Salisbury, Md. (Tuesday, May 24, 2016) — Perdue associates, their family members and friends across 11 states removed 40,000 pounds of trash and debris from streams, woods and roadways as part of the ninth annual Project Clean Stream, a company-wide effort to help protect the environment in the communities where associates live and work. 

More than 770 volunteers mobilized clean-ups at 48 local sites on Saturdays in April and May. Their bounty included such items as tires, toys, mattresses, bottles, televisions, bicycles, paper products and much more. Clean-up sites were located in California, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington.

“As part of our company’s values, we strive to be good environmental stewards,” said Chairman Jim Perdue. “We recognize that being a leader in stewardship is not only good for the environment and our company, but it is good for the communities where our associates live and work. We’re proud of our associates’ participation and what it says about our culture and commitment to environmental stewardship.”

In Perry, Ga., volunteers removed more than 6,800 pounds of trash from a roadway near their operations. Environmental Manager Stacie Harris worked with a group of young volunteers picking up bottles and candy wrappers.

“As we picked up trash from the ditches and fields, I explained to them how pollutants from this trash can affect the streams and rivers that are nearby; that trash is not just unsightly, but it is harmful as well,” said Harris. “It was great to see them make the connection … between picking up the trash and saving our wildlife and our water. I am proud that Perdue fosters such stewardship among its associates and their families, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”

Associates in Monterey, Tenn., harvested 6,680 pounds of trash and debris.

“Our knowledge of the environment has grown and we all are aware of our need to protect and improve the home we all share as neighbors in the world,” said Del Robinson, a Perdue associate in Monterey and volunteer. “It’s important to me to be a good steward and to help set a good example for our children and grandchildren. Not only from a personal view, but Perdue as part of the community has made an effort to preserve our waters for the entire population. This also draws appreciation from the people of Monterey.”

In Kentucky, associates joined a team of workers on a Perdue associates’ family farm to plant 4,000 tree saplings to improve wildlife habitat and protect the soil from erosion. In Delaware, associates planted 16 native trees at Trap Pond State Park, while in West Virginia, associates planted trees as a vegetative buffer around poultry houses.

Project Clean Stream was launched in 2004 by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland as a grass-roots effort to clean up waterways and shorelines in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Perdue joined the volunteer project in 2008 with 30 volunteers. In 2011, Perdue expanded the Project Clean Stream concept across the company to encourage associates to organize similar clean-up efforts in their communities. Since 2008, more than 5,800 volunteers have removed in excess of 184 tons of trash from nearly 300 sites.

“Project Clean Stream provides an exciting opportunity to engage associates in helping protect the environment in our communities, while reinforcing our company’s commitment to being a good corporate citizen,” said Randy Day, chief operating officer at Perdue. “The combined strength of our associates’ efforts has made a tremendous impact in those communities.” 

“Project Clean Stream was created by the Alliance to provide a hands-on opportunity for people to get involved with protecting and restoring their local streams and rivers,” said Al Todd, executive Director of the Alliance. “Through Project Clean Stream, volunteers discover a deeper connection to the environment which builds a lasting commitment to environmental stewardship. People care for what they know and love. We are grateful to Perdue for their commitment to Project Clean Stream through their associates’ volunteer efforts and through the Perdue Foundation’s financial support.”

The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the company’s charitable giving arm, recently renewed its years-long support of the Alliance and Project Clean Stream with a $10,000 grant.

Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART®, PERDUE® HARVESTLAND®, COLEMAN PREMIUM® and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products. Learn more about Perdue Farms at www.perduefarms.com.

Founded in 1971, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, with headquarters in Annapolis, Md., and offices in Richmond, Virginia, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, works throughout the Bay watershed to lead, support and inspire local action and build partnerships with individuals, communities, governments, businesses and other groups to restore the Bay watershed and its forests, rivers and streams. For more information about the Alliance, visit: www.allianceforthebay.org