Caring for Our Customers Starts with Caring for Our Chickens

Pilgrim's has adopted the science-based guidelines for animal welfare issued by the National Chicken Council. These guidelines are designed to promote the humane treatment and well-being of poultry throughout the production process.

All of our complexes are audited on a regular basis to ensure full compliance with these humane treatment guidelines. If a deficiency is identified, immediate corrective action is taken and follow-up audits are scheduled until the issue is resolved.

In addition, all Pilgrim's employees who handle live birds are required to complete animal-welfare training on an annual basis. Our contract growers receive similar training. All are required to sign a training compliance form indicating that they have received this training and understand their responsibilities regarding our animal welfare program.

Employees or growers who violate the Pilgrim's animal welfare policy and associated procedures will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or termination of their grower contract.

Health and Safety

Caring for our flocks also means taking steps to protect them from disease or illness. Pilgrim's requires its contract growers to follow strict biosecurity measures on their farms to prevent diseases or viruses from being inadvertently passed to flocks. These measures include:

• Routine cleaning and disinfecting of equipment and vehicles
• Providing clean and protective clothing for all personnel
• Permitting only essential personnel and vehicles to enter the farm
• Limiting or avoiding visits to other bird farms
• Sheltering our flocks in contained housing structures to provide maximum protection from inadvertent contact with wild or migratory birds

By working together with our growers, customers and others in our industry, Pilgrim's is helping to ensure that our birds are raised, transported and processed as humanely as possible.