The USDA is weighing a proposal that would raise the maximum speed limit for chicken processing lines from 140 birds per minute to 175, and the debate over the change is drawing attention from economists and worker advocates alike.
University of Arkansas agricultural economist Dr. Jada Thompson said the basic premise is straightforward faster lines mean more product but the reality is more complicated.
“If you increase the line speed, potentially, you have more meat coming out at the end,” Thompson said, noting that U.S. processing speeds are already slower than many other countries. However, she pointed to workforce availability as a significant obstacle, saying labor is hard to come by in what is already a physically demanding environment.
Worker rights advocate Magaly Licolli, executive director of Venceremos, says the proposal puts workers at serious risk. She described injuries she says are already common on processing lines, including carpal tunnel syndrome, hand deformities, and amputations.
“This is why I began actually doing this job, because of seeing lots of workers injured while working on the line,” Licolli said.
Licolli also raised food safety concerns, saying when lines move too fast, workers cannot get bathroom breaks, leading to unsanitary conditions that she argues can contaminate the food supply.
The USDA proposal is currently open for public comment before any final decision is made.
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