Foster Farms discusses Salmonella reduction through data management

As the poultry industry anticipates the announcement of new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulatory standards for raw poultry parts, Foster Farms recently shared a key component of its Salmonella reduction program with government officials and agribusiness leaders at the Delmarva Poultry Industry’s National Meeting on Poultry Health, Processing and Live Production. Foster Farms has developed an intensive data collection and analysis program which the company says has significantly contributed to dramatic Salmonella reduction in raw poultry. The program’s five key principles are Collaboration, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Action and Results Measurement. 

“While Salmonella occurs naturally in poultry, our program demonstrates that the application of data collection and analysis can contribute to significant reductions and control,” said Dr. Robert O’Connor, Foster Farms’ Senior Vice President for Technical Services.  “At Foster Farms, we believe food safety is a shared responsibility. That is why we are sharing what we’ve learned with the industry. Salmonella is a national issue that producers and regulators can address together to benefit consumers.”