Increased line speeds = a danger for workers and our food.
John,
Workers at meat processing plants already have some of the highest rates of injuries in the country compared to those in other industries.
But instead of focusing on trying to keep its workers and our food safe, Big Ag has been pushing the opposite. It wants to speed up production lines to help its bottom line. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, meat and poultry processing plants have been granted waivers to speed up slaughter lines — like allowing chickens to fly by inspectors at the breakneck speed of 175 birds per minute!
Increasing line speeds means that inspectors can’t do their jobs. Granting waivers during a national public health crisis and further endangering public health and worker safety is unthinkable. That’s why Food & Water Action is championing an important bill in Congress to stop regulatory waivers now. But we need your help to move it forward.
Big Ag has been working to suspend food safety inspections, roll back common-sense food safety rules and hinder basic food safety enforcement. These actions endanger workers and consumers instead of protecting them. Food & Water Action has been mobilizing for years to stop Big Ag from endangering our food and public health. But we can only succeed when you add your voice. Your Congressional representatives need to hear from you.
Suspend all active line speed waivers issued by the USDA to meat and poultry plants, and stop any new waivers;
Stop the implementation of the dangerous New Swine Slaughter Inspection System;
Bar the USDA from using taxpayer dollars to develop any policy that would increase line speeds at meat and poultry plants; and
Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an investigation into the USDA’s inadequate response to the COVID-19 pandemic in meatpacking and poultry plants.
Meat processing plants have been deemed an essential service during the pandemic. That means plants stay open and their workers keep providing the food for our tables — despite the enormous risk to their own health and the health of their families. We need these workers to stay healthy more than ever and protecting them is essential to our communities and the food supply.
This pandemic proves that our public safety agencies should be protecting workers and consumers, enforcing policies that create less dangerous conditions and imposing stronger inspection standards for our food.
Wenonah Hauter
Founder and Executive Director
Food & Water Action
Food & Water Action and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Watch, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate. This email was sent to [email protected] - and we're glad you got it, because it's one of the most important ways you can reclaim political power, hold elected officials accountable and resist corporate control.
