At the 2017 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Florida, 147 chicken and turkey facilities received safety awards by the Joint Industry Safety and Health Council. The companies were honored in recognition of their outstanding performance through the implementation of innovative and effective employee safety and health programs.The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council consists of members from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. Collectively, the three organizations represent companies that produce 95 percent of the nation’s poultry products and directly employ more than 350,000 workers.
“The poultry industry continues to make great progress when it comes to workplace safety. Today our industry’s safety record is comparable with other manufacturing industries and lower than the rate for the entire food manufacturing sector. Although significant advances have been made, industry safety professionals are always looking for ways to improve. No matter their role, safety is a responsibility expected of all employees in the industry,” said Joint Industry Safety and Health Council Chair Scott Rushing, Sanderson Farms.
Based on the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the poultry processing’s total recordable illness and injury rate for 2015 was 4.3 cases per 100 full-time workers. The 2015 rate represents an outstanding 81 percent improvement from 1994.
Award consideration was based on injury statistics over three years and an evaluation of written applications by judges Doug Britton of the Agricultural Technology Research at Georgia Tech Research Institute, Jill James of Vivid Learning Systems and Nancy Bendickson of Aon Global Risk Consulting. Thirty-five facilities received the highest level of recognition, “Award of Distinction.” The other categories included “Award of Honor” and “Award of Merit.”
Award of Distinction
Butterball LLC
- Turkey, NC – Feed Mill
- Huntsville, AR – Processing
- Carthage, MO – Processing
- Raeford, NC – Hatcher
Cobb-Vantress, Inc.
- Siloam Springs, AR – Feed Mill
- Rose, OK – Hatchery
Fieldale Farms
- Mt. Airy, GA – Hatchery
- Eastanollee, GA – Rendering
- Cornelia, GA – Processing
Foster Farms, Inc.
- Farmerville, LA – Rendering
Koch Foods, Inc.
- Pine Mountain Valley, GA – Processing
Mountaire Farms, Inc.
- Princess Anne, MD – Hatchery
- Lumber Bridge, NC – Processing
Perdue Foods LLC
- Petaluma, CA – Feed Mill
- Accomac, VA – Processing
- Dillion, SC – Hatchery
- Trion, GA – Hatchery
- Monterey, TN – Further Processing
- Perry, GA (Cook Plant) – Processing
- Perry, GA (Harvest) – Processing
- Rockingham, NC – Processing
- Hurlock, MD – Hatchery
- Santa Rosa, CA – Hatchery
Pilgrim’s Corp.
- Live Oak, FL – Hatchery
Simmons Prepared Foods
- Jane, MO – Hatchery
- Siloam Springs, AR – Hatchery
Tyson / River Valley Animal Foods
- Texarkana, AR – Rendering
- Robards, KY – Rendering
- Hope, AR – Feed Mill
Wayne Farms
- Ozark, AL – Feed Mill
- Troy, AL – Hatchery
- Samson, AL – Hatchery
- Union Springs, AL – Processing
- Thurmond, NC – Hatchery
- Decatur, AL (East) – Processing
Award of Honor
American Proteins
- Cuthbert, GA – Rendering
Butterball LLC
- Ozark, AR – Processing
- Goldsboro, NC – Hatchery
- Mt. Olive, NC – Processing
- Jonesboro, AR – Processing
Case Farms
- Dudley, NC – Processing
- Shelby, NC – Feed Mill
Cobb-Vantress, Inc.
- Timpson, TX – Hatchery
- Pocomoke MD – Hatchery
- Wadesboro NC – Hatchery
Foster Farms
- Demopolis, AL – Processing
- Turlock, CA – Processing
- Fresno, CA – Processing
- Farmerville, LA – Processing
Gerber’s Poultry
- Kidron, OH – Processing
House of Raeford Farms
- Arcadia, LA – Processing
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.
- Barron, WI – Feed Mill
- Faribault, MN – Feed Mill
Keystone Foods LLC
- Albany, KY – Processing
- Camilla, GA – Processing
- Gadsden, AL – Processing
- Eufaula, AL – Processing
Koch Foods, Inc.
- Chattanooga, TN – Feed Mill
- Crossville, AL – Hatchery
- Anniston, AL – Hatchery
- Ashland, AL – Processing
- Gadsden, AL – Processing
Mountaire Farms, Inc.
- Siler City, NC – Hatchery
- Statesville, NC – Breeder
- Millsboro, DE – Feed Mill
- Millsboro, DE – Processing
- Millsboro, DE – Rendering
- Selbyville, DE – Processing
Peco Foods
- Canton, MS – Processing
Perdue Foods LLC
- Bridgewater, VA – Further Processing
- Dillon, SC -Processing
- Beaver Dam, KY – Processing
- Concord, NC – Processing
- Lewiston, NC – Processing
- Nashville, NC – Feed Mill
- Bridgeville, DE – Feed Mill
- Milford, DE – Processing
- Vincennes, IN – Hatchery
- Murfreesboro, NC – Hatchery
- Westover, MD – Hatchery
- Forsyth, GA – Feed Mill
- Lynden, WA – Hatchery
Pilgrim’s Corporation
- Chattanooga, TN – Further Processing
- Live Oak, FL – Feed Mill
- Live Oak, FL – Processing
- Canton, GA – Processing
Sanderson Farms
- Fernwood, MS – Feed Mill
Tyson Foods
- Storm Lake, IA – Processing
- Cumming, GA – Further Processing
- Springdale, AR – Processing
- Rogers, AR – Processing
- Union City, TN – Hatchery
- Forest, MS – Processing
- Dardanelle, AR – Processing
- Van Buren, AR – Further Processing
- Dawson, GA – Further Processing
Valley Proteins
- Ward, SC – Rendering
- Fayetteville, NC – Rendering
- Wadesboro, NC – Rendering
Wayne Farms
- Dothan, AL – Processing
- Decatur, AL West – Processing
- Jack, AL – Processing
- Danville, AR – Hatchery
Award of Merit
American Proteins
- Hanceville, AL – Rendering
Cobb-Vantress
- Cleveland, GA – Hatchery
- Cleveland, GA (Southeast Farms) – Hatchery
- Wadesboro, NC – Hatchery
George’s Inc.
- Springdale, AR – Further Processing
House of Raeford Farms
- Greenville, SC – Processing
Jennie-O Turkey Store
- Swanville, MN – Feed Mill
- Montevideo, MN – Further Processing
- Pelican Rapids, MN – Processing
Koch Foods
- Forest, MS – Further Processing
Peco Farms Inc.
- Tuscaloosa, AL – Processing
- Canton, MS – Further Processing
- Bay Springs, MS – Processing
- Batesville, AR – Processing
- Sebastopol, MS – Processing
- Brooksville, MS – Further Processing
Perdue Foods
- Washington, IN – Feed Mill
- Elkin, NC – Feed Mill
Pilgrim’s Corp.
- Guntersville, AL – Processing
- DeQueen, AR – Processing
- Elberton, GA – Processing
- Gainesville, GA – Processing
- Natchitoches, LA – Processing
- Concord, NC – Hatchery
- Marshville, NC – Processing
- Wingate, NC – Feed Mill
- Moorefield, WV – Processing
- Chattanooga, TN – Processing
- Chattanooga, TN – Further Processing
- Lufkin, TX – Processing
- Mt. Pleasant, TX – Processing
- Mt. Pleasant, TX (East Plant) – Processing
- Moorefield, WV – Processing
Sanderson Farms
- Flowood, MS – Processing
Simmons Prepared Foods
- Siloam Springs, AR – Further Processing
Tyson Foods, Inc. River Valley Animal Foods
- Scranton, AR – Rendering
Tyson Foods, Inc.
- Berryville, AR – Further Processing
- Green Forest, AR – Processing
- Hope, AR – Processing
- Russellville, AR – Processing
- Waldon, AR – Feed Mill
- Waldon, AR – Hatchery
- Dexter, MO – Hatchery
- Dexter, MO – Processing
- Union, MS – Feed Mill
- Walnut Grove, MS – Hatchery
- Decherd, TN – Hatchery
- Shelbyville, TN – Processing
