Source:  Dani Friedland, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 1/31/11

Perdue now has the USDA’s Process Verified seal, the company announced Monday.

The move makes Salisbury, Md.-based Perdue the first poultry company to get the verification seal on its products, it said, which means that USDA has conducted an audit and verified that the chickens were raised without cages and/or were fed a vegetarian diet.

The seal can now be found on Perdue products such as Fit & Easy boneless, skinless chicken, ground chicken, Cornish hens, Perfect Portions boneless chicken and Oven Ready cook-in-bag products.
"We worked directly with the USDA to create verification programs that would give consumers added confidence in how our chickens are raised and what they are fed," Jim Perdue, chairman of Perdue, said in a statement.  "The USDA is a trusted resource and we believe the seal will make it easier for consumers to choose chicken products they can feel good about feeding their families."

Perdue has also launched a new website to educate consumers about process verification and poultry label claims.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.