The Tyson Foods poultry complex in New Holland, Pa. has received the American Meat Institute Foundation (AMIF) Environmental Recognition Award. The Complex received the honor for its community-oriented programs and environmental stewardship. This is the seventh AMIF environmental award the New Holland facility has been given since 2005. The New Holland Complex primarily supplies chicken products to schools throughout the United States.

“We’re honored to receive this award again,” said Tyson’s New Holland Complex Environmental Manager Julie Bard Dippner. “It reflects our ongoing dedication to remaining engaged in our community with various outreach programs and our efforts to protect the environment.” 

The New Holland Complex is active year-around in the community by participating in such things as the Lancaster County Youth Conservation School and Warwick School District’s Annual Watershed Day. Tyson Team Members have also organized a bike team that cycles to raise money for special causes and participates annually in programs like Toys for Tots, Cell Phones for Soldiers and other non-profit programs that benefit the community.

In addition to its community involvement, the New Holland Complex was the 2012 winner of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Environmental Award and Tyson farmers who provide product to the Complex have received the Tyson Poultry Environmental Award 10 times in the last 13 years.

The basis for the AMIF Environmental Recognition Award is the development and implementation of Environmental Management Systems (EMSs). They provide a framework by which AMI member companies, such as Tyson Foods, can work to minimize their environmental footprint, improve efficiency and effectiveness, reduce accidents and injuries, lower costs and further demonstrate corporate responsibility to the public.

AMIF’s voluntary, four-tiered EMS program recognizes company and/or individual plant progress through the four tiers – from the first steps in Tier 1 of organizing for development of an EMS all the way through to implementation of a fully-functional EMS at Tier 3.  One further step is available for those who choose to pursue it – achievement of ISO 14001 certification.  Each tier level has increasingly complex requirements, and plants or companies work to progress through the tiers to the level that works best for their environmental goals.

Source: Tyson Foods Inc.