Senators Coons, Wicker to Introduce Legislation to Increase Reimbursement During HPAI Outbreak

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification (HPAI) Act alongside 11 of their Senate colleagues. This bipartisan bill would expand the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) compensation program to all poultry growers and layer operations within a highly pathogenic avian influenza control area, rather than only those whose flocks are infected.

“Delaware has the largest per capita chicken industry in the country, and Delaware’s independent family farmers and poultry...

NCC Expresses Grave Concerns with New FSIS Salmonella Regulation

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 NCC President Mike Brown.

“NCC is gravely concerned that the precedent set by this abrupt shift in longstanding policy has the potential to shutter processing plants, cost jobs, and take safe food and convenient products off shelves, without moving the needle on public health.

“As these products often appear ready to eat, but contain raw chicken, we recognize their nature raises...

Industry Reacts to USDA’s Proposed "Product of USA" Requirements

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a proposed rule featuring new regulatory requirements for the “Product of USA” label claim.

The rule would allow for the “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.

The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) said the USDA’s latest proposal would “result in trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico costing American consumers and businesses billions of dollars...

National Chicken Council President Mike Brown Testifies Before House Agriculture Committee

National Chicken Council President Mike Brown delivered testimony at today’s House Agriculture Committee hearing, “Uncertainty, Inflation, Regulations: Challenges for American Agriculture,” that focused on regulatory barriers and red tape holding back American agricultural production.

“The chicken industry is a model of American innovation and efficiency,” Brown said. “In fact, there is no more important food source in America. Chicken is healthy, sustainable, and affordable. Chicken supports millions of jobs and thousands of rural communities. Chicken provides nourishing, affordable protein for Americans. But overzealous and misguided regulations threaten...

National Chicken Council Calls on FDA to Take Measures to Alleviate Egg Prices

The current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or “bird flu”) in the United States and resulting egg price increases have caused the chicken industry to closely examine a policy that forces the broiler industry (broilers are chickens raised for meat) to destroy perfectly nutritious and safe eggs. The National Chicken Council today petitioned FDA to reverse or modify this policy.

“In light of the pressure the current HPAI outbreak is putting on the nation’s egg supply, FDA should...

The Retail Rundown: Super Bowl Shines Bright in Otherwise Dull Demand Period

Eager fans are gearing up for Super Bowl weekend as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles prepare to face off in Arizona. Grocers are equally enthusiastic to capture additional sales during what is an otherwise dull demand period for retail and red meat sales in general.  

The National Chicken Council (NCC) estimates Americans will eat a record-shattering 1.45 billion chicken wings during this year's Super Bowl LVII festivities. This is up 2% from last year and equates to about 84 million wings, said the NCC. Urner Barry's Ryan Doyle took a closer look at NCC's latest annual Chicken Wing Report.  

A decline in wing prices along with the return to in-person celebrations, whether it be at home or at a restaurant, is expected to drive the uptick in wing consumption...

Chicken Wing Consumption to Break Records on Super Bowl Sunday Thanks to Favorable Prices

Americans are expected to eat a record-smashing 1.45 billion chicken wings during Super Bowl LVII weekend, according to the National Chicken Council (NCC)’s annual Chicken Wing Report.

The 1.45 billion mark represents a two percent jump from last year or 84 million additional wings.

NCC spokesperson Tom Super cited more favorable wing prices when compared to last year and people getting back to normal routines and heading to parties or restaurants and bars for the jump in wing consumption...

NCC Calls for Withdrawal of Inclusive Competition Rule

In comments submitted today, the National Chicken Council (NCC) expressed deep concern about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service Proposed Rule, titled “Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act.”

“We are deeply concerned that the Proposed Rule would impose substantial costs, expose live poultry dealers to significant legal and compliance risks, and undermine the successful and mutually profitable poultry grower contracting system,” said NCC President Mike Brown. “The last thing AMS should be doing is pushing increased regulations, red tape...

NCC Releases its Most Comprehensive Guidelines to Date for Well-Being of Broiler Chickens

Consumers want to be sure that all animals being raised for food are treated with respect and are properly cared for during their lives. The people and companies involved in raising chickens for food share the public’s concern.

To assist chicken producers and processors in this effort, the National Chicken Council (NCC) in 1999 developed the NCC Broiler Welfare Guidelines and Audit Checklist which have been widely adopted by chicken farmers and processors to ensure all chickens are being properly cared for and treated humanely...

NCC: Industry is Committed to Reducing Salmonella, but FSIS’s Proposed Framework Not Right Approach

NCC recently filed comments to USDA regarding its recently Proposed Framework for Salmonella in poultry production.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on October 17 announced a new Proposed Framework for controlling Salmonella in poultry production along with a virtual public meeting.

In addition to the meeting, which provided very limited stakeholder feedback on the wide-ranging proposal, the Agency also made public a comment docket for stakeholders. Comments were due on December 16 after the Agency granted a one month delay...

NCC to Labor Department: Independent Chicken Farmers are Properly Considered Independent Contractors

NCC recently filed public comments on a Labor Department proposed regulation that would modify how a worker is classified as an employee or an independent contractor.

The Department of Labor (DOL) in mid-October published a proposed rule to modify definitions used to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

This proposed rule follows the Department’s attempted withdrawal of a rule issued in January 2021 that also sought to amend standards used to determine employee status...