Foster Farms chimed in with the company's support of standards while reaffirming Foster Farms' commitment to keepingSalmonellaprevalence below 5 percent on the company's poultry products.
"We support the USDA in taking this critical step to advance food safety across the poultry industry," said Ron Foster, president and CEO. "Foster Farms has made a tremendous investment to ensure that our practices represent the very best in the industry. We stand by our commitment to lead the industry withSalmonellaprevalence levels of less than five percent. We remain dedicated to continuous food safety advances."
Following aSalmonella Heidelburg outbreak linked to Foster Farms chicken products, the company invested $75 million in food-safety programs that included improvements to equipment and processes, the implementation of a continuous testing program and food-safety education. The investment resulted in an averageSalmonellaprevalence level of two percent for the past nine consecutive months, the company said. Foster Farms said the company worked closely with the USDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poultry industry and retailers to share information about controllingSalmonellaand creating a safer food-supply system nationwide.
