Butterball Announces Expanded Corporate Citizenship Program

GARNER, N.C., Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Butterball today announced an expanded corporate citizenship platform that showcases its efforts to create a positive impact in all areas of operation. The program, Traditions with Purpose, comprises the focus areas of People, Plate, Planet and Philanthropy, and includes a signature commitment to animal care and well-being as well as commitments to protecting associates, preserving the environment and investing in local communities.

Butterball's Traditions with Purpose program centers on making delicious and nutritious food in a responsible way, seeking progress in:

• People: Butterball's associates are the heart of the business, so their safety, health and satisfaction rate among Butterball's top priorities. Its award-winning safety programs and processes demonstrate this commitment: Butterball's enterprise-wide recordable injury rate is consistently at least 50 percent better than the poultry industry average.
• Plate: Butterball commits to providing high-quality and nutritious products to its consumers. This begins with providing the best possible care for its turkeys. In partnership with family farmers, the company works to achieve industry-leading results in the area of animal care and well-being. To accomplish this, Butterball has developed an Animal Care and Well-Being Council; engages associates in Comprehensive Training Curriculum; has secured American Humane Association (AHA) certification and is making ongoing operational enhancements at all of its facilities. 
• Planet: Butterball recognizes its responsibility to protect the planet, preserve the natural resources it relies on to produce Butterball foods and ensure that Butterball families and future generations enjoy a thriving environment. Since 2007, Butterball has measured and reduced its impact on key natural resources and focused efforts where it can make the biggest difference: in transportation, manufacturing facilities and packaging.
• Philanthropy: Local communities are more than simply where the company operates. They are where its consumers and associates live and raise their families. That's why Butterball commits to passionately serve the communities it calls home. Butterball supports local community needs through financial and in-kind donations, and partners with national and local nonprofit organizations such as Feeding America.

"As a respected corporate citizen, it is our responsibility to make positive impacts throughout our business," said Kerry Doughty, Butterball president and CEO. "Our new corporate citizenship platform helps define this important role, particularly our signature commitment to animal care and well-being."

As part of the company's signature commitment to animal care and well-being within the Plate focus area, all Butterball products received certification under the American Humane Certified™ (AHC) program. AHC is the nation's first independent, third-party humane certification program for farm animals. Butterball branded products will bear the AHC seal by fall 2014, verifying that turkeys raised on Butterball's family-owned farms meet or exceed the rigorous, science-based American Humane Association standards for animal care.

"Becoming an American Humane Certified producer signifies that Butterball is committed to the welfare of the animals in its care, meeting some 200 rigorous, scientifically based standards ensuring everything from adequate space to proper lighting, air quality, humane treatment, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane Association. "As the country's first national turkey brand to attain certification from American Humane Association, Butterball has demonstrated its dedication to animal care. We're delighted Butterball shares our passion for humane care."

Butterball is dedicated to continuous improvement across all Traditions with Purpose initiatives, in order to set a higher standard for the company, as well as the industry.

For more information on Butterball's corporate citizenship platform, or its relationship with AHA, please visit ButterballCorp.com.

ABOUT BUTTERBALL, LLC
Headquartered in Garner, N.C., Butterball is the largest producer of turkey products in the U.S. – producing more than 1 billion pounds of turkey each year. For 60 years, the company has provided foodservice and retail products to customers and consumers around the world. As an industry leader in quality and food safety, the company employs numerous processes to ensure the health of flocks and implements recognized prevention measures to exceed food safety standards. Butterball products are currently distributed throughout the U.S. and in more than 45 countries. Butterball operates six processing plants located in North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. For consumer questions or information, please visit Butterball.com or call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372). Visit ButterballCorp.com for corporate information about the company.

ABOUT AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Their American Humane Certified farm animal welfare program is the first, largest and fastest-growing of its kind in the country, ensuring the welfare of some 1 billion animals on U.S. farms and ranches. You can help make a difference, too, by choosing humanely raised products. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org and www.humaneheartland.org today.

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SOURCE Butterball