Now, USDA is suggesting it would abandon this 25-year-old program and put America even additional behind our international opponents. Rooster firms in Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia function the identical actual gear at as much as 30 % increased line speeds than we do, and with out meals security or employee questions of safety.

The division seems to be listening to those that recommend sooner line speeds are harmful to employees. The information says in any other case. Because the program was began within the Nineteen Nineties, the U.S. hen trade has made super strides in know-how. The world of a processing facility the place these sooner line speeds are permitted is sort of fully automated. Over the past 30 years, the overall recordable poultry processing sickness and damage fee decreased 73 %; a lower in damage charges that coincided with a interval of considerable will increase in line speeds, fowl measurement, and automation.

It could be that well-intentioned regulators are misinformed. In that case, we stand able to work every single day to handle their issues about Salmonella, equity in hen contracting, line speeds and different points. Or those self same regulators is likely to be listening to these teams who will use no matter means essential to make chickens costlier to develop and course of — and much costlier to eat — to serve their very own agendas.

America loves hen. It’s a wholesome, economical and versatile supply of protein that sustains our nation and is arguably a very powerful meals on the planet. Let’s hold secure, reasonably priced hen on our plates. Rooster works for America.

Mike Brown is President of the Nationwide Rooster Council in Washington, D.C.