SALISBURY, MD. — Perdue Farms recently held its 11^th Annual Animal Care and Sustainability Summit, which brought together 100 farmers, retail and foodservice customers, animal welfare advocates, scientists, sustainability leaders, and other food and agriculture stakeholders.

The company added it was the first time it brought together the two topics into one program. The event combined firsthand farm experiences with expert presentations and discussions focusing on opportunities and challenges in agriculture.

“Bringing animal care and sustainability together reflects how we think about stewardship and the future of responsible food production,” said Kevin McAdams, chief executive officer of Perdue Farms. “The challenges facing food and agriculture do not have simple answers. Earning consumer trust requires us to listen to the people closest to the work, be transparent about what we are learning and work across the food system to find practical solutions.”

The summit began with a visit to a farm near Georgetown, Del., where farmers and experts demonstrated work within the supply chain for Perdue Farms. Some of the topics discussed included regenerative agriculture and soil health, emerging technologies helping farmers collect and use field data, pollinator habitat and biodiversity, pasture-raised poultry, responsible pork and beef production, and the independent verification behind Perdue’s USDA Process Verified Program for poultry care.

During the second day of the event, Perdue held sessions on recent science updates, including experiences and partnerships shaping the future for food and agriculture. Some of the conversations included antimicrobial resistance, people and environment, lessons from Perdue’s work on No Antibiotics Ever, first-hand perspectives from farmers and ranchers, and the relationship between animal welfare, environmental performance and resilient food systems.

Animal Care Report Update

At the summit, Perdue also released its 2026 Animal Care Report, which documents the progress of 121 animal care initiatives worked on since 2016 and outlined priorities for the future.

Some highlights from the new report include:

• Research and on-farm trials involving blue lighting, elevated enrichments and transportation practices designed to support bird comfort and natural behaviors.
• Continued expansion of controlled atmosphere stunning, with Perdue’s third chicken system expected to begin operating at its Cromwell, Ky., facility by the end of 2026.
• Continued investment in the Best in Care Animal Welfare Certification Program. All 48 Poultry Care Officers were certified in 2025, and 17 officers reached the program’s highest tier as of July 2026.
• Ongoing transparency through independent audits, third-party video monitoring and farm and facility tours. Perdue hosted 112 tours in 2025, exceeding its annual goal of 100, and had hosted 88 tours through July 2026.

Read the entire 2026 Animal Care Report here.

Ryan McCarthy is the digital media editor for MEAT+POULTRY. He has been at Sosland Publishing Company since 2016, covering the industry and managing the digital media channels of the publication. He also writes and edits web stories, images, videos and podcasts about the meat industry. McCarthy has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.

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