Source: MEATINGPLACE, 2/20/14

A provision in the recently passed farm bill commissions a pair of studies to explore the feasibility of an insurance program to help poultry growers protect their flocks.

The aim of an insurance program is to protect poultry growers from catastrophic losses such as disease outbreaks or from the bankruptcy of a poultry integrator, according to Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who wrote the provision with Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.).

The insurance program would have helped growers for Allen Family Foods when the company went bankrupt in 2011, Coons said recently during a news conference. His remarks were reported at delawareonline.com.

"Many other segments of agriculture benefit from crop insurance. Poultry's something where there is no such product available,” Coons was quoted as saying.

Allen Family Foods was eventually bought by Harim Group.

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