‘They’re killing you’: US poultry workers fear faster lines will lead to more injury

Workers say fast-paced conditions compound injury risks, while USDA will no longer require reports on safety data

The Trump administration will speed up processing lines for poultry and pork meatpacking plants while halting reports on worker safety, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced recently, in a move that workers and advocates say will lead to more injuries.

Some poultry and pork plants already receive waivers to speed up production lines, and the USDA plans to update its rules to make the changes permanent and applicable to all poultry and pork plants, the department said in a press release.