Top Stories
USDA proposals to raise meat processing line speeds draw widespread opposition. The USDA has proposed removing the cap on swine slaughter line speeds and raising poultry line speeds from 140 to 175 birds per minute for chicken and from 55 to 60 for turkey, drawing tens of thousands of opposing public comments from labor unions, environmental groups, and researchers. The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which blocked a similar swine rule in 2021, argues that faster lines will increase worker injuries including carpal tunnel syndrome and lacerations, while environmental critics warn of greater water use, wastewater discharge, and expansion of confined animal feeding operations. Economists also question whether cost savings would reach consumers, noting that slaughterhouses have little incentive to pass on lower production costs. (grist.org)
U.S. Congress weighs sweeping meat labeling and processing reforms. Proposals span mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef, expanded interstate sales for state-inspected meat, support for small processors, clearer labeling of plant-based and cell-cultured products, and tribal meat processing authority. Multiple bills targeting COOL reinstatement—including measures from Rep. Harriet Hageman, Sen. John Thune, and Rep. Dusty Johnson—would require beef to carry origin labels and, in some cases, impose steep penalties for mislabeling. Other legislation would open interstate and online sales channels for state-inspected products, boost federal funding for small-scale processing, and mandate that products using meat terminology disclose whether they are plant-based or cell-cultured. (provisioneronline.com)
Study exposes Brazil's antimicrobial monitoring gaps in livestock sector. A comparative analysis published in Science in One Health finds that Brazil, despite producing roughly 13% of the world's animal protein, lacks a unified system for tracking veterinary antibiotic use—unlike the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, which maintain comprehensive sales-tracking and reporting frameworks. The study notes that Brazilian authorities do not have access to veterinary antibiotic sales data, existing regulations are poorly enforced, and small-scale producers largely operate outside official oversight. Researchers outline steps including mandatory reporting, stronger enforcement, and alignment with global standards, warning that persistent gaps could expose Brazil to trade restrictions and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance worldwide. (eurekalert.org)
Moolec Science hits industrialization milestone with high-GLA safflower platform. The company's 2025 GLASO1 campaign materially exceeded internal forecasts, validating agronomic performance and industrial-scale handling of safflower oil with approximately 45% gamma-linolenic acid concentration. Moolec now has ready-for-delivery product, with initial commercial traction in pet food and plans to expand into human nutrition and dietary supplements. The 2026 sowing campaign is set to begin in early May across U.S. agricultural infrastructure, while a parallel research collaboration drawing on 386 Australian safflower varieties aims to develop renewable energy feedstocks as a new business unit. (morningstar.com)
AgrofoodBIC invests in Argentine bioinputs startup Nunatak. The Italian open innovation hub's first international portfolio move targets an Eatable Adventures–backed company developing extremophile-derived microbiological inputs to combat soil degradation and climate stress. (Protein Report)