At the 2016 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Fla., 122 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.

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.

"The poultry industry has made great progress over the last 20 years when it comes to workplace safety. Today our industry's safety record is almost equal to that of the rest of the manufacturing industries. Although great improvements have been made, industry safety professionals are continuously looking for ways to improve. No matter their role, safety is a commitment expected of all employees in the industry," said the Council.

The total recordable poultry processing illness and injury rate for 2014 was 4.3 cases per 100 full-time workers (per year), down from 4.5 in 2013. This represents an 81 percent decrease from 1994 (the oldest data available on the BLS website), when the recorded rate was 22.7, demonstrating the enormous progress poultry processors have made in improving safety for our workforce.

Award consideration was based on injury statistics over three years and an evaluation of written applications by judges Doug Britton, program manager for Agricultural Technology Research at Georgia Tech Research Institute, Jill James of Vivid Learning Systems and George Nassif of Aon Global Risk Consulting. Fifty-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

American Proteins
Hanceville, AL - Rendering

Butterball LLC
Raeford, NC – Hatchery
Goldsboro, NC – Hatchery
Huntsville, AR – Processing
Carthage, MO – Processing
Ozark, AR – Processing
Jonesboro, AR – Further Processing
Mt. Olive, NC – Processing

Cargill Protein Group
Waco, TX – Processing

Cargill Turkey Production LLC
Harrisonburg, VA – Feed Mill
Gentry, AR – Hatchery

Cobb-Vantress, Inc.
Siloam Springs, AR – Feed Mill
Sweetwater Farm

Foster Farms
Emmett, AR – Prescott Feed Mill
Demopolis, AL – Corndog Plant
Turlock, CA (FTP 1) – Processing
Turlock, CA (FTP 2) – Cooked Plant
Farmerville, LA – Cooked Plant
Farmerville, LA – Processing
Fresno, CA (Cherry Ave) – Processing

GNP Company
Arcadia, WI – Feed Mill

Keystone Foods LLC
Equity Group – KY Division
Camilla, GA – Processing
Gadsden, AL – Further Processing

Koch Foods, Inc.
Morton, MS – Feed Mill

Mountaire Farms Inc.
Princess Anne, MD – Hatchery
Statesville, NC – Breeder
Silver City, NC (Mount Vernon) – Hatchery
Lumber Bridge, NC – Processing

Perdue Farms
Bridgeville, DE – Feed Mill
Dillon, SC – Hatchery
Hurlock, MD – Hatchery
Cromwell, KY – Hatchery
Dillon, SC – Processing
Accomac, VA– Processing
Concord, NC – Further Processing
Georgetown, DE – Processing
Murfreesboro, NC – Hatchery
Cromwell, KY – Processing
Perry, GA – Processing
Perry, GA – Cook Plant
Monterey, TN – Processing
Rockingham, NC – Processing
Lakeview, CA – Growers Hatchery

Pilgrim's Corp
Live Oak, FL – Hatchery

Tyson / River Valley Animal Foods
Robards, KY – Rendering

Tyson Foods
Storm Lake, IA – Processing

Wayne Farms LLC

Dobson, NC – Hatchery
Troy, AL – Hatchery
Union Springs, AL – Processing
Pendergrass, GA – Processing
Decatur, AL – East Further Processing

Award of Honor

Cargill Turkey Production LLC
Springdale, AR – Feed Mill
Purdy, MO – Feed Mill

Cobb-Vantress, Inc.
Wadesboro, NC – Hatchery

Foster Farms Inc.
Wadesboro, NC – Hatchery

House of Raeford
Arcadia, LA – Processing
Greenville, SC – Processing
West Columbia, SC – Complex

Jennie-O Turkey Store
Detroit Lakes, MN – Hatchery
Montevideo, MN – Processing
Pelican Rapids, MN (West Central) – Turkeys

Keystone Foods LLC
Eufaula, AL Division
North Carolina Division

Koch Foods
Chattanooga, TN – Feed Mill
Crossville, AL – Hatchery
Pine Mountain Valley, GA – Processing
Ashland, AL – Processing
Collinsville, AL – Processing
Gadsden, AL – Processing
Forest, MS – Further Processing

Mountaire Farms
Millsboro, DE – Feed Mill
Frankford, DE – Feed Mill
Shelbyville, DE – Processing
Millsboro, DE – Resource Recovery Plant

Perdue Farms Inc.
Bridgewater, VA – Further Processing
Salisbury, MD – Feed Mill
Forsyth, GA – Feed Mill
Lewiston, NC – Processing
Westover, MD – Hatchery

Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
Ft. Payne, AL – Hatchery
Gainesville, GA – Processing

Sanderson Farms, Inc.
Collins, MS – Hatchery
Adel, GA – Hatchery
Flowood, MS – Processing

Tyson Foods
Cumming, GA – Further Processing
Berryville, AR – Processing
Nashville, AR – Processing
Springdale, AR (Berry Street) – Processing
Russellville, AR – Processing

Valley Proteins Inc.
Linkwood, MD – Rendering
Fayetteville, NC – Rendering

Wayne Farms LLC
Danville, AR – Hatchery
Decatur, AL (West) – Further Processing
Enterprise, AL – Processing
Laurel, MS – Hatchery
Dothan, AL – Processing

Award of Merit

American Proteins
Cuthbert, GA – Rendering

Fries Farms LLC
Glennville, GA (Tattnall) – Hatchery

George's Inc.
Springdale, AR – Further Processing

Jennie-O Turkey Store
Barron, WI – Processing

Koch Foods
Anniston, AL – Hatchery
Cumming, GA – Further Processing

Peco Farms Inc.
Tuscaloosa, AL – Processing
Canton, MS (Feather Lane) – Further Processing
Bay Springs, MS – Processing
Batesville, AR – Processing
Sebastopol, MS – Processing
Canton, MS – Processing
Brooksville, MS – Further Processing

Perdue Foods
Milford, DE – Processing
Washington, IN – Feed Mill
Elkin, NC – Feed Mill

Pilgrim's Corp.
Natchitoches, LA – Processing
Live Oak, FL – Processing
Marshville, NC – Processing
Moorefield, WV – Prepared Foods
Lufkin, TX – Processing
Gainesville, GA – Processing
Chattanooga, TN – Processing
Chattanooga, TN – Further Processing
Mt. Pleasant, TX – Prepared Foods

Source: NCC