The Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council recognized 222 chicken and turkey facilities with safety awards at the National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Fla. The facilities were honored in recognition of their outstanding performance through the implementation of innovative and effective employee safety and health programs.

Award consideration was based on injury statistics from the 2022–2024 period and a review of written applications evaluated by academia and other safety experts.

This year, 49 facilities earned the highest level of recognition, the Award of Distinction, which honors facilities that demonstrate excellence in safety and health training, education and employee involvement, and that maintain injury and illness rates at least 75% lower than the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) averages.

Eighty-one facilities received the Award of Honor, recognizing the same core safety principles with incident rates between 75% and 50% lower than BLS results. Ninety-two facilities received the Award of Merit, which recognizes facilities with rates between 50% lower and equal to BLS results.

“These awards reflect the significant progress our industry has made in protecting the safety and health of its workers. I extend my sincere congratulations to all the recognized facilities and the employees whose dedication made this achievement possible,” said Allan Foy, corporate director of safety, Farbest Foods, and chair of the Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council.

The Joint Industry Safety & 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% of the nation's poultry products and directly employ more than 350,000 workers.