Salisbury, Md. (Monday, October 16, 2023) — The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council recently recognized 32 Perdue Foods’ facilities across 14 states for leadership in implementing innovative and effective workplace safety health processes and systems at the 2023 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Fla. Three Perdue facilities received the Award of Distinction, the Council’s highest award to include food-producing facilities in Cromwell, Kentucky, and Schulenburg, Texas, and a feed mill in Nashville, North Carolina.

“Workplace safety is an absolute at Perdue, including an unwavering commitment from management and an ongoing safety culture that engages all associates in maintaining a safe workplace environment,” said Kevin McAdams, CEO of Perdue Farms. “Each year, we set goals around people, products, planet, and profitability, and we always put people first in that equation. We believe there’s nothing more important than creating a safe, supportive, and healthy work environment where our associates can be successful and return safely to their families at the end of the workday.”

To qualify for an Industry Safety and Health Award, facilities must maintain their key Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety metrics — Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) — at levels lower than the industry average for three consecutive years. Additionally, facilities cannot have a severe injury or fatality (SIF) during the award period. The OSHA metric ultimately determines only 40% of the application score. An independent panel of judges score of each facility’s written explanation of its safety programs and processes comprises the majority (60%) of the award consideration. This year only 23 facilities (13%) of 170 facilities in four categories achieved a total score above 90 and the Award of Distinction.

Nineteen Perdue operations were recognized with the Award of Honor, the Council’s second highest honor. They include food-producing operations in Rockingham, North Carolina; Monterey, Tennessee; Milford, Delaware; Accomac, Virginia; and Perry, Georgia (harvest); grow-out operations in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania; Mount Vernon, Washington; Hartford, Kentucky; Ahoskie, North Carolina; and Delmarva south region; a feed mill in Candor; North Carolina; hatcheries in Hurlock, Maryland, Murfreesboro and Halifax, North Carolina; and Forsyth and Trion, Georgia; breeder operations in Statesville, North Carolina, and DeFuniak Springs, Florida; and a research farm in Westover, Maryland. These facilities scored between 80 and 90 points on their application.

Nine facilities earned the Award of Merit for maintaining scoring at least 70 points on the application. They include a food-producing plant in Petaluma, California; the company’s Innovation Center in Salisbury, Maryland; breeder operations in Nashville, North Carolina; Baker, West Virginia; and Hartford, Kentucky; feed mills in Bridgeville, Delaware, and Washington, Indiana; and hatcheries in Santa Rosa, California, and Westover, Maryland.

About the Joint Industry Safety and Health Council

The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council comprises members from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. Combined, these three organizations represent companies that produce 95 percent of the nation’s poultry products and employ more 350,000 workers.

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 14website, 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.