National Chicken Council Thanks USDA for Special Purchase of Chicken

National Chicken Council President Mike Brown expressed the chicken industry’s gratitude today to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for USDA’s announced intention to conduct a special purchase of chicken products.

“At a time when the industry is under great stress due to the high cost of feed ingredients and the general economic slowdown, we appreciate USDA’s willingness to step forward and acquire additional chicken for various feeding programs,” Brown said. “Thanks to prevailing price trends, the government is getting a bargain on high-quality food to help meet the nutritional needs of the clients of these programs, while the industry is getting some relief from excessive inventories.”

USDA said it would purchase $40 million worth of chicken products for federal nutrition assistance programs, including donations to food banks.

Brown said NCC would work with the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service to help ensure full success of the program as delivery of the products begins in the very near future.

“Chicken is always a popular item for food banks and other feeding programs,” Brown said. “We are pleased to be able to participate in these programs and grateful for USDA’s timely action.”

The National Chicken Council represents integrated chicken producer-processors, the companies that produce, process and market chickens and chicken products. Member companies of NCC account for more than 95 percent of the chicken sold in the United States.

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Address media inquiries to: Tom Super

Senior Vice President of Communications

[email protected] 202-443-4130