Finstad introduces law to boost pork, poultry processing facilities

Minnesota 1st District Rep. Brad Finstad, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, has introduced the American Protein Processing Modernization Act, which would provide a permanent framework to ensure pork and poultry processing facilities are able to maintain full operational capacity.

According to a press release from Finstad, a Republican, the legislation follows the science of a time-tested pilot program with a proven record of worker safety, ensuring that processors can operate at full capacity beyond arbitrary government deadlines. It requires the USDA to publish food safety criteria for operating at increased line speeds, ensuring that processors who meet the criteria can continue operating without fear of an arbitrary slowdown.

Finstad added that the proposal brings U.S. meat and poultry processing closer to global competitiveness and also protects farmers’ livelihoods by reducing the potential for arbitrary reductions in processing capacity, which can result in lost contracts, increased time between plant deliveries or a reduction in animal units.