International Poultry Welfare Alliance (IPWA) and U.S.-Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs (U.S.-RSPE) are announcing the results of their recent board of directors elections.

The U.S.-RSPE is an independent, multi-stakeholder organization with members representing growers, integrators, processors, retailers, foodservice companies, civil society groups, NGOs, allied industries, and individuals built to advance, support and communicate continuous improvement in sustainability for the value chain. U.S.-RSPE's board of directors is responsible for setting the organization's strategic direction, overseeing its operations and ensuring it remains focused on its mission. The board meets regularly to discuss and make decisions on key issues related to poultry and egg sustainability in the United States.

The International Poultry Welfare Alliance serves as an independent global resource on poultry welfare. IPWA is a diverse and driven group of organizations, companies and individuals committed to continuously advancing poultry welfare worldwide. The IPWA Board of Directors is the elected leadership body of the alliance and includes officers and directors from each of the constituency groups of the organization. These volunteer leaders are passionate about poultry welfare and the success of IPWA.

The newly elected directors for U.S.-RSPE are:

  • Fernanda Castro
    • U.S.-RSPE Board: Allied
    • Evonik, technical service manager for poultry nutrition & sustainability
  • Jenny Rhodes
    • U.S.-RSPE Board: Grower representative
    • Owner and operator, Deerfield Farms LLC and Hillsdale Farm LLC
  • Lankford Ruffin
    • U.S.-RSPE Board: Integrator/Processor representative
    • Butterball LLC director of environmental affairs and sustainability
  • Heather Beaubien
    • U.S.-RSPE Board: Retail/Foodservice representative
    • Chick-fil-A Inc. director of sustainability
  • Hailey Grimes
    • U.S.-RSPE Board: Civil Society representative
    • American humane director of farm program operations

The reelected and newly elected IPWA board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the alliance. These members are:

  •  Anne-Marie Neeteson
    • Reelected
    • IPWA Board: Production- Breeder representative
    • Aviagen global vice president of welfare & compliance
  • Jayashima Nuggehali
    • IPWA Board: NGO representative
    • Co-founder and COO of Global Food Partners
  • Tak Niino
    • IPWA Board: Allied representative
    • Zoetis U.S. poultry senior technical services veterinarian

"We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding individuals to our board of directors," said Janet Helms, global sustainable sourcing animal health & welfare senior manager with McDonald's and chair of the board of trustees for the Poultry & Egg Sustainability and Welfare Foundation. In addition to serving as chair, Helms is on the Board of Directors of IPWA, representing Restaurants. "Their expertise in animal welfare and the poultry industry will be invaluable as we advance our mission of improving the welfare of poultry around the world, through our collective work and individual actions. Electing such a diverse Board allows IPWA to engage at all levels of the supply [chain from] the hatchery to the farm –and with all of the industries that support the health and welfare of the bird. In our Board meetings, we consistently ask the question ['What is Best for the Bird?'] I look forward to what these individuals, and their sponsoring organizations, bring to the table (or board room)."

The U.S.-RSPE created the Sustainability Framework, the first-ever multi-stakeholder sustainability-reporting framework for all of the U.S. supply chains for chicken, turkey and eggs, from producer to final customer. Learn more about the framework here.

Recently, the IPWA published the Key Welfare Indicator Guides for broilers, layers and turkeys. The KWI guides provide a practical framework for assessing and improving the welfare of poultry. The indicators are designed to be flexible, allowing companies to tailor their approach to fit specific needs and circumstances. View the guides here.

For more information about the International Poultry Welfare Alliance, visit https://poultrywelfare.org/. For more information about the U.S.-Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs and its mission, visit https://www.us-rspe.org/.

Sources: International Poultry Welfare Alliance; U.S.-Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs