Perdue Farms has announced the release of its Fiscal Year 2020 Company Stewardship Report focusing on the four areas of - Food, Environment, Animal Care, and People and Partners. This new report highlights a year of the company elevating its commitment to alleviating food insecurity, offering consumers greater access to its products through e-commerce, advancing its industry leading-animal care commitments and providing chickens greater outdoor access.

Released during the company’s centennial year, the report notes progress made in the key areas of environment, communities and people, and reinforcing the company’s stewardship platform: We believe in responsible food and agriculture. The report also highlights how the company’s sustainability efforts align with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“Over the past year, we have continued to make advances in animal care, product innovation and environmental stewardship. Much of that progress would not have been possible without the support and involvement of others. Indeed, a theme of teamwork and partnership is woven throughout our report,” said Chairman Jim Perdue.

“From one of our newest acquisitions, Panorama Meats’ support of rangeland conservationists, to bioenergy partnerships, joint research with an animal welfare advocacy group, and volunteer and financial contributions to the many non-profits serving our communities, this has been a year that illustrates that we are truly all in this together,” said CEO Randy Day. “As this report was being compiled, our company, the country and the world was faced with the unprecedented challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through partnering with the government, communities, our associates, farmers and customers, we faced these challenges and developed solutions together. As we navigate into our second century, this unprecedented challenge only serves to reinforce our commitment to our vision ‘to be the most trusted name in food and agriculture products.’”

Report highlights include:

• People and Partners: The company continued to make progress in being a responsible employer, investing in associates’ growth, safety and well-being.
  • Enrolled 88 associates in the online Penn Foster Online High School Diploma program that allows them to earn an accredited high school diploma at no cost and five students graduated.
  • Received 19 industry safety awards, including the “Award of Distinction” for 10 of the company's (was our) operations, the highest honor from the Joint Industry Safety and Health Council.
  • Hosted first company-wide Day of Understanding in conjunction with CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion to encourage tough conversations and bridge cultural divides.

• Food: The company continued a legacy of product innovation with a new way for consumers to buy its products and the introduction of new products from its portfolio of brands.
  • Perdue Farms entered the e-commerce space, offering a selection of the company’s most popular premium protein brands for sale directly to consumers at https://www.perduefarms.com/.
  • The PERDUE brand introduced first-of-its-kind PERDUE CHICKEN PLUS, a veggie-and-chicken blended product line of nuggets, tenders, and patties, and expanded its free-range product offerings under the PERDUE HARVESTLAND label, securing its position as the leader in raising animals with outdoor access.

• Environment: The company made progress toward achieving its 2022 environmental sustainability goals and being good stewards of the environment, while taking a few steps back in reaching goals for reducing greenhouse gases and water use.
  • Perdue Farms reduced solid waste by 3.4% in part by becoming the first poultry company in the U.S. to achieve GreenCircle Zero Waste to Landfill certification by diverting 8.4 million pounds of waste.
  • Entered a 20-year partnership to create renewable natural gas and natural soil health solutions from poultry organics to benefit the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
  • Niman Ranch set the ambitious goal of building the largest network of independent farmers supporting pollinators over the next decade and committed $200,000 for farmers to build pollinator habitat on their land.

• Animal Care: The company continued its industry-leading animal care initiatives, commitment to transparency and hosted its fourth Animal Care Summit.
  • Outpaced the industry in raising chickens with outdoor access and achieved goal of providing outdoor access at 25 percent of chicken houses by January 2020. Converted 700 chicken houses from conventional growing operations to meet free-range standards, including adding windows, environmental enrichment, and safe outdoor access.
  • Announced new initiatives to further enhance chicken health and comfort at all stages including first-ever research partnership with Mercy for Animals.

• Communities: Perdue Farms and the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation made a meaningful impact in the communities where the company operates through financial support, community giving, hunger relief and disaster recovery support, associate volunteerism and working with stakeholders to make meaningful change.
  • Perdue elevated its commitment to alleviate food insecurity and established a five-year sustainability goal to donate a minimum of 20 million pounds of protein by 2025. Since 2000, Perdue has donated more than 80 million pounds of protein, or the equivalent of 304 million servings, to regional book banks serving its communities and beyond.
  • The Perdue Foundation delivered more than $1.3 million in grants and support to 93 non-profit organizations, including a $1 million grant to 10 Feeding America-affiliated food bank partners to launch our food insecurity initiative, “Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors”, in celebration of the company’s Centennial anniversary. 

• Farmers: Perdue Farms invested $155,000 to support programs that provide opportunities for the next generation of farmers and agricultural leaders.
  • The Perdue Foundation supported the National Future Farmers of America organization with a $15,000 grant that enabled the organization to provide its iconic blue jackets to 177 students across 35 states.
  • Niman Ranch’s Next Generation Foundation awarded 29 scholarships totaling more than $140,000 to students from Niman Ranch’s network of farm and ranch families.

The report is available at www.responsiblefoodandagriculture.com formatted as highlights for convenient web access and in an e-book format.

Source: Perdue Farms