New USDA Policy Aims to Streamline Pork and Poultry Processing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced new actions that aim to reduce burdens on the U.S. pork and poultry industries, allowing for greater efficiency while maintaining food safety standards. The directive instructs the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to eliminate outdated administrative requirements that have slowed production and added unnecessary costs for American producers, said the agency.

“America leads the world in pork and poultry production, and we are committed to ensuring our producers remain competitive on a global scale without being held back by unnecessary bureaucracy,” said Rollins. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are cutting unnecessary red tape, empowering businesses to operate more efficiently and strengthening American agriculture — all while upholding the highest food safety standards.”

Under the new policy, FSIS will extend waivers allowing pork and poultry facilities to maintain higher line speeds, ensuring they can meet demand without government interference, said USDA. Rulemaking to formalize these speed increases will begin immediately.

Additionally, FSIS will no longer require plants to submit what the USDA described as “redundant” worker safety data, as extensive research has confirmed no direct link between processing speeds and workplace injuries, said the agency.