Mia Patel
Chicken is a staple food for many people, with the average American consuming about 90 pounds of chicken each year. In the United States alone, over 9 billion chickens are slaughtered annually, and the industry employs thousands of people. The chicken industry has adapted to meet changing demands and ensures a steady food supply. While there are concerns about animal welfare and the inhumane treatment of chickens, consumer choice and spending patterns drive corporate decisions. Some companies have committed to improving animal welfare, but ultimately, the industry responds to consumer preferences.
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What You'll Learn
Chicken is a source of food and employment for many
Chicken is a significant source of food and employment for many people. In the United States alone, over 9 billion chickens are slaughtered annually, with Americans consuming approximately 90 pounds of chicken per person each year. This amounts to 175 million meals in the Northeast alone. Chicken is Delaware's top agricultural commodity, and the state is ranked seventh in boiler production nationwide. The industry in Delaware directly employs 3,400 people, and an additional 3,500 rely on it as suppliers.
The poultry industry has evolved to meet the growing demand for chicken, with large corporations now controlling the majority of the market. While this has led to concerns about the welfare of both chickens and farmers, it is clear that chicken plays a crucial role in providing food and livelihoods for a significant number of people.
Chicken is a versatile protein that can be used in a variety of dishes, from simple home-cooked meals to fast-food favorites like McNuggets. It is accessible and affordable for many, and its consumption has doubled in the last 40 years. This increased demand has led to the industrialization of chicken farming, with large corporations owning every part of the supply chain except the farms and waste.
While animal welfare is a concern for most consumers, the industry has responded with welfare-based approaches. Companies have made corporate commitments to humane handling requirements, and consumers can choose products produced with higher welfare standards. However, the reality of chicken farming includes overcrowded conditions, filth, and the overuse of antibiotics, which has led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Despite these concerns, chicken remains a vital source of food and employment for many communities. The industry has shown its ability to adapt to challenging situations, and its closure would have a significant impact on the availability of food and the livelihoods of those employed in the sector.
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Poultry farmers' livelihoods depend on the industry
Poultry farmers are vulnerable to abusive business practices and exploitation. They are squeezed by big producers and exploitative contracts into bankruptcy, and are forced to raise more chickens more cheaply. They have few options as they cannot compete with giant integrators by processing their own birds due to market consolidation. Their facilities are often built to integrator specifications, making it nearly impossible to change paths once they enter the business. Nearly three-quarters of contract chicken farmers live below the poverty line.
There are laws in place to protect poultry farmers, such as the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA), which contains provisions to protect individual farmers from abuse and unfair business practices. However, these laws are not always enforced.
The poultry industry is essential to food availability in many regions. For example, Delaware's chicken is shipped to Washington, D.C., New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New England. Each week of lost production in Delaware would result in 50 million fewer pounds of chicken and 175 million fewer meals in the Northeast and across the country.
The industry is also important for rural communities where poultry companies have operations, as they provide jobs and economic activity in these areas.
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Consumers' demand for cheap chicken is high
Chicken is Delaware's top agricultural commodity, and the state is ranked seventh in the nation for boiler production. The industry employs 3,400 people in Delaware, and another 3,500 rely on it as suppliers. The average American consumes about 90 pounds of chicken each year, more than double what they consumed 40 years ago. This demand for cheap chicken means that farmers are pressured to produce more birds to slaughter.
The chicken industry has a history of adapting to meet changing demands. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, Delaware's chicken producers worked to keep essential workers safe and ensure a steady supply of chicken in stores. The industry followed CDC, OSHA, and USDA guidelines, and companies enacted additional measures such as increased cleaning and sanitation, temperature checks, social distancing, installing plastic dividers, issuing masks and/or face shields, hazard pay, and paid leave for sick or at-risk employees.
The poultry industry is the most concentrated sector in the US food system, controlled by large corporations. These corporations own every piece of the supply chain except for the farms where chickens are raised and the waste they produce. Farmers are squeezed by exploitative contracts, which often leave them with no choice but to raise more chickens more cheaply. Nearly three-quarters of contract chicken farmers live below the poverty line.
Animal advocates push for commitments to animal welfare rather than arguing for the abolition of the animal agribusiness. Corporations respond to consumer preferences and spending patterns, and if consumers are buying cheap poultry, then corporations are doing their job, regardless of any other consequences.
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Companies are committed to animal welfare
Broiler chickens are not raised in cages. They are raised in large, open structures known as grow out houses. A farmer receives the birds from the hatchery when they are one day old. A grow out consists of 5 to 9 weeks, depending on how big the kill plant wants the chickens to be. These houses are equipped with mechanical systems to deliver feed and water to the birds. They have ventilation systems and heaters that function as needed. The floor of the house is covered with bedding material consisting of wood chips, rice hulls, or peanut shells. In some cases, they can be grown over dry litter or compost. Keeping birds inside a house protects them from predators such as hawks and foxes. Some houses are equipped with curtain walls, which can be rolled up in good weather to admit natural light and fresh air.
Chicken coops or hen houses are structures that keep chickens and other fowl safe and secure. There may be nest boxes and perches in the house. There is a long-standing controversy over the basic need for a chicken coop. One philosophy, known as the "fresh air school", holds that chickens are mostly hardy but can be brought low by confinement, poor air quality, and darkness, hence the need for a highly ventilated or open-sided coop with conditions more like the outdoors, even in winter. However, others who keep chickens believe they are prone to illness in outdoor weather and need a controlled-environment coop. This has led to two housing designs for chickens: fresh-air houses with wide openings and nothing more than wire mesh between chickens and the weather (even in Northern winters), or closed houses with doors, windows, and hatches that can shut off most ventilation.
While the chicken industry has been criticized for its treatment of animals, it is important to note that companies are taking steps to improve animal welfare. In addition, the industry provides jobs for thousands of people and is an important source of food for consumers.
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The industry adapts to meet demand
The chicken industry has a long history of adapting to meet changing demands. In the United States, the average consumer now eats about 90 pounds of chicken each year, more than double what was consumed 40 years ago. This growing appetite has led to a highly concentrated poultry industry, with large corporations controlling the market. Despite the risks, poultry growers are advocating for change and the enforcement of existing laws that protect growers from unfair business practices.
The industry has responded to the increased demand for cheap poultry by intensifying farming practices, which has resulted in animal welfare issues. Chickens are now genetically modified to grow larger and faster than ever before, often resulting in organ failure and leg collapse. In addition, the crowded and unsanitary conditions in which they are kept have led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
To address consumer concerns about animal welfare, many companies have committed to abiding by humane handling requirements. Animal advocates push for higher welfare standards, and consumers can choose products produced with higher welfare.
The industry has also adapted to meet the challenges of protecting its workers and ensuring a steady food supply. During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies implemented measures such as increased cleaning and sanitation, temperature checks, social distancing, and the provision of personal protective equipment to keep their workers safe.
Furthermore, the industry has had to adapt to fluctuations in agricultural prices, such as the rising price of corn, which can impact production costs. The industry also needs to comply with environmental regulations regarding waste management, as poultry waste contains high levels of nitrogen.
Overall, the chicken industry has demonstrated its ability to adapt to meet changing demands, from increasing consumer demand to protecting worker health and ensuring a steady food supply.
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Frequently asked questions
People want to keep the chicken industry operational because of the high demand for chicken meat and eggs. Chicken is America's No. 1 protein and the average American consumes about 90 pounds of chicken each year.
The chicken industry provides jobs and income to thousands of people and their families. In Delaware, for instance, the industry employs 3,400 people and another 3,500 rely on it as suppliers.
The chicken industry has been criticized for its inhumane treatment of chickens, with many chickens suffering from overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, genetic manipulation, and cruel slaughtering practices. However, some argue that welfarism is the solution, with many companies committing to abide by humane handling requirements and consumers having the option to choose products produced with higher welfare standards.
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