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How does Hormel Foods stay on the forefront of best practices in animal welfare?

Hormel Foods is recognized as a leader within the hog and turkey industries for developing and implementing best-practice animal welfare handling procedures.

We share our best practices and state-of-the-art facility designs with our peers and other industry stakeholders, and offer them in-person tours of our facilities. We also consult with subject-matter experts, such as veterinarians, to update and maintain our practices.

As part of the Professional Animal Auditors Certification Organization (PAACO), we invite participants to our hog and turkey facilities as part of the real-world training component of its program. Several members of the Jennie-O Turkey Store and Hormel Foods teams are PAACO-certified auditors.

In addition, to help ensure new research within the turkey industry, Jennie-O Turkey Store provides support to the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council, and the National Turkey Federation.

We are also proud to have representatives serving as members, officers and directors of the boards of many industry organizations, including:

  • Agriculture Research, Education, Extension and Technology Transfer Advisory Panel (Minnesota);
  • Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska;
  • American Association of Poultry Pathologists;
  • American College of Poultry Veterinarians;
  • American Meat Science Association;
  • American Veterinary Medical Association;
  • American Veterinary Medical Association Agricultural Liaison Committee;
  • Animal Agriculture Alliance;
  • Association of Veterinarians in Turkey Production;
  • Colorado Farm Bureau;
  • Colorado Livestock Association;
  • Colorado Pork Producers Association Board of Directors;
  • Global Food Safety Initiative;
  • Grocery Manufacturers Association;
  • Institute of Food Technologists;
  • International Association of Food Protection;
  • Midwest Food Processors Board of Directors;
  • Midwest Poultry Research Committee;
  • Minnesota Agricultural Utilization Research Institute;
  • Minnesota AgriGrowth Council Board of Directors;
  • Minnesota Poultry Federation;
  • Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Board of Directors;
  • Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council;
  • National Grain and Feed Association;
  • National Meat Association Board of Directors;
  • National Pork Board;
  • National Pork Producers Council (NPPC);
  • North American Meat Institute;
  • North American Meat Institute Scientific Affairs Committee;
  • North American Meat Institute Foundation of Meat and Poultry Research and Education;
  • NPPC Animal Health and Food Security Policy Committee;
  • National Turkey Federation’s Board of Directors;
  • National Turkey Federation’s Executive Committee;
  • National Turkey Federation’s Health and Welfare Committee;
  • National Turkey Federation’s Live Production Committee;
  • National Turkey Federation’s Technical and Regulatory Affairs Committee;
  • Poultry Science Association;
  • Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization;
  • State of Wisconsin Livestock Facility Siting Review Board;
  • United States Animal Health Association;
  • University of Wisconsin Meat Science Advisory Board;
  • University of Wisconsin Poultry Science Advisory Committee;
  • USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force;
  • USPOULTRY Foundation Research Advisory Committee; and
  • World Poultry Association.

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