At the 2017 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Fla., 147 chicken and turkey facilities received safety awards by the Joint Industry Safety & 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 & Health Council consists of members of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Assn., National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. Collectively, the three organizations represent companies that produce 95% of the nation's poultry products and directly employ more than 350,000 people.

“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 & Health Council chair Scott Rushing of Sanderson Farms.

Based on the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total recordable illness and injury rate for poultry processing for 2015 was 4.3 cases per 100 full-time workers; this represents an outstanding 81% 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, the "Award of Distinction." The other categories included the "Award of Honor" and the "Award of Merit." The following companies were awarded in the selected categories:

Award of Distinction

Butterball LLC

Turkey, NC – Feed Mill

Huntsville, AR – Processing

Carthage, MO – Processing

Raeford, NC – Hatchery

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

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