Press Releases
Subcommittee Examines Issues Facing Poultry Industry
Washington, DC,
April 13, 2011
The Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held a public hearing to review the state of the poultry industry.
MEDIA CONTACT: Today, Rep. Thomas Rooney (R-FL), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held a public hearing to review the state of the poultry industry. Members of the Subcommittee heard testimony from a chicken grower, a chicken integrator, and a turkey grower who is also the chairman of a poultry processing cooperative. In addition to educating Members about the structure and economic conditions of the poultry sector, witnesses also highlighted a range of issues impacting the poultry industry, such as environmental policies, feed availability, input prices, trade, and the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule. "According to the latest USDA agricultural projections report, poultry production is projected to rise the most among the meats over the next decade, as poultry is the most efficient feed-to-meat converter. While our farmers are doing good work to meet the growing demand for wholesome, high-quality, nutritious protein products, today’s hearing shed new light on the public policy challenges they face. I look forward to examining these issues more thoroughly in future hearings to determine how we can best address these challenges," said Chairman Thomas Rooney. "A strong poultry industry provides affordable, healthy food for our nation and supplies thousands of jobs with decent wages for our workers. I thank our witnesses for joining us today to share their firsthand perspectives on the challenges facing poultry businesses. This panel will work to create policies that will help the domestic poultry thrive and create more jobs in rural America," said Ranking Member Dennis Cardoza. Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available below and can be found on the Committee's website by clicking here. Witness List: Panel I Mr. Dan King, Owner/Operator, Zenda Poultry LLC and Zenda View Farm LLC, Harrisonburg, Virginia Mr. Michael Welch, President and Chief Executive Officer, Harrison Poultry, Inc., Bethlehem, Georgia Mr. Paul Hill, Chairman of the Board, West Liberty Foods, Ellsworth, Iowa ### |