ANIMAL WELFARE
One of the greatest responsibilities we have is the care and consideration that we take with the handling of every flock of chickens.
We strictly adhere to the Animal Welfare Guidelines established by the National Chicken Council. Our internal monitoring program involves quality assurance, live production and processing operations along with veterinary services, in concert with a certified third-party auditor, to ensure that all current guidelines are met. Click here to learn more about the Animal Welfare Guidelines.
Further demonstrating our commitment to the ethical treatment of our birds, we blend our own feed in FDA-inspected facilities that is carefully formulated to provide the highest level of nutrition and ensures the birds are healthy and stress free. No steroids or hormones are ever used, and only carefully screened quality ingredients from select vendors are incorporated into our poultry feed.
We’ve instituted internal animal welfare audits that are conducted regularly to ensure compliance, and all of Koch Foods operations are audited annually by Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO), a certified auditing company. In addition, every year Koch Foods encourages a select group of team members to go through PAACO training and become PAACO certified. Click here to learn more about PAACO.
We are fully committed to the ethical and humane treatment of our poultry.
SAFE FOOD PRACTICES
We deliver the highest quality poultry, in large part due to our safe food practices. All Koch Foods facilities are USDA inspected and operate under Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP) plans that meet all regulations under 9 CFR 417. Additionally, Koch Foods BRC Standard’s Certification guarantees the standardization of quality, safety and operational criteria and ensures that we fulfill our required obligations and provide protection for the end consumer.
Like all animals, chickens can be prone to illness, and, in the event a poultry flock must be treated, Koch Foods follows all FDA regulations regarding the use of antibiotics. Strict quality control, including Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP), is utilized in the manufacturing of our feed for poultry including testing of the feed for proper level and type of antibiotic added. Koch Foods adheres to all FDA regulated withdrawal periods. Our poultry meat has never tested positive for antibiotics.
While we adhere to all government mandated inspections and procedures, our corporate values and sense of responsibility lead us to go beyond standard compliance. Koch Foods has developed and implemented a strong internal program that helps provide security and safeguards at every touch point to keep you and our chicken safe.
SUSTAINABILITY
We believe that sustainability and our business success are inextricably linked.
By vigilantly protecting our land, air and water resources today, we’ll be prepared to meet the world’s food supply needs in the future. As proof of our commitment to sustainability, we’ve established the Koch Foods Sustainability in Action Program to help guide sustainability practices throughout many critical components of our day-to-day business, including but not limited to:
- Product packaging efficiencies and reduction
- Energy use and carbon footprint reduction
- Transportation
- Process water efficiencies and conservation
- Waste recycling and management
- Supplier selection