CFA joined consumer, labor, environmental, public health, and animal welfare organizations in calling on congressional leaders to prevent the Trump Administration from carrying out radical reforms to the hog slaughter inspection system before the conclusion of an independent review into procedural irregularities, initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General prior to the controversial rule’s finalization. Once implemented, the rule will eliminate line speed caps on hog slaughter lines, and result in a reduction of the government inspection work force by as much as 40%. USDA officials have conceded that higher line speeds result in more pathogen contamination “in the absence of compensating measures,” but they  maintain that the flexibility afforded to the diminished inspection task force would result in equivalent food safety under the rule.