Hog Slaughter Rule For Faster Inspection Upheld by Federal Judge

Environmental groups lost their challenge to a Trump-era hog slaughter line speed rule, according to a federal judge who said the the Agriculture Department provided reasoned explanations for the changes.

The new rule lawfully delegates ante-mortem inspection duties and addresses animal welfare concerns, Chief Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford of the US District Court for the Western District of New York said.

Animal advocacy and environmental groups sued the US Department of Agriculture over the Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection rule, which was finalized in October 2019. The measure eliminates ...