Meat Industry Averages Two Amputations Per Week

A recent report compiled by the Bureau of Investigative Journalists and published by media outlet The Guardian revealed that the United States meat industry reports an average of two amputations per week. In addition to amputations, workers in the meat industry—who are three times more likely to suffer serious injury than the average US worker—commonly suffer injuries such as second-degree burns, head trauma, and fractures fingers. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently considering implementing a new rule, deceptively entitled “Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection,” under the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS) program that  would allow meat companies to set their own slaughter speeds, further endangering workers who will be required to keep up faster production lines. In response to the proposed rule, animal-rights organization Compassion Over Killing recently launched the “Not So Fast, USDA” campaign to combat deregulating line speeds for the benefit of workers, animals, and public health.