Boozman, Thompson Applaud USDA Federal Line Speed Proposal

Lawmakers praise USDA plan to update poultry and swine processing regulations.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn 'GT' Thompson (PA-15) issued a statement applauding USDA's proposed rules to update federal line speed regulations in poultry and swine processing establishments. The lawmakers said the rules, grounded in research, will provide a long-term pathway for eligible producers to operate at increased line speeds while maintaining food and worker safety standards.

Why it matters

The proposed USDA rules aim to modernize regulations and provide more certainty to the meat and poultry supply chains, which have faced challenges in recent years. Increasing line speeds could improve efficiency for producers, but maintaining safety standards is crucial.

The details

The USDA proposal would establish a long-term pathway for eligible poultry and swine processing facilities to operate at increased line speeds, building on previous time-limited trials. The lawmakers say the rules are grounded in decades of research and will allow producers to improve efficiency while upholding rigorous food and worker safety protocols.

  • In 2023, Senate and House Republicans called on USDA to provide certainty to meat and poultry plants throughout the department's implementation of the Time-Limited Trials.
  • Senate Republicans' Farm Bill framework announced in 2024 would provide a permanent solution to ensure pork and poultry processing facilities are able to maintain full and operational capacity.

The players

John Boozman

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman (R-AR).

Glenn 'GT' Thompson

House Committee on Agriculture Chairman (PA-15).

USDA

The United States Department of Agriculture, the federal agency responsible for developing the proposed rules to update line speed regulations in poultry and swine processing.

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What they’re saying

“We are pleased to see USDA take this next step to modernize and provide much needed certainty to our pork and poultry supply chains. America's meat and poultry companies continue to set the gold standard worldwide for food and worker safety. These proposed rules, grounded in decades of research, will ensure our regulatory system reflects the latest science by establishing a long-term pathway for eligible producers to operate at increased line speeds, improving efficiency while maintaining the same rigorous food and worker safety standards.”

— John Boozman and Glenn 'GT' Thompson, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman and House Committee on Agriculture Chairman

What’s next

The USDA will continue the rulemaking process, which will include a public comment period, before finalizing the updated line speed regulations.

The takeaway

The proposed USDA rules aim to strike a balance between modernizing meat and poultry processing regulations to improve efficiency, while also maintaining the rigorous food and worker safety standards that are crucial for these industries.