Biden administration rescinds USDA’s poultry line speed increase

The Biden administration on Friday rescinded the Trump administration’s authorization of an increase in the maximum line speed for poultry processing plants.

In September 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would consider waivers filed by the poultry industry seeking to increase slaughter line speeds to a maximum of 175 birds per minute. The law previously set the maximum poultry slaughter line speed at 140 birds per minute.

In April 2020, the USDA granted waivers to increase line speeds at 15 poultry plants, according to the National Employment Law Project.

In July, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and five local unions sued the USDA over the waivers.