Late last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the proposal of a new rule--the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS)--that would overhaul current legislation for meat inspection at pork processing plants.
If NSIS goes into effect, the proposed rule would permit hog slaughtering plant to choose whether or not they participate in a new inspection system--one that is more efficient and modernized. NSIS would require plant workers to recognize and ultimately remove any carcasses deemed unfit as they come down the processing line. These plants that opt in to the new system would be exempt from having to abide by the maximum line speed requirement, currently set at 1,106 hogs per hour.