During the 2019 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Florida, a record 230 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.

“We received the most applications ever for this year’s safety award program. It is impressive to see so many companies implementing new and innovative programs to promote safety in their facilities,” said Mick Berning, associate vice president of environmental, health and safety, Cargill, and chair of the Joint Industry Safety and Health Council.

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.

Based on the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the slaughter and poultry processing OSHA total recordable illness and injury rate for 2017 was 3.8 cases per 100 full-time workers. The 2017 rate of 3.8 represents an outstanding 83 percent decrease from 1994.

Award consideration was based on injury statistics over three years and an evaluation of written applications by academia and other safety experts. One hundred and twenty-two facilities received the highest level of recognition, "Award of Distinction." The other categories included "Award of Honor" and "Award of Merit."

Award of Distinction
Allen Harim LLC
Seaford Hatchery

Butterball LLC
Alix Feed Mill
Green Forest Feed Mill
Turkey, NC Feed Mill
Goldsboro, NC Hatchery #3
Raeford, NC Hatchery #1
Carthage, MO Processing
Huntsville, AR Processing
Ozark, AR Processing

Cargill
California, Missouri Feed Mill
California, Missouri Hatchery

Case Farms
Shelby, NC Feed Mill
Massillon, OH Feed Mill
Goldsboro Hatchery
Dudley, NC Goldsboro Division Processing
Morganton, NC Processing

Cobb-Vantress, Inc.  
Kinards, SC South Carolina Feed Mill
Cleveland, GA Hatchery
Blairsville Hatchery
Fayetteville Hatchery
Lafayette, TN Hatchery
Sweetwater Farm Hatchery
Wadesboro, NC Hatchery
Cherokee Farm Processing
Strawberry Hill Processing
Princess Anne Processing
SE Farms and Production
Kentucky Farms Processing
North Carolina Farms Processing
Dry Creek Processing

Cooper Farms
Oakwood, OH Hatchery

Crider Farms
Stillmore Crider Foods Processing

Farbest Foods, Inc.
Vincennes, IN Processing Plant
Huntingburg Plant Processing

Fieldale Farms
Direct Hatchery
Cornelia Plant Processing
Toccoa Protein Conversion Plant

Foster Farms 
Choudrant, LA Hatchery
Athens Hatchery
Farmerville, LA Cooked Plant
Turlock, CA FTP 2 Processing
Demopolis, AL Corndog Plant
Fresno, CA Cherry Ave Processing
Kelso, WA Processing
Burrel Commodity Mill
Delta Feed Mill

Gerber's Poultry, Inc.
Kidron, OH Processing

House of Raeford Farms
Arcadia, LA Processing
Rose Hill, NC Processing

Keystone Foods LLC
Franklin, KY Feed Mill (Albany Complex)
Camilla, GA Hatchery
Franklin, KY Hatchery (Albany Complex)
Camilla, GA Processing Plant
Albany, KY Equity Group - KY Division

Koch Foods, Inc.       
Hope Hull, AL Feed Mill
Montgomery, AL Processing
Pine Mountain Valley, GA Processing

Maple Leaf Farms, Inc.
San Joaquin Hatchery

Mountaire Farms, Inc.          
Westover MD, Feed Mill
Princess Anne, MD Hatchery
Siler City, NC Mount Vernon Hatchery
Selbyville, DE Processing
Lumber Bridge, NC Processing
Millsboro, DE Feed Mill
Millsboro, DE Processing

Peco Foods, Inc.
Fulton Street, Processing

Perdue Farms
Elkin, NC Feed Mill
Petaluma, CA Willowbrook Feed Mill
Vincennes, IN Hatchery #1
Accomac, VA Harvest
Perry, GA Harvest
Dillon, SC Harvest
Bridgewater, VA Further Processing
Lewiston, NC Harvest
Beaver Dam, KY Cromwell Harvest
Georgetown, DE Harvest
Monterey, TN Further Processing
Milford, DE Harvest
Rockingham, NC Harvest
Hurlock, GA Feed Mill
Westover, MD Hatchery #10
Salisbury, MD Hatchery #3

Pilgrim’s Corp
Pittsburg, TX Feed Mill
Mayfield, KY Feed Mill
Las Piedras Feed Mill
Harrisonburg, VA Feed Mill
Nashville, AR Feed Mill
Athens, GA Feed Mill
Commerce, GA Feed Mill
Mayfield, KY Hatchery
Cohutta, GA Hatchery
Blaine, GA Hatchery
Athens, GA Hatchery
To Ricos Hatchery
Pittsburg, TX Hatcheries
Ft. Payne, AL Hatchery
Staley, NC Hatchery
Broadway, VA Clearview Hatchery
Albertville Hatchery
Natchitoches, LA Processing
Mt. Pleasant, TX West Processing

Rivery Valley Ingredients
Ames, NE Feed Mill
Concordia, MO Feed Mill
Cumming, GA Feed Mill

Simmons' Foods, Inc. 
Siloam Springs, AR Further Processing

Tip Top Poultry, Inc. 
Rockmart, GA Further Processing

Tyson Foods Inc.
Texarkana, AR Rendering
Forest, MS Rendering
Decherd, TN Hatchery (Shelbyville Complex)
Stillwell, OK Hatchery (Noel Complex)
Cumming, GA Further Processing
Berry Street Processing Plant
Hope, AR Processing
Nashville, AR Processing Plant

Valley Proteins Inc.
Wadesboro, NC Division
Gastonia, NC Rendering

Wayne Farms LLC
Ozark, AL South Alabama Feed Mill
Samson, AL Hatchery
Decatur, AL East Further Processing
Union Springs, AL Processing
Decatur, AL West Prepared Foods
Jack, AL Enterprise Complex Processing

Award of Honor
Allen Harim LLC
Dagsboro Hatchery
Seaford Feed Mill

Cargill
BMO Feed Mill
Gentry Hatchery

Case Farms
Winesburg, OH

Cobb-Vantress, Inc.  
Siloam Springs Hatchery
Timpson, TX Hatchery
Kentucky Hatchery

Foster Farms
Livingston Commodity Mill

George’s
Springdale Further Processing
Broadway Hatchery
South Main Hatchery
Springdale Processing
Stone Spring Hatchery

House of Raeford Farms       
Monetta, SC Feed Mill
Monetta, SC Hatchery
West Columbia, SC Processing Facility
Lavonia, GA Hatchery

Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.
Montevideo, MN Further Processing
Faribault, MN Turkey Processing

Keystone Foods LLC
Gadsden, AL Plant
Eufaula, AL Processing Plant
Eufaula, AL Hatchery
Eufaula, AL Feed Mill

Koch Foods, Inc.
Anniston, AL Fair Knoll Hatchery
Chattanooga, TN Feed Mill
Cumming, GA Further Processing
Forest, MS Further Processing

Peco Foods, Inc.
Bay Springs Processing
Batesville Feed Mill
Tuscaloosa Processing
Sebastopol Processing
Batesville Processing
Sebastopol Hatchery

Perdue Farms
Bridgeville, DE Feed Mill
Candor, NC Feed Mill
Perry, GA Cook Plant

Pilgrim's Corp.          
DeQueen, AR Poultry Processing
Canton, GA Feed Mill
Wingate, NC Feed Mill
Concord, NC Hatchery
Canton, GA Processing
Douglas, GA Processing
Mayfield, KY Processing
Sumter, SC Processing
Chattanooga, TN Feed Mill
Athens, GA Processing
Guntersville, AL Processing
Moorefield, WV Fresh Processing
Broadway, VA Processing
Chattanooga Debone
Chattanooga Fresh Processing
Sanford, NC Processing Plant

River Valley Ingredients
Aliceville, AL Blend Mill

Sanderson Farms, Inc.
Brazos Production Hatchery
Foods Division
Laurel Processing

Tyson Foods Inc.
Robards, KY Rendering
Scranton, AR Rendering
Harmony, NC Rendering
Magee, MS Hatchery
Clarksville, AR Further Processing
Grannis, AR Processing
Center, TX Hatchery (Carthage Complex)
North Little Rock, AR Processing
Tyson of Rogers, AR Processing Plant
Dexter, MO Hatchery
Berryville, AR Further Processing
Monett, MO Processing
Shelbyville, TN Processing
Tyler Road AR Processing Plant
Waldron, AR Feed Mill
Star City, AR Hatchery (Pine Bluff Complex)
Obion County Processing Plant
Seguin, TX Processing Plant
Vicksburg, MS Processing
Hope, AR Hatchery
Carthage, MS Processing Plant
Oglethorpe, GA Hatchery
Van Buren, AR Further Processing
Forest, MS Processing
Blountsville Processing Plant
Monroe, NC Processing
Sedalia, MO Hatchery

Valley Proteins, Inc.
Fayetteville, NC Division

Wayne Farms LLC
Danville, AR Processing Plant
Danville, AR Hatchery

Award of Merit
Claxton Poultry Farms
Claxton Poultry Processing Plant

Peco Foods, Inc.
Feather Lane Further Processing

Pilgrim’s
Mount Pleasant, TX Pet Food
Gainesville, GA Processing Plant
Mt. Pleasant, TX East Processing
Elberton, GA Prepared Foods
Commerce, GA Hatchery
Marshville, NC Processing
Enterprise, AL Processing
DeQueen, AR Processing

River Valley Ingredients
Muscatine, IA Blend Mill
Stafford, KS Blend Mill
Cuthbert, GA Blend Mill
Gainesville, GA Blend Mill
Dawsonville, GA Blend Mill
Portsmouth, VA Blend Mill
Pickensville, AL Blend Mill

Tyson Foods, Inc.
Dexter, MO Processing
Gonzalez, TX Feed Mill (Seguin Complex)
Randall Road AR Processing Plant
Waldron, AR Hatchery

Source: National Chicken Council