As a family-owned, privately held company, we make business decisions that effectively balance our long-term strategies with short-term requirements while staying true to what we believe in. That way, we can make sure our actions bring us closer to our goals.
We have a core code of conduct and ethical practices, which we share with all associates and recommunicate to managers annually.
We also know that our ability to contribute positively to others depends on the resources we generate through our business. Our value of stewardship includes the responsibility to generate profitable growth to support the strategic plans of our company, sustaining us into the future.
We understand that our success goes hand in hand with our ability to help our business partners—including our customers, farm partners and vendors—be successful. This is founded in our core values of quality, integrity teamwork and stewardship, and it extends into our strategic growth plans.
Most of our chickens and turkeys are raised on local farms by more than 2,200 independent farmers contracted to care for our poultry on their farms.
Our poultry house contracts are designed to help insulate farmers from most of the financial risks associated with raising chickens and turkeys—including volatile markets—while providing year-round farm income and rewarding top performance. Those contracts were developed with input from our farmers and written in plain English, and they include provisions for peer review to resolve issues between the company and our farmers.
At Coleman All Natural Meats, natural is in our name for a reason. We ensure that our network of family farmers meets or exceeds more than 200 science-based humane animal care standards and protocols, which include no antibiotics ever, no added hormones, fed an all vegetarian diet and humanely raised crate-free.
Niman Ranch is a community of more than 600 small- and mid-size independent family farmers and ranchers who raise pork, beef and lamb traditionally, humanely and sustainably. All Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers are 100% Certified Humane®, raising their livestock outdoors or in deeply bedded pens, with no crates, antibiotics or added hormones-ever.
Perdue has been contracting with farmers to raise our poultry since the 1950s. Many of the farm families raising our poultry have been with our company across multiple generations, with sons and daughters deciding to build poultry houses based on the experiences of their parents and grandparents. Our ability to attract new farmers is dependent upon the trust we earn within the farm community.
Farmers are paid for raising the chickens, with higher pay going to those who are most efficient. A contract poultry operation is like any other business in that farmers need to reinvest in their operations to remain competitive. In addition, standards related to food safety, bird health and welfare and environmental stewardship change over time as a result of, among other things, advances in animal husbandry, changing consumer and customer expectations and new laws and regulations. However, Perdue often provides no-interest financing and other incentives to assist farmers with necessary upgrades.
We have high standards for how we expect our birds to be raised, including no-antibiotics-ever protocols, poultry care programs that exceed the norm for the U.S. poultry business, environmental stewardship and the expectation that farmers raising our chickens will be good neighbors.
We promise to consider our farmers when making changes. We are modifying our business relationships with contracts that reward care and welfare, in addition to production and efficiency.
Farms raising our poultry are subject to third-party certifications and verifications, including our USDA Process Verified Program for Poultry Care, USDA Certified Organic and Global Animal Partnership certifications.
Acknowledging the significant role farmers play in feeding the global population while also recognizing the challenges posed by agriculture’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, Perdue AgriBusiness has embarked on driving sustainability within the agricultural sector through the implementation of regenerative farming practices.
Leveraging its extensive farmer network and collaborative efforts with key stakeholders like Bayer, Perdue is committed to commercializing decarbonization opportunities that drive meaningful environmental impact, while underscoring the company’s role as a pioneer in the transition to a low-carbon economy. With agriculture responsible for one-quarter of worldwide GHG emissions, as reported by the IPCC, both Perdue and Bayer understand that addressing this issue requires collective action and innovative solutions.
Perdue invested in its first Sustainability Pilot with Bayer in 2022. Perdue, with a focus on stewardship and sustainable agriculture, pays farmers to play a central role in reducing carbon emissions and adopting regenerative farming practices such as no-till, strip-till and cover crops. Working with Bayer ForGround® and their Climate Fieldview™ platform, Perdue captures field data for emissions calculations. Through this collaboration, Perdue grain farmers can participate in a carbon foot printing program, enabling them to quantify their environmental impact accurately. Moreover, participating farmers gain access to Bayer’s Climate FieldView platform, facilitating direct communication and data exchange between Perdue and its growers, streamlining operations, and enhancing sustainability efforts. “Our partnership with Bayer provides a critical digital footprint by connecting Perdue directly with our farmers through Climate FieldView,” says Perry Aulie, senior vice president of value-added products for Perdue AgriBusiness.
Business to business customers are telling Perdue that low carbon products will be in high demand. Thus, many of Perdue’s growers have already adopted sustainable farming practices, such as cover cropping and no-till or strip-till farming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and Perdue AgriBusiness is making it easier and incentivizing growers to adopt regenerative practices, which should drive further adoption.
“We have learned that we need to take away some of the complexity experienced with regenerative initiatives and make this easier and less time-consuming for growers,” Aulie explains. “If we do that, we expect to produce 250 million pounds of low-carbon chicken and low-carbon food oil annually within the next five years. And, if sufficient customer demand is seen in the market, Perdue can get to this number faster.”
Perdue Farms is poised to lead the charge in decarbonizing the agricultural sector through strategic partnerships and innovative initiatives. Leveraging its extensive farmer network and collaborative efforts with key stakeholders, Perdue is committed to commercializing decarbonization opportunities that drive meaningful environmental impact.
One such initiative focuses on the production of low-carbon chicken and sustainable food oil using sustainable farming practices (cover crops, no-till) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
As Perdue enters its second Sustainability Pilot for the 2024 growing season, the company is buoyed by the momentum and enthusiasm generated by B2B and consumers wanting lower carbon products. Farmer engagement has been strong, reflecting the trust and rapport that Perdue has built with its growers over the years. However, the company remains committed to maintaining this momentum and continually improving its sustainability efforts.
“Our biggest challenges will likely be effectively communicating these results to consumers in a way that resonates and keeps the momentum going,” acknowledges Aulie. “We plan to review our goals annually and look to double our impact every year.” While data collection and analysis are essential for measuring progress, the true climate impact of regenerative agriculture lies in capturing carbon in the soil and preventing its release through regenerative practices. Perdue and Bayer recognize the importance of accurately measuring and scaling their impact, underscoring the significance of our ongoing collaboration.
“Regenerative agriculture is not new, but our ability to grow and scale and accurately measure our impact is still maturing,” concludes Aulie. “Finding a partner to grow with you is critical. And most important, we can never lose sight of the farmer being at the center. Their work and our ability to drive change start and end on the farm.”
As Perdue and Bayer continue to advance sustainability within the agricultural sector, this partnership serves as a model for collaborative innovation and collective action in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and food security.
In addition to raising their hogs outdoors and in deeply bedded hoop barns, the Borrowmans use many sustainable practices on their farm, including cover crops, no-till and diverse plantings, to build healthy soil. Through the USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program, the Borrowmans have converted 52 acres of hilly, eroded row crop land into a wonderland of native prairie wildflowers and pollinator habitat, home to a wide variety of insect life including Monarch butterflies and honeybees.
“When you’re out in the pollinator habitat, it literally buzzes with energy, and it’s not just the honeybees,” said David. “It’s all the other pollinators and birds. It’s a big part of our farm.” The Conservation Stewardship Program was first drafted by the late Dave Serfling, an early Niman Ranch hog farmer, a fact that David feels further enhances his farm’s special connection to Niman Ranch.
The Borrowmans have also reduced their reliance on synthetic fertilizers by one-third since they started farming. They credit this reduction to several factors including nutrient-rich composted manure provided by their Niman Ranch hogs, as well as new technology to replace synthetic nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers that prevents run-off, a leading contributor to water pollution and the Gulf of Mexico dead zone.
Both Borrowmans were raised in multigenerational farm families but pursued other careers after college. Following a three-year stint in Prague, Czech Republic, they returned home and began raising hogs and row crops in 2015. In 2018, they joined the Niman Ranch network, which has given them the financial security to expand their operation.
To David, sustainability is also an economic concept. He cites the Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation, a non-profit that provides grants, scholarships and mentorships for young farmers.
“This is part of the conversation we don’t have very often,” he said. “If you don’t have farmers able to make a living economically, you won’t have sustainable farms. You have to have people.”
Delaware’s first organic poultry farmers John and Linda Brown received the 2024 U.S. Poultry & Egg Association Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award for their high standards for sustainability.
The Browns operate L&J Farm of Harrington, Delaware, and raise 150,000 organic broiler chickens a year for Perdue. The Browns have always viewed their farm as a showcase for how to do the right things for the environment and their neighbors. They have opened their doors to many people over the years, including professionals, CEOs, farm suppliers, buyers, schools and more.
Linda is an officer on the Tax Ditch Committee, part of the network of drainage ditches on Delmarva that help protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Browns also take online courses to keep up with the latest best management practices.
Linda and John have implemented many measures on their farm to make it more environmentally and neighbor friendly. Grass buffers at fans and tree buffers along the property line help to ensure that dust and odors are contained. A pollinator garden, heavy use pads, improved roads and storm water drainage ponds help to protect and enhance the surrounding environment. Using solar energy collected from an array located on their farm helps to reduce their carbon footprint.
As part of a commitment to foster the next generation of farmers and rural leaders, Perdue Farms awarded nearly a total of $325,000 in scholarships to Niman Ranch young farmers and future leaders and children of Perdue associates and farm partners in 2023.
The Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation awarded nearly $250,000 in scholarships and grants for young farmers and future rural leaders. Grants awarded support funding investments on the farm for humane livestock production and regenerative agriculture practices.
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving partner of Perdue Farms, awarded $75,000 in scholarships to 15 children of Perdue associates and independent poultry farmers.
Learn about the steps we're taking to reach our goal of becoming the most trusted name in food and agricultural products.
