HomeAg NewsNPPC Welcomes Line Speeds Study Results, Encourages FSIS to Make Program Permanent

NPPC Welcomes Line Speeds Study Results, Encourages FSIS to Make Program Permanent

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a win for efficiency in feeding a growing population and alleviating supply issues, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) celebrated the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) decision to extend the New Swine Inspection System (NSIS) increased line speed trials through May 15, 2025.

“Pork producers appreciate USDA’s thoughtful and thorough approach to maintaining increased packing capacity, giving us more opportunities to safely and more efficiently deliver our products to consumers,” said NPPC President and Minnesota pork producer Lori Stevermer. “As expected, after more than three years of operating at increased line speeds, FSIS has confirmed that increased line speeds are not a leading factor in worker safety.”

After completing months-long studies at six pork processing plants, “line speeds were not determined to be the leading factor in worker musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk at these plants,” according to FSIS.

Without the increase in line speeds – and the resulting decrease in packing capacity – some pork producers could have incurred an additional loss of nearly $10 a head in the first and second quarters of 2024, according to economists.

Since 2019, NPPC has advocated for increased line speeds.

  • In November 2021, FSIS permitted increased line speeds at six pork packing plants while simultaneously gathering data to evaluate potential worker impacts.
  • In December 2023, FSIS extended the trials for an additional 90 days.
  • In February 2024, FSIS again extended the trials through Jan. 15, 2025.
  • In April 2024, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Sandra Eskin discussed the pilot program with producers at NPPC’s legislative action conference.
  • In May 2024, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) introduced his Farm Bill framework, making permanent the program, among several NPPC priorities.

NPPC will continue to engage with FSIS to find ways to continue expanding and making permanent these increased line speeds to help alleviate supply issues.

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) issued the following statement on USDA’s studies on poultry and swine processing line speeds and worker safety:

“The Biden-Harris administration needlessly created years of uncertainty throughout the duration of these studies, which deviated far beyond the original mission and attempted to villainize the pork and poultry industry, despite no findings of higher line speeds being a leading factor of increased risk to workers. These studies confirm what we have known all along – U.S. meat and poultry companies have the highest worker safety standards in the world. We look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to develop a long-term solution to ensure meat and poultry companies have the ability to operate at higher line speeds, while maintaining rigorous food safety and worker safety standards.”

Senate and House Republicans called on USDA to provide certainty to meat and poultry plants throughout the department’s implementation of the Time-Limited Trials and to provide a path forward that would allow them to operate at increased line speeds. Senate Republicans’ Farm Bill framework announced in 2024 would provide a permanent solution to ensure pork and poultry processing facilities are able to maintain full and operational capacity.

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