Perdue Farms
Agribusiness leader generates $579 million annual economic impact in Delaware
In every industry, Delaware is home to many of the world’s biggest names in business. In our top-ranked agriculture sector, that’s Perdue Farms.
Operating in the United States for almost 100 years, Perdue Farms is the parent company of Perdue Foods, one of the four largest chicken producers in America, and Perdue Agribusiness, ranked among the United States’ top grain companies.
Perdue’s Legacy in Delaware
Today, Perdue Farms employs more than 3,000 people in Delaware. In addition to Perdue Agribusiness’s coming headquarters relocation from Salisbury, Maryland to Delmar, Delaware, Perdue Farms also works closely with First State family-owned businesses, including more than 260 Delaware poultry farmers and more than 500 Delaware grain farmers.
Perdue Farms holds a long legacy of innovation and investment in Delaware. Its harvest plant in Milford, Delaware is the nation’s largest USDA-certified organic chicken plant. Recently, the company spent millions on upgrades to the Milford plant, including state-of-the-art technological upgrades, like controlled atmosphere stunning to improve animal welfare. In Sussex County, Perdue Farms has also invested in automation at both its Milford and Georgetown harvest plants and expanded capabilities at its Seaford nutrient recycling plant by converting to composting.
Where Innovation Prospers
In addition to technological advances, Perdue Farms is a leader in the no-antibiotics-ever movement, eliminating all use of human and animal antibiotics in poultry processing. Its animal husbandry program is a recognized global standard, thanks to Perdue Farm’s emphasis on the Five Freedoms welfare system, which encourages natural behaviors and low stress for animals. Perdue’s decisions have continued to lead and impact the nationwide food industry, as today’s consumers demand more options from their food.
No matter how the company is innovating, Perdue Farm’s mission is “to be the most trusted name in food and agricultural products.” Its successful operations in Delaware, a state with more than 2,500 family farms and an $8 billion agriculture industry, support that vision every step of the way.
