NCC Statement in Response to FSIS Announcing its Plans to Declare Salmonella an Adulterant 

The National Chicken Council today released the following statement in response to FSIS announcing its plans to declare Salmonella an adulterant in frozen, raw, breaded, stuffed, chicken products. Attributable to Ashley Peterson, Ph.D., senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs.

“As these products often appear ready to eat, but contain raw chicken, we recognize their nature raises special considerations that merit additional attention. The National Chicken Council (NCC) and our member companies have invested millions of dollars and have worked for more than a...

Consumers Rely on Chicken Even as Inflation Affects Prices

While consumers average rating for their current financial situation is in the middle between “poor” and “excellent,” 87 percent are buying more or the same amount of fresh chicken now compared to six months ago, according to research presented today at the 2022 Chicken Marketing Summit.

The National Chicken Council (NCC) and WATT Global Media presented the results of a study that focused on current and anticipated U.S. consumer behavior, specifically, consumption of fresh chicken. The results suggest opportunities for chicken to maintain market share. IRI provided supporting data from its...

Nationwide Survey Reveals 81% of Americans Want Clearer Product Labeling of Plant-Based ‘Chicken’

The National Chicken Council (NCC) today announced findings from a recent national survey* of Americans regarding consumer attitudes about chicken and plant-based ‘chicken’ alternatives. Survey participants included individuals who consume meat and animal products, along with flexitarians, vegetarians and vegans. The results indicate the majority of Americans want clearer product labeling and separate shopping sections for plant-based products.

“When shopping for chicken to grill this Fourth of July weekend, people shouldn’t have to waste time at the grocery store dissecting whether they’re about to..."

USDA Announces New Regulatory Burdens on Chicken Industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a proposed rule under the Packers and Stockyards Act that would do nothing to lower food prices, increase competition or reduce inflation, which is a result of policies like these from the Biden administration.

“This is a solution in search of a problem,” said NCC President Mike Brown. “The last thing the Biden administration should be doing is pushing increased regulations, red tape and costs onto businesses at a time of record inflation and input costs, threatening food security and potentially raising grocery bills even..."

NCC Response to House Committee Report on COVID-19 Workplace Safety

Attributable to National Chicken Council (NCC) President Mike Brown:

“NCC member companies have long been committed to protecting and enhancing worker safety, a commitment that well predates the COVID-19 pandemic. But when the COVID-19 pandemic reached American shores, it was immediately clear that worker safety would be paramount.

“As a critical infrastructure sector staffed by essential workers, the chicken industry was presented with a seemingly impossible task – keep food on the tables and keep workers safe, all in the face of a highly transmissible and all-but..."

Applications Being Accepted for New Poultry Industry Innovation in Safety & Health Award

The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council is currently accepting applications for a new Innovation in Safety & Health Award program. The program is open to National Chicken Council (NCC), National Turkey Federation (NTF) and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) members and is intended for poultry and egg industry members that have made a significant advancement in operational excellence in a safety and/or health innovation.

Award applications can be entered in the industry categories of Poultry Processing (NAICS 311615), Poultry & Egg Production (NAICS 1123)...

New Study Highlights Benefits of the Partnership Between Contract Farmers and Chicken Companies

The National Chicken Council today released a study that presents the results of a recent broiler industry survey designed to capture key live chicken production statistics. In addition, the study summarizes several key trends in broiler production efficiency, returns and loan quality data.

“Raising chickens under contract is one of the best and most reliable sources of cash flow that helps keep families on the farm,” noted agriculture economist and the study’s author, Dr. Thomas Elam, president of FarmEcon LLC. “The business partnerships between chicken farmers and chicken companies are mutually beneficial, viable and profitable. The real winner is the American consumer, though, who benefits from the healthiest and most affordable protein in the meat case.”

NCC Responds to Latest New York Times Attack on Chicken Producers

The National Chicken Council today released the following statement in response to a New York Times Opinion video attacking U.S. chicken production and advocating for increased food costs:

“The New York Times Opinion video, “The True Cost of Cheap Chicken,” is a vegan propaganda piece whose goal is to make meat more expensive, as clearly articulated in the final line of the video, “Chicken should be $6 a pound, not $1 a pound.” The activist group behind the video, Mercy for Animals, spends tens of millions of...

Americans Projected to Eat 1.42 Billion Chicken Wings for Super Bowl LVI

Football fans might be surprised at the matchup, but one thing is not surprising: America’s love for chicken wings. This is never more apparent than on Super Bowl weekend, when wings are at their hottest. Americans are anticipated to devour 1.42 billion wings while watching the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams battle for the Lombardi Trophy, according the National Chicken Council’s (NCC) 2022 Wing Report.

“There will be no wing shortage,” said NCC spokesperson Tom Super. “Like almost anything else you buy right now, wings might be..."

NCC: Stop Scapegoating Meat, Poultry Companies for Inflation, Rising Prices

The National Chicken Council (NCC) today released the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s plans for more government intervention in the meat and poultry industries.  Attributable to NCC President Mike Brown:

“While we haven’t seen any proposals, for the chicken industry, this looks like a solution in search of a problem.

“The vast majority of chicken farmers are thriving helping to produce America’s number one protein. In fact, chicken companies have waiting lists of potential family farmers that want to partner with them and enter into the chicken..."

Chicken Council Responds to Politicized Criticisms of Food Inflation

The most recent drumbeat from the White House National Economic Council (NEC) blaming the meat and poultry industry for their failed policies and rising meat prices came yesterday in a blog post. Let’s look at the facts according to the federal government’s own data.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.8 percent in November on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.9 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 6.8 percent...

NCC Submits Comments on the Labeling of Cell-Cultured Meat, Poultry Products

The National Chicken Council (NCC) believes cell-cultured products must be marketed in an appropriate manner that clearly conveys their basic nature to consumers and avoids confusion between cell-cultured protein products and traditional animal protein products.

“This approach ensures a neutral playing field wherein consumers are provided truthful information about cell-cultured products so that they may make choices as they deem most appropriate,” said NCC SVP of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Ashley Peterson, Ph.D., in comments submitted to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on...

Koch Foods’ Mark Kaminsky Installed as Chairman of the National Chicken Council

Mark Kaminsky, Chief Operating Officer at Koch Foods (Park Ridge, Illinois) was installed as 2021-2022 Chairman of the National Chicken Council (NCC) during NCC’s Annual Conference, held this week in Washington, D.C. It is Kaminsky’s second term as NCC Chairman, previously serving from 2018-2019.

Mark started his career at Arthur Andersen after receiving his bachelor’s degree in Accounting at DePaul University. He began his career with Koch Foods in 1990 on the financial side of the business but learned the operational side, including live processing through...

NCC Statement on New USDA Plans to Address Salmonella Illnesses

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced plans to undertake a new effort to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products. The agency said it would be initiating several key activities to gather the data and information necessary to support future action and move closer to the national target of a 25% reduction in Salmonella illnesses.

USDA said it intends to seek stakeholder feedback on specific Salmonella control and measurement strategies, including pilot projects, in poultry slaughter and processing establishments.

In response to today’s...