Impact
North Carolina poultry farmers take pride in providing excellent animal care, producing safe, healthy food, protecting the environment and supporting communities near and far. Learn how our farmers care for their flocks and more!.
Flock Care
North Carolina poultry producers provide the utmost care for their animals 365 days of the year and 24 hours each day, including the following:
Provide temperature-controlled barns to protect flocks from extreme temperatures and predators
Supply 24/7 access to fresh food and water
Partner closely with veterinarians and nutritionists to constantly evaluate the health of their flocks
Biosecurity
Livestock diseases, like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), are a significant challenge for our poultry producers. More than ever, it's important that farmers and those who partner with them follow strict biosecurity practices to prevent the spread of disease and maintain the health of our flocks. Practices encouraged to follow include wearing protective clothing and shoe covers, limiting the number of on-farm visitors, frequent cleaning of vehicles and equipment and knowing the warning signs of poultry disease. Review additional biosecurity measures through USDA's Defend the Flock .
Avian Influenza is not a food safety issue or a public health risk. Both the USDA and CDC agree that there is no evidence that bird flu can be transmitted through properly prepared eggs and poultry meat.
NC Poultry Producers
NCPF encourages North Carolina poultry producers to review and improve biosecurity plans to prevent the spread of disease. Resources can be found on the USPOULTRY website.
The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) is a voluntary federal-state cooperative testing and certification program to monitor and test for multiple poultry diseases including Avian Influenza, Salmonella, and others to ensure safe food products.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Veterinary Division is the official state agency administering NPIP in North Carolina. For more information about the program, please email vetpoultry@ncagr.gov .
Food Safety
Food safety is a priority for all North Carolina poultry producers. From eggs to chicken and turkey products, our producers ensure the food on your table is safe and nutritious for you and your family. NC poultry farmers also participate in several voluntary and mandatory food safety programs, including the following:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Egg Safety Final Rule
Requires U.S. egg producers to implement preventive measures during the production, storage and transportation of eggs to reduce the number of Salmonella Enteritidis infections from eggs.
United Egg Producers' "5-Star" Egg Sagety Program
A voluntary program that goes beyond the FDA Egg Safety Final Rule requirements to provide egg farmers with a comprehensive, dependable food safety program from the farm through processing.
Environment & Sustainability
North Carolina poultry farmers take pride in preserving the land, air and water on and around their farms Egg and poultry production advancements have led to a reduced environmental footprint over the last 50 years.
NC poultry farmers realize how important it is to continue to make advancements to improve the sustainability of their operations. Efforts include partnering with local soil and water conservation offices, looking for ways to manage manure, reducing energy use in housing and more.
Economic Impact
Poultry is the #1 commodity in North Carolina, contributing more than $39.7 billion to the state's economy and creating nearly 150,000 jobs. In 2022, poultry accounted for over 51 percent, over 8 billion, as a source of farm cash receipts in the state. Many producers buy products, like feed, from local farmers, keeping economic development in-state. Off the farm, our producers are proudly involved in their local communities and give back through many organizations.
Chickens
- • Over 900 million broilers (meat chickens) in production
- • #1 nationally for pounds produced at over 7 billion
Eggs
- • #9 nationally for table egg production
- • Over 4 billion eggs produced annually
- • #7 in North Carolina for total cash receipts among all agricultrual commodities
Turkeys
- • Largest U.S. turkey producer by weight
- • 29 million turkeys raised annually
- • $9.5B in economic impact
- • #2 in turkey production
