SALISBURY, Md. (Monday, October 16, 2023) — As part of a commitment to environmental stewardship, Perdue Farms associates and family members recently joined Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) representatives to build oyster cages to support the Marylanders Grow Oysters program to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The partnership aligns with the company’s “Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors®” initiative to improve quality of life and build strong communities.  

“The Oyster Recovery Partnership has led the way in efforts to protect and preserve the regional oyster population, and we’re proud to continue our partnership with ORP that highlights our company commitment to environmental stewardship and strengthening the vitality of the Bay watershed through this volunteer effort,” said Drew Getty, vice president of environmental sustainability for Perdue Farms.

The Marylanders Grow Oysters program, an initiative of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, provides an opportunity for waterfront property owners to grow oysters from their piers to be planted on local oyster sanctuary preserves around the Bay watershed to help rebuild the oyster population.

The cages are used to support the growth of young oysters during their most vulnerable first year of life. Once the oysters are about one inch in size, they are planted on local sanctuaries where their filtration powers will be put to work enriching tributaries’ ecosystems and providing habitat for marine life, such as fish and crabs.

“We applaud the associates and leadership of Perdue Farms for their long-standing commitment to oyster restoration and the Chesapeake Bay. The Marylanders Grow Oysters program is an important part of Maryland’s plan to rebuild our oyster populations,” said Ward Slacum, executive director of the Oyster Recovery Partnership in Annapolis.

This marks Perdue’s 14th year partnering with ORP for community-based conservation efforts. Learn more about how Perdue is helping protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Perdue associates have committed more than 8,000 volunteer hours to support the Oyster Recovery Partnership, building more than 200 cages and filling 10,000 shell bags for the Marylanders Grow Oysters program. The work has resulted in more than 25 million juvenile oysters planted in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

About Perdue Farms

We’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.

The premium protein portfolio within our Perdue Foods business, including our flagship PERDUE® brand, Niman Ranch®, Coleman Natural®, and Yummy®, as well as our pet brands, Spot Farms® and Full Moon®, is available through various channels including retail, foodservice, club stores, and our direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com. 

Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company.  

Now in our company’s second century, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey, pork, beef and lamb, and in USDA-certified organic chicken and beef. Learn more at Corporate.PerdueFarms.com.

About The Oyster Recovery Partnership

The Oyster Recovery Partnership has a 29-year-history of bringing together state and federal government agencies, scientists, watermen, and conservation organizations with the common goal of oyster restoration. ORP has planted more than billion oysters on 3,000 acres of reef and recycled more than 250,000 bushels of oyster shell. For more information about the Oyster Recovery Partnership, visit oysterrecovery.org or call 410-990-4970.

About Marylanders Grow Oysters

The Marylanders Grow Oyster program is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in conjunction with the Oyster Recovery Partnership, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and local organizations. For more information about Marylanders Grow Oysters, visit this link.