Policy and practice brief on the 2019 New Swine Inspection System, line speeds, and workers

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) introduced the Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection Ruling and New Swine Inspection System in 2019 (USDA, 2019). This ruling eliminated the cap on the maximum swine-processing line speed, which had been regulated since 1981, instead allowing processing facilities to determine their own line speeds. Workers and worker advocacy groups immediately met the New Swine Inspection System with public criticism, citing concerns for worker safety under the new system. The New Swine Inspection System is currently being used in six time-limited trial facilities with an end date of May 2025, while data is collected to inform the future of the system (USDA, 2025). In this policy and practice brief, we discuss the effect of the New Swine Inspection System’s increased line speeds on workers in swine processing facilities, using a review of the literature. We found that there is strong evidence that line speed is associated with higher worker perceptions of injury risk, lower worker well-being, and higher risk of injuries from repetitive tasks. Additionally, line workers unanimously oppose increases to line speed and are advocating for reduced line speeds.