Vertical Integration

Perdue Farms is what is known as a vertically integrated agribusiness. That means our company is involved in every step of the supply chain – from eggs and feed ingredients all the way through processing, distribution and marketing. This vertical integration enables us to ensure the quality of our poultry products at every step.

 

 

The Perdue Pedigree

Our quality begins with our own breed of chicken. Our geneticists carefully select individual pedigree birds to be the great-great-grandparents of our chickens. These pedigree birds are to poultry what champion racers are to the horse world – proven performers whose winning traits are passed on to subsequent generations of PERDUE® chickens.

 

Breeder Operations

Our company's Primary Breeder Operations supply the offspring of our pedigree birds to independent farmers who operate breeder farms under contract with Perdue. These farms supply eggs to our hatcheries. Breeder houses are specially equipped, with room for the hens and roosters to move about, access to sufficient food and water, and elevated nesting areas.

 

Hatcheries

Our hatcheries give our birds a strong, healthy start even before they're born. Automated incubators maintain the ideal temperature and humidity levels, even turning the eggs to mimic the mother hen's actions. Just as with most newborns, our chicks are vaccinated against common diseases. The day-old chicks are transported to independent family farms, where the contract producers have prepared their poultry houses for the arrival of the young birds.

 

Feed Manufacturing

Perdue Farms purchases grain from local farmers and we manufacture our own poultry feeds from all-natural ingredients, free of pesticides and carefully blended to meet the nutritional requirements of our birds at every growth stage. Our feed mills operate in accordance with FDA regulations and our own quality control ensures wholesomeness and nutritional value.

 

Growout

Our birds are raised on family-owned farms by more than 2,400 independent farm-family partners. All of our birds are grown in temperature-controlled houses, protected from the elements, predators and disease. Our poultry are free to move about with access to food and water. Our lighting and ventilation programs maximize bird comfort and minimize stress, creating an ideal environment for growing healthy birds.

Flocks are closely monitored and carefully tended to ensure their health, comfort and well-being. Our flock supervisors, veterinarians and poultry welfare officers – backed by an advanced team of scientists and laboratory technicians working with the industry's leading research and analytical equipment – assist our producers and maintain adherence to our strict standards for food safety, bird health, poultry welfare and environmental stewardship. All producers and all associates handling live birds receive poultry welfare training.

The partnership between Perdue and its producers ensures that our birds are handled carefully and kept healthy. That's one of the reasons we're able to consistently produce a premium quality product.

We do not use antibiotics for growth promotion in chickens, nor do we use antibiotics continuously for any reason. We've never used hormones or steroids. In fact, the use of hormones and steroids in poultry has been banned since the 1950s.

 

Processing and Food Production

We operate food plants throughout the eastern half of the United States for processing and cooking. All associates working in food production receive mandatory training in food safety and quality. Each of our food plants has onsite USDA inspectors and all of our Quality Assurance Managers are trained as Certified Food Safety Professionals. In addition, each Perdue facility has a Food Protection Manager, certified through ServSafe, the leading food safety education program.

 

Distribution and Transportation

We operate our own distribution network, including a truck fleet, distribution and replenishment centers, and dedicated cold storage and export facilities. This ensures quality, food safety and product security all the way to the customer.

Our transportation fleet also operates the specialized vehicles used for delivering eggs, chicks, feed and live birds.