January yielded mixed results—among six pork plants studied, higher speeds correlated with increased injury risks at one facility, decreased risks at another, and no statistically significant change at four others. Meanwhile, no link was found between greater speeds and worker injuries in poultry plants, according to Reuters.

This move builds on efforts from Trump’s first term, when his administration lifted speed limits for pork plants entirely. A federal judge struck down that rule in 2021 after unions challenged it on worker safety grounds. The Biden administration later allowed six pork plants to run faster under a pilot program that collected data on worker injuries.

Now, with the USDA looking to make higher speeds permanent, the debate over worker safety and industry efficiency is intensifying. While meat producers welcome the stability, labor advocates warn that the move prioritizes profits over worker well-being—concerns that are unlikely to fade as the policy advances. Reuters reports that industry stakeholders will have an opportunity to weigh in before the final rule is set.

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