
The US Department of Agriculture has removed a cap on the speed at which pigs can be slaughtered, in a move which increased fears for animal welfare in the industry.
The White House approved the USDA’s New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS) to make slaughterhouses more autonomous in their administration.
The agency has been pushing for less federal intervention in regulating pig slaughterhouses for many years.
The new rule removes speed limit caps at pig slaughterhouses and shifts federal inspector responsibilities of animal welfare onto slaughter plant employees.
This means slaughter houses will be less regulated by the government and they will have more freedom to design their own food safety programs.
Speed
The current speed limit is set at 16 hog carcasses per minute, effectively killing 977 pigs in an hour. Critics say the current limit already causes workers to work at an excessive pace and risk injury.
According to a pilot program, the USDA has been allowing five large hog slaughterhouses to operate at higher line speeds with fewer inspectors since 1997.
An undercover investigation by Compassion over Killing (COK) revealed that one of the five slaughterhouses in the pilot program had a speed limit target of killing 1,300 pigs each hour, or one pig every five seconds.
Shocking footage released by COK showed workers beating, shocking, and dragging pigs as they struggled to keep up with line speeds.
Irina Anta, COK’s general counsel, said: “COK’s investigation at a high-speed plant exposed horrible animal abuse, but the agency (USDA) has chosen not only to look the other way but to completely revoke maximum line speeds nationwide.”
‘Unacceptable’
The new rule has met with strong opposition. Food safety and workers’ rights groups have condemned USDA’s move.
Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter said in a press release: “It is irresponsible for the USDA to expand a radical change to food safety responsibility in the pork industry based on a pilot program that clearly failed to show that allowing companies to inspect themselves can produce safe food.
“It is unacceptable to put public health, worker safety, and animal welfare at risk so that the pork industry can run faster lines and avoid government inspection.
“We urge the USDA to withdraw this rule and fulfill its duty to protect food safety.”
What do you think of the USDA’s new rule? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
What is a vegan shampoo? And 11 fantastic brands to try
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 27th January 2023
Do you know which ingredients make your shampoo non-vegan? The cosmetic industry has gone through a radical shift in the last few years as more consumers become aware of the impact their purchases make. As a result, the demand for vegan hair care products has soared. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the ingredients in …
Continue reading “What is a vegan shampoo? And 11 fantastic brands to try”
Dietitians claim plant-based diet can stunt growth of infants
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 18th January 2023
The NHS Start for Life website has added information about vegan and vegetarian babies. Nutritionists and dietitians have raised concerns about the health implications of vegan diets for babies following the publication of the NHS’s vegan infant nutrition guide. The NHS Start for Life website, which provides guidance for new parents, has added a new …
Continue reading “Dietitians claim plant-based diet can stunt growth of infants”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …