Letter to State Attorneys General on Protecting Contract Chicken Farmers from Unfair Business Practices

Just four companies comprise more than half of the chicken market in the United States. Consolidation and concentration of power within our food production and supply chains results in a system that is less resilient and more vulnerable to stressors. A group of people who are often overlooked and underpaid by this system are the farmers who raise chickens under the contract farming model. Contract chicken farmers have been calling for changes to protect their rights for years. In letters to state attorneys general, CLF called for actions to promote fair competition and protect contract chicken farmers from exploitative corporate practices. These include 1) establishing a statewide chicken contract library, 2) guaranteeing farmers’ freedom of association, and  3) investigating the tournament pricing system.

CLF sent letters to state attorneys general in the 20 states with the highest chicken production. The states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

For more information contact ptruant1@jhu.edu.