The U.S. poultry industry is the world’s largest producer and second largest exporter of poultry meat, as well as a major egg producer. The industry’s economic impact can be felt across every sector of the U.S. economy. U.S. chicken companies directly employ over 300,000 workers, producing goods worth a wholesale of over $45 billion dollars annually, with major operations in more than 30 states. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 40 vertically integrated companies that contract with about 25,000 family farmers to produce market-ready broilers, hatching eggs, and pullets.
To facilitate congressional conversations about this critical industry and the policies and issues that affect it, Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) continue to lead the U.S. Senate Chicken Caucus.
The bipartisan caucus serves as a formal group of members whose mission is to educate other senators and staff about the history, contributions, challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. chicken industry. The caucus provides a forum for industry leaders, officials, and other stakeholders to meet with legislators and examine ways in which the federal government can better serve chicken producers.
The Senate Chicken Caucus hosts regular meetings, briefings, and other events to educate members and staff about chicken industry perspectives on a wide range of issues pertaining to food safety, trade, labor, immigration and the environment.
The official functions of the Caucus are as follows:
- Seek membership from Senators from any state with an active chicken industry.
- At least twice a year, convene or direct their staff to convene, meetings to discuss timely issues and possible actions and responses for the Caucus to undertake.
- Host and conduct events to educate fellow members, constituents, the media, and others about the history, contributions and concerns of the U.S. chicken industry.
- Explore possible common ground for actions to address the concerns of and opportunities for the chicken industry, including, but not limited to, communications with departments, agencies, trade officials, and foreign government officials; amendments, resolutions, and other legislation; press statements and releases; other actions as appropriate.
Leaders
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)
Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Members
Senator John Boozman (R-AR)
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC)
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Senator James Lankford (R-OK)
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC)
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Senator Tina Smith (D-MN)
Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
Senator Ted Budd (R-NC)
Caucus Activities
Co-Chairs of the Senate Chicken Caucus, Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), led a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding new rules of the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA). Granting a 90-day extension in the comment periods for the third and fourth PSA rules, as the letter requests, would allow for growers and farmers to review the new, complex rules, and provide meaningful feedback.
Chicken Caucus hosts National Chicken Council and the U.S.A. Poultry and Egg Export Council
The Senate Chicken Caucus hosted a briefing in the U.S. Capitol to discuss highly pathogenic avian influenza and trade implications. The briefing unified Senate staff across several offices to discuss challenges and opportunities for trade in the poultry industry and called for greater vigilance in trade agreement enforcement.