As Trump Seeks to Shred Food Inspection Rules, Advocacy Group Endorses Rep. Marcia Fudge for Secretary of Agriculture

Washington, D.C. - As the Trump Administration seeks to rush a permanent rule change allowing poultry slaughterhouses to increase line speeds to three birds inspected per second, Food & Water Action today endorsed Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) for Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden administration. In making the endorsement, Food & Water Action Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“Throughout her career, Congresswoman Fudge has been an unparalleled ally to consumers, farmers, food-chain workers and rural communities, and we urge President-elect Biden to make her the next secretary of agriculture. Now more than ever, as the Trump administration seeks to decimate food inspection rules, we need a champion like Rep. Fudge leading the way in restoring common-sense food safety standards in America.

“Rep. Fudge has led the fight against industry-backed attempts to increase line speeds at meat and poultry processing plants, including introducing a bill to suspend line speed waivers and prevent any new weakening of food safety measures during the pandemic. She has been an unsung hero of our food system employees who labor in some of the most dangerous working conditions of any industry in the country.”

Regarding the pending line speed rule change from the Trump administration, Ms. Hauter continued: 

“As if it wasn’t bad enough for the Trump administration to encourage poultry companies to force workers into incredibly crowded, dangerous plants during the COVID pandemic, these new proposed rules would be another handout to corporations at the expense of food and worker safety. Every American that eats should be alarmed.”

Contact: Seth Gladstone - sgladstone[at]fwwatch[dot]org, 917.363.6615