USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the agency will not challenge a court ruling which vacated a portion of the “New Swine Slaughter Inspection System” (NSIS) relative to line speeds at hog processing plants.
“The Court vacated the rule only insofar as it eliminated the maximum line speed cap for NSIS establishments,” FSIS said of the decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. “The other provisions of the final rule were not affected by the Court's decision.”
The court issued a 90-day stay to give plants time to adjust, FSIS said. “At this time, establishments operating under NSIS should prepare to revert to a maximum line speed of 1,106 head per hour on June 30, 2021,” the agency said. “We will work with the establishments to comply with the Court's ruling and minimize disruptions to the supply chain.”
Those supply chain disruptions were cited by the National Producers Council (NPPC) as they called on USDA to appeal the decision. They pointed to an economic analysis showing the ruling would mean a 2.5% loss in pork packing capacity and an $80 million drop in income for producers. The group also said they will continue to “pursue all avenues” on the matter.