CEO DATELINE - Chicken council defends industry from John Oliver
CEO DATELINE - Chicken council defends industry from John Oliver
- May 19, 2015 |
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Walt Williams
Comedian repeats allegations that chicken companies mistreat farmers
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Late night talk show host John Oliver recently ruffled the feathers of the National Chicken Council by airing a segment criticizing the industry for its alleged poor treatment of chicken farmers.
On his show Last Week Tonight, Oliver repeated long-standing allegations that chicken companies are responsible for so many U.S. chicken farmers living in poverty because of the rules they impose on raising the birds. He also said companies often intimidate farmers from speaking out about their treatment.
"How can the people who make the meat we eat the most barely be making a living?" Oliver said.
The council itself came under fire by the comedian, who aired clips of one spokesman questioning the definition of the U.S. poverty line and another asking farmers why they got into the business in the first place if the conditions were as bad as they claimed.
The council issued a lengthy response Monday to the segment, accusing it of being one-sided.
"Chicken companies work closely with their farmers to build relationships based on a shared goal of success, and these relationships have helped family farms thrive in an otherwise shrinking industry," the council said. "According to a University of Delaware survey, 75 percent of farmers were satisfied in their relationship with the chicken company, and 73 percent were satisfied with business overall."
The council also addressed accusations that company rules contributed to why farmers didn't provide better living conditions for their chickens.
"It makes no economic sense for a company to do anything to jeopardize farmers from growing the healthiest chickens possible," it said. http://bit.ly/1Lhdg9N
Oliver's segment can be viewed below:
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