Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Insurance Program Development

for Poultry Business Interruption

Order Number: D15PD00545

Submitted to:

USDA-RMA

COTR: Jaime Padget

6501 Beacon Drive

Kansas City, Missouri 64133-4676

(816) 926-3466

Submitted by:

Watts and Associates, Inc.

4331 Hillcrest Road

Billings, Montana 59101

(406) 252-7776

twatts@wattsandassociates.com

Due Date: August 12, 2015

This document includes data that shall not be disclosed outside of the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, 

or disclosed, in whole or in part, for any purpose. The Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose 

the data to the extent provided in Order D15PD00545. All pages of this document are subject to this restriction.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

i

Table of Contents

Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ 1

I. Insurance Product Description..................................................................................................... 4

II. Marketing Environment ............................................................................................................. 6

III. Statutory Authority Parameters............................................................................................... 31

IV. Data Collection and Pricing.................................................................................................... 34

V. Review of Other Programs....................................................................................................... 42

VI. Stakeholder Sessions .............................................................................................................. 53

VII. Risk Analyses........................................................................................................................ 55

VIII. Feasibility Recommendations.............................................................................................. 67

List of Tables

Table 1. 2012 Top Ten Broiler Production States .......................................................................... 8

Table 2. 2012 Top Ten Turkey Production States.......................................................................... 8

Table 3. 2012 Top Ten Layer Production States ............................................................................ 8

Table 4. Top Integrators.................................................................................................................. 9

Table 5. Top Broiler Integrators, United States, Through July 2015 ........................................... 11

Table 6. Economic Indicators–Broiler, United States .................................................................. 13

Table 7. Broiler Production by States, 2014 ................................................................................. 14

Table 8. Top U.S. Turkey Processors in 2013 .............................................................................. 18

Table 9. Geographic Distribution of 2014 Turkey Production in the United States..................... 19

Table 10. Economic Indicators – Turkeys, United States............................................................. 20

Table 11. 2014 United States Egg Production by State ................................................................ 24

Table 12. Economic Indicators – Layer Segment United States .................................................. 25

Table 13. Top Ten Egg Production Companies: 2013................................................................. 26

Table 14. Top Ten States (in order of Value Sold): Number of Farms Reporting Layers 2012 

Census of Agriculture................................................................................................... 27

Table 15. Game Birds Reported in 2012 Census of Agriculture by Inventory............................. 30

Table 16. Census of Agriculture Poultry Species for which Data are Collected and Reported ... 36

Table 16. Historical Integrator Bankruptcies – 2009 - 2015 ........................................................ 66

List of Appendices

Appendix A. Grower/Integrator Contracts

Appendix B. Stakeholder Input

Exhibit 1. Sample Listening Session Agenda

Exhibit 2. Sample Press Release
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Statement of Work (SOW) for Order Number D15PD00545 identifies the objectives of the 

project as “...to obtain information; provide analyses; and produce a data gathering report that 

may support developing an insurance program covering business interruptions incurred by 

poultry growers1as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy” and if feasible under a contract option

to develop an insurance pilot program consistent with the requirements of the United States 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA).

The agricultural economy is structured such that certain crop production is carried out by 

growers. In the poultry industry, growers produce birds and/or eggs under contract with 

integrators2in facilities3the growers own. Growers and integrators, as defined in the contract, 

are distinguished in this report from owner/producers, who own poultry and grow birds or eggs 

for sale into markets for human consumption or for release into the wild.

Much of the poultry meat industry is vertically integrated. Integrators typically control feed 

supply, grow-out requirements, transportation, slaughter, processing, and wholesale distribution

and may control brood egg production and hatching. The integrators consequently have 

remarkable control of their products and vast market power relative to growers. There are many 

fewer growers in the layer and gamebird sectors than in the meat sectors.

Under the terms of the contract for this project4and the enabling legislation5for this study, the 

proposed insurance product would provide coverage for growers by paying an indemnity for a 

single cause of loss: the bankruptcy of the integrator. Insurance for business interruption is 

available for many businesses, including sectors of the poultry industry. The Contractor has 

identified insurance in the private sectors covering business interruption losses of a grower 

resulting from integrator bankruptcy. A determination would need to be made about whether 

this insurance is “generally available.”

The proprietary nature of poultry industry data, especially those data maintained by integrators 

has made it particularly difficult to obtain industry data about potential integrator bankruptcies. 

This proprietary nature extends to poultry industry contracts, which has made it difficult to 

obtain grower data. Such data are important for development of an actuarially-sound crop 

insurance product as well as appropriate measures of the potential liability under such products. 

Poultry industry data, including estimates derived by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics 

Service (NASS) from surveys, are available for the larger sectors of the industry: chickens 

 

1 The contract on page 22 defines grower as: “Individual(s) who raise poultry under a production contract for an integrator.” 

For the purpose of this report, the term “growers” will be used to identify persons (in the legal sense) retained under contract 

by the owner of poultry or an agent of that owner to manage the growth of poultry for delivery of mature birds or eggs to the 

owner.

2 The contract on page 22 defines an integrator as: “An individual or company that owns poultry that is raised by a contracted 

grower/producer or that is involved with harvesting, processing and marketing goods from poultry (may include slaughter and 

processing).

3

 Generally called houses.

4

 USDA, RMA, 2015, SOW, Order Number D15PD00545, page 25 of 39, Section 2.2., Section 2.2.

5

 75-30 - Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 & Federal Crop Insurance Act as amended through P.L. 113–79 enacted February 

7, 2014, Subsection 522(c)(22)(C)(i) and (ii).
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

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2

(including layers and the eggs they produce), ducks, and turkeys. Production data on other 

sectors of the poultry industry are geographically limited, sporadic, and in many cases anecdotal.

Over the course of 6 telephone listening sessions, the Contractor gathered feedback from more 

than 50 stakeholders, although it is challenging to determine a precise number of participants on 

a telephone listening session. There were several common themes in the stakeholder feedback. 

Growers frequently have heavily leveraged operations and an integrator bankruptcy that results 

in the loss of even a single production cycle can cause bankruptcy. Growers are in fact interested 

in business interruption insurance and would like that insurance to be incorporated into the 

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) portfolio. However, the causes of loss for which 

growers expressed interest was catastrophic disease and the subsequent down times required to 

address the potential of contamination in their houses. Insurance for business interruption caused 

by integrator bankruptcy was not a topic growers considered vital to their management of risk. 

Consequently, if the FCIC were to add insurance for business interruption caused by integrator 

bankruptcy to its portfolio, the Contractor believes marketing the insurance would be unusually 

difficult when compared to other insurance products offered. Bankruptcy of the integrator is not 

the risk of greatest concern to these persons.6

Insurance for the interruption of a grower’s business caused by integrator bankruptcy does not 

meet all the FCIC insurance program criteria outlined by RMA in the Work Statement (SOW) 

for the contract.7 Substantial barriers would exist during a development effort in establishing 

acceptable risk as defined in the contract.8 In the whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) 

program, the insurance precludes provision of insurance for rent and labor payments to growers 

because the authority for indemnities is limited to “... losses of the insured commodity...”

9

Due to the sporadic nature of the proposed cause of loss, traditional quantitative rating 

approaches would be ineffective and most likely rates would need to be established based on the 

financial condition and business plan of the integrator. The necessary data are considered 

proprietary. The lack of a market for the proposed insurance makes it particularly difficult to 

assure a development meet the FCIC insurance program criteria.

From RMA’s perspective, there are the fundamental questions regarding the insurability of the 

grower’s interest, and non-trivial questions regarding identification, measurement, and tracking 

of the value of a grower’s business. The two contracts the Contractor was able to obtain from 

the thousands that exist provides no basis for demonstrating the contract language would be 

sufficient for establishing an appropriate liability to be insured under a business interruption 

policy as described in the contract for this study. Furthermore, the existing reinsurance 

agreements with Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) may not be appropriate for an insurance 

program covering business interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s 

bankruptcy. However, an appropriate reinsurance agreement could no doubt be developed. In 

light of the many issues identified in this study, including the failure of the proposed insurance 

product for the poultry industry to meet the FCIC insurance program criteria, the Contractor 

 

6 The term person is used in the context of the Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions: any entity with an insurable 

interest.

7 USDA, RMA, 2015, Op. cit., page 25 and 26 of 39.

8

Ibid., page 20 of 39.

9 Title V—Crop Insurance, Subtitle A—Federal Crop Insurance Act, 7 U.S.C. 1508(a)(1).
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

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3

believes it is not currently feasible to develop a FCIC insurance program covering business 

interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

4

I. INSURANCE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The SOW identifies the objectives of the contracted effort as “...to obtain information; provide 

analyses; and produce a data gathering report that may support developing an insurance program 

covering business interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s 

bankruptcy.”

10

 To address this objective, the Contractor is required to provide a description of an

insurance product covering business interruptions incurred by poultry growers with the sole 

insurable cause of loss being an integrator’s bankruptcy. Providing a policy11 is beyond the 

scope of this element of the contract. Product development is an option under the contract that 

has yet to be exercised the RMA on behalf of the FCIC.

The product description in this section of the report is intended to assist the reader in 

understanding the logical construct of an insurance product within the FCIC portfolio covering a 

poultry grower’s losses resulting from business interruption caused by an integrator’s 

bankruptcy. Details about poultry production and the prevalence of growers and integrators 

within poultry industry sectors are provided elsewhere in this report.

The FCIC “promotes the economic stability of agriculture through a sound system of crop 

insurance.”12 The Federal Crop Insurance Act (Act) establishes a Board of Directors to manage 

the FCIC subject to supervision by the Secretary of Agriculture. “The Board delegates to the 

manager of the FCIC (RMA Administrator) certain authorities and powers.”13 RMA “operates 

and manages the FCIC... Private-sector insurance companies sell and service the policies. RMA 

develops and/or approves the premium rates, administers premium and expense subsidies, 

approves and supports products, and reinsures the companies.” 14 The Federal Crop Insurance 

Act15 provides the legislative authority for the Federal Crop Insurance program. The general 

administrative regulations of the FCIC are codified at 7 CFR Part 400. Crop is defined in the 

contract for this report as “An agricultural commodity insured under the authority of the [Crop 

Insurance] Act.”

16

 The FCIC portfolio covers a wide variety of crops and covers losses of 

production and, in some cases, of revenue.

The contract for this report provides essential definitions for a business interruption policy within 

the FCIC portfolio. A grower is defined as: “Individual(s) who raise poultry under a production 

contract for an integrator.”17 The contract defines producer using exactly the same language. 

Integrator is defined in the contract as: “An individual or company that owns poultry that is 

raised by a contracted grower/producer or that is involved with harvesting, processing and 

 

10 USDA, RMA, 2015, SOW, Order Number D15PD00545, page 25 of 39.

11 A formal contract issued by an insurance company to an insured that identifies coverage limit, serves as legal evidence of the 

conditions of the insurance agreement, sets precise terms of the coverage provides, and states information such as the specific 

perils covered, duration of coverage, amount of premium, mode of payment, and deductibles/co-pay structure.

12 USDA, RMA, 2015, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, http://www.rma.usda.gov/fcic/, accessed July 2015.

13 Ibid.

14 USDA, RMA, 2013, About the Risk Management Agency, http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/rme/aboutrma.pdf, accessed July 

2015.

15 75-30 - Agricultural Adjustment Act Of 1938 & Federal Crop Insurance Act as amended through P.L. 113–79, enacted 

February 7, 2014, accessed July 2015. 

16 USDA, RMA, 2015, SOW, Op. cit., page 21 of 39.

17 USDA, RMA, 2015, SOW, Order Number D15PD00545, page 22 of 39.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

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5

marketing goods from poultry (may include slaughter and processing).”18 The growers who raise 

poultry under a production contract for an integrator are the potential insureds.

The contract for this report does not define a production contract or bankruptcy. However, 

production contracts are defined in many FCIC policies. A typical definition for a production 

contract in a crop insurance policy includes the requirement the contract be a written agreement 

between the insured and the buyer, signed by both parties on or before the date specified in the 

crop insurance policy, containing at a minimum:

 The insured’s commitment to grow the crop;

 The buyer’s commitment to purchase all the production that meets the quality standards 

identified in the contract; and

 Generally states there is a price for production, such as a fixed price, or a method to 

determine such price based on published information compiled by a third party, that will 

be paid to the insured for the production.

Generally, the requirement is that the contract be submitted on or before the acreage reporting 

date. Insurance attaches at “planting,” which in the case of poultry would likely be population of 

the house.

In the case of a poultry production contract, because there are such limited spot markets, the 

Contractor expects a FCIC product would require a poultry production contract to commit the 

buyer to a mechanism to determine the price at which all production meeting the quality 

standards identified in the contract will be purchased.

Mechanisms exist in existing policies to address cases where an owner/producer who is an 

integrator and processes its own production would fit the contract definition of grower. Similar 

terms could be drafted for a poultry policy.

Bankruptcy has a precise legal definition. It is a federally-authorized procedure by which a 

debtor, be it an individual, corporation, or municipality, is relieved of most liability for its debts 

by making court-approved arrangements for the partial repayment of those debts. Further 

discussion of bankruptcy is found in the risk management section.

The liability for the product would be the potential uncontrollable losses to the net income of the 

grower. While fixed costs would be included in calculation of the net income, variable costs that 

can be avoided would not. Indemnities would be calculated by loss adjustment procedures that 

determine both actual insurable losses to the grower’s net income and verify the cause of those 

losses was exclusively the bankruptcy of the integrator. If there were additional causes of loss, 

adjustments to the indemnities would reflect the impact of each cause on the loss, and only that 

portion of the loss that could be attributed to the integrator’s bankruptcy would be indemnified.

 

18 Ibid.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

6

II. MARKETING ENVIRONMENT

The SOW requires the Contractor to describe how prices are impacted or how monetary changes 

occur in the poultry industry. Furthermore, the SOW instructs the Contractor to provide copies 

of entire contracts if prices are determined by contract and establish the insurable interest of the 

potential insured. Finally, the SOW instructs the Contractor to identify critical time periods 

impacting marketing in the poultry industry for a given region. The Contractor examined those 

aspects of the poultry industry directly impacted by the grower/integrator relationship and 

investigated the financial character of those relationships. The results of those investigations are 

discussed in this section.

II.A. Background

The U.S. commercial poultry industry includes production of more than 15 species of 

domesticated fowl and commercial game-birds, production of eggs from these species for 

hatching, and production of eggs from a limited number of these species for direct consumption 

by humans. Production of all poultry and eggs comprises approximately $43 billion of the U.S. 

agricultural economy. 19 The financial impact of the three major commercial poultry sectors 

(broilers, layers, and turkeys) collectively in the U.S. agricultural economy is comparable to the 

financial impact of soybeans. There is also a large processing added-value component in all 

poultry sectors.

Much of the poultry industry is vertically integrated. A small number of very large firms have 

“integrated” many elements of production, marketing, and sales. Integrators for poultry meat 

production may control feed production, brood egg production, hatching, grow-out, 

transportation, slaughter, initial processing (preparation of a marketable whole bird), further 

processing to retail products such as lunch meat, and wholesale distribution. Although 

integrators play a smaller role in egg production, they may control feed production, layer 

hatching and grow-out, transportation, processing, and wholesale distribution. Furthermore, this 

same level of integration characterizes many egg producers, including most of the larger 

producers. Even relatively small egg and poultry producers/integrators may own and manage 

many aspects of their businesses (e.g., rearing of birds, feeding, housing, husbandry, and 

marketing of their product) and are capable of managing many elements of the process.

Consequently, the major sector stakeholders have a tremendous amount of control of their 

products and vast market power relative to their growers.

II.B. Poultry Industry Production and Value

The report “Poultry - Production and Value Summary (Summary)” issued annually by NASS 

provides a view into the poultry industry for the previous year. These reports are released at the 

end of April each year beginning 1986. The Summary reports replaced the Poultry Production, 

Disposition, and Income reports released in 1984 and 1985. The Poultry Production, 

Disposition, and Income reports replaced the Poultry: Production, Disposition & Income reports 

of 1977 through 1983.

 

19 USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Table 2, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/st99_1_002_002.pdf, accessed April 

2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

7

Though poultry is raised in every state in the Union, the Summary only reports broiler 

production data from a selected grouping of states: the top 20 production states, Other States 

(California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, and 

Washington), and a 19 State Total (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, 

Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, 

Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia). The data for the 

Other States category is aggregated to avoid disclosing individual operations. Of the 20 states 

reported individually, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio are not included in the 19 state 

aggregated total and California and Louisiana are added.20 The U.S. poultry industry produced 

8.5 billion broilers in 2014 resulting in 51.4 billion pounds live weight. The average value of 

broilers, as reported in the Summary report, can be extrapolated by head or pound by dividing 

the total value of production by either the total number produced or the total pounds produced. 

In 2014 the average value per bird for broilers was $3.83 and the average value per pound was 

$0.64 as compared to $3.60 and $0.61 in 2013. Broiler production makes up about 68 percent of 

the total value of poultry production in the United States.

For turkeys, the Summary reports production data from the top 14 production states and then 

combines all other production under the aggregated Other States category. The U.S. poultry 

industry produced 237.5 million turkeys in 2014 resulting in 7.2 billion pounds live weight (an 

average of 30.4 pounds of meat per bird). Turkey value per bird in 2014, on average, was $22.33 

as compared to $20.16 in 2013. Per pound, turkey meat was valued at $0.74 in 2014 as 

compared to $0.67 in 2013. Turkey production makes up about 11 percent of the value of 

poultry production in the United States.

Egg production occurs and is tracked in every state. The Summary reports individual state-level 

data for 37 states and aggregates the other 13 under the heading Other States. The other states in 

the 2014 report included Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, New 

Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. These 13 

states account for less than 3 percent of the total value of egg sales in the United States in 2014. 

The U.S. poultry industry produced 99.7 billion eggs in 2014 valued at more than $10.1 billion 

or $0.82 per dozen. This value includes all eggs for sale, both broken for processing and shell 

eggs (table eggs). Egg production makes up about 21 percent of the value of poultry production 

in the United States.

As can be seen in the tables from the USDA NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture, poultry is 

produced in every state. However, there are very distinct regions where production of certain 

segments within the poultry industry is highly concentrated. Broiler production is concentrated 

in the southeastern United States, stretching from Arkansas to the south and east through 

Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. Turkeys have two primary production 

regions, the Midwest (Minnesota, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin) and the 

Southeast (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia). Layer production is also centered 

primarily in the Midwest (Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Arkansas). Due to the fact that 

poultry production is geographically dispersed, even in the concentrated regions, the Contractor 

 

20 USDA, NASS, April 2015, Poultry – Production and Value 2014 Summary, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed May 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

8

does not believe an insurance product covering losses associated with integrator bankruptcy will 

adversely affect the market for poultry.

Table 1. 2012 Top Ten Broiler Production States

State Farms Number Sold

Georgia 2,743 1,369,162,943 

Alabama 2,356 1,001,776,907 

Arkansas 2,109 975,950,973 

North Carolina 1,969 801,883,037 

Mississippi 1,430 761,180,486 

Texas 1,566 600,353,797 

Kentucky 826 305,383,434 

Maryland 854 304,729,435 

California 421 273,277,272 

Missouri 784 272,389,497 

Source: USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1, Chapter 

2, US State Level, Table 19, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/V

olume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_019_019.pdf, 

accessed July 2015.

Table 2. 2012 Top Ten Turkey Production States

State Farms Number of Birds

Minnesota 559 19,449,992 

North Carolina 829 17,191,277 

Arkansas 458 8,821,769 

Missouri 885 7,572,505 

South Carolina 430 6,999,565 

Virginia 663 5,160,805 

Indiana 663 5,084,794 

California 682 4,532,307 

Iowa 402 4,383,172 

Wisconsin 631 3,468,522 

Source: USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1, 

Chapter 2, US State Level, Table 19, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Rep

ort/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_019_01

9.pdf, accessed July 2015.

Table 3. 2012 Top Ten Layer Production States

State Farms Number of Birds

Iowa 3,821 52,218,870 

Ohio 8,548 28,312,692 

Indiana 5,584 25,587,222 

Pennsylvania 9,539 25,147,630 

Texas 19,748 20,902,244 

California 6,744 19,000,779 

Georgia 3,483 17,445,067 

North Carolina 4,996 13,091,384 

Michigan 6,783 12,676,021 

Arkansas 3,549 12,545,952 

Source: USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1, 

Chapter 2, US State Level, Table 19, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Rep

ort/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_019_01

9.pdf, accessed July 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

9

Inasmuch as this project is geared toward integrator business interruption; the number of birds on 

a particular operation or within a particular region may only serve to indicate a small part of the 

risk associated with such focused coverage. The state with the highest percentage of poultry 

farms is Texas with nine percent of the total poultry operations in the United States. The number 

two state is Pennsylvania with 4.73 percent. Texas has at least nine integrators operating in the 

state and Pennsylvania has seven. Should an integrator declare bankruptcy in either of these 

states, there are multiple integrator companies with whom the affected operators might contract.

The Contractor researched integrator geographical dispersion to determine how many states are 

only served by one integrator. There are multiple small integrators which service smaller niche 

markets throughout the United States. As these are generally regional or local in their focus, the 

Contractor focused this research on 47 top integrators as identified by Watt Poultry USA. The 

Contractor identified 15 broiler integrators, 11 layer integrators and 21 turkey integrators (See 

Table 4).

Table 4. Top Integrators

Processor Bird Processor Bird Processor Bird

Butterball, LLC Turkey House of Raeford 

Farms Inc. Broilers Prestage Foods Turkey

Cal-Maine Foods Layers Jennie-O Turkey 

Store Turkey Rembrandt Enterprises Layers

Cargill Turkey & 

Cooked Meats Turkey Keystone Foods LLC Broilers Rose Acre Farms Layers

Center Fresh Group Layers Koch Foods Inc. Broilers Sanderson Farms Inc. Broilers

Centrum Valley 

Farms LP Layers Kraft Foods, Inc. (Oscar Mayer) Turkey Simmons Foods Inc. Broilers

Cooper Farms Turkey Michael Foods Layers Trillium Farm 

Holdings Layers

Dakota Provisions Turkey Michigan Turkey 

Producers Turkey Turkey Valley Farms Turkey

Daybreak Foods Layers Midwest Poultry 

Services LP Layers Tyson Foods Turkey /Broilers

Empire Kosher 

Poultry Inc. Turkey Mountaire Farms Inc. Broilers Virginia Poultry Growers Coop. Turkey

Farbest Foods, Inc. Turkey Norbest, Inc. (Moroni 

Feed Co) Turkey Wayne Farms LLC Broilers

Fieldale Farms Broilers Northern Pride Inc. Turkey Weaver Brothers Layers

Foster Farms Turkey /

Broilers O.K. Industries Broilers West Liberty Foods Turkey

George's Inc. Broilers Peco Foods Broilers Whitewater 

Processing Turkey

Hain Pure Protein 

Corp. Turkey Perdue Farms Inc. Turkey /Broilers Zacky Farms, LLC Turkey

Hillandale Farms Layers Pilgrim's Broilers

Source: Broilers – After WATTAgNet.com, 2015, Top Poultry Companies, The world’s leading broiler, turkey and egg producers, 

http://www.wattagnet.com/worldtoppoultry.html, accessed July 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Contract No: D15PD00545

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10

The Contractor assigned each state to one of three categories: 1) states where poultry value 

amounted to less than 2 percent of the total agricultural production value for that state; 2) states 

with only one integrator identified as operating in that state; and 3) states where multiple 

integrators were identified as operating in that state. There were 15 states which were identified 

as being in category 1, 6 states with a single integrator, and 30 states with multiple integrators. 

The state with the most identified integrators was North Carolina with 15, followed closely by 

Arkansas with 14. The Contractor believes the number of integrators, particularly in highly 

populated poultry production states, is such that risk associated with a bankruptcy by one 

integrator would be lessened by the affected grower having relatively quick access to another 

integrator for future contracts.

Private insurance is available for business interruption resulting from integrator bankruptcy 

through HUB International. These insurance brokers and consultants work with contractors in 

many industries to address financial risks in contractual agreements. The liability covered is 

generally tied to potential lost revenues and to existing credit obligations of the insured. Rating 

is based on integrator finances when available (from public sources such as annual financial 

reports of publicly traded integrators) and from additional information identified by underwriters 

in drafting one-off contracts. Some of these policies are offered as standard policies while others 

are on offer as surplus line policies.

II.C. Broiler Sector

The term ‘broiler’ is the poultry industry name for a young chicken raised for meat. With the 

value of broiler production in 2014 totaling almost $33 billion,

21 broilers account for about two 

thirds of the farm-level value of production and sales of poultry products in the United States.7,22 

The broiler sector is dominated by vertically-integrated agribusiness firms. People in the 

industry refer to these firms as either broiler companies or integrators. In the government 

literature they are occasionally called “dealers” or “contractors.” In 2015, 15 vertically 

integrated firms controlled almost 90 percent of U.S. broiler production (Table 5).23 

Consolidation in the industry has resulted in “...significant structural change in recent 

decades...the industry has evolved to a structure including vertical integrators that contract with 

producers to raise their animals under strict specifications.” Under this integrated structure, 

“Vertically integrated companies in a supply chain are united through a common owner. Usually 

each member of the supply chain produces a different product or service, and the products 

combine to satisfy a common need...”24 To avoid confusion in the discussions in this report, the 

Contractor will avoid using the term “producer” except in quotations and will generally refer to 

either integrators, growers, or owner/producers.

 

21 USDA, NASS, 2015, Poultry Production and Value, 2014 Summary, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015

22 The Poultry Site, Poultry News, “Value of US Poultry Production Has Doubled in 14 Years”, 

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/33264/value-of-us-poultry-production-has-doubled-in-14-years, accessed July 

2015.

23 WATT Poultry USA, 2015, Top Broiler Producing Companies, 

http://www.wattagnet.com/Worldtoppoultry/US_broiler_producers.html, accessed July 2015.

24 National Chicken Council, Vertical Integration, http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/industry-issues/vertical-integration/, 

accessed July 2015.
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11

Table 5. Top Broiler Integrators, United States, Through July 2015

Integrator Percent of Market Head Processed 

Tyson Foods 25.30% 1,862.10

Pilgrim’s Pride 17.50% 1,493.40

Perdue Farms 7.60% 644.80

Koch Foods 7.30% 624.00

Sanderson Farms 5.30% 451.90

Wayne Farms 3.90% 335.40

Mountaire Farms 3.80% 322.40

Foster Farms 3.40% 293.80

George’s 3.40% 286.00

Peco Farms 2.30% 194.50

Keystone Farms 2.20% 188.80

Simmons Foods 2.20% 189.80

House of Raeford Farms 2.10% 177.80

O.K. Foods 1.80% 150.80

Fieldale Farms 1.80% 150.80

Source: After WATT Poultry USA, 2015, Top Broiler Producing Companies, 

http://www.wattagnet.com/Worldtoppoultry/US_broiler_producers.html, accessed July 2015.

The Contractor converted weekly numbers in that report to annual processed numbers.

The Crop

Modern commercial broilers, typically known as Cornish crosses or Cornish-Rocks, are specially

bred for large-scale, efficient meat production and grow much faster than egg or traditional dual 

purpose breeds. Modern commercial broilers are noted for having very fast growth rates, a high 

feed conversion ratio, and low levels of activity. Broilers often reach a harvest weight in only 

eight weeks. Commercial broilers have white feathers and yellowish skin. These birds also lack 

the typical “hair”25 characterizing many breeds that requires singeing after plucking. Both male 

and female broilers are slaughtered for their meat. The genetic lines for most broilers produced 

in the United States are managed by three companies: Aviagen Inc., Hubbard LLC (Americas), 

and Avian Technology Intl LLC.26 These companies also have substantial international sales of 

chicks and parent stock (e.g., Aviagen reports sales in 130 countries).

Growers own the broiler houses, provide labor, and generally have the responsibility to manage 

biosecurity, house preparations, and litter. The vast majority of broiler production operations are 

managed under a contractual structure that dictates both the manner in which the enterprise is 

managed and how returns are distributed. The impact of these contracts on grower enterprises is 

the central focus of literature regarding risk management in the poultry industry.

At the outset, it is important to clarify that farm-level broiler prices, receipts, and values reported 

by various agencies, including NASS, are calculated or estimated values. They are not the 

values received by broiler growers which are dictated by the contractual agreement entered into 

between the grower and integrator. The published “prices received” values are live-weightequivalent prices calculated by subtracting processing costs from ready-to-cook wholesale prices 

and multiplying that result by the dressing percentage. These values are useful primarily as 

 

25 A filoplumes consists primarily of the rachis, the main shaft of a feather. In some breeds filoplumes lie under the contour 

(surface) feathers providing support.

26 WattAgNet, 2014, Who’s Who.
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industry-wide indicators of the relative price trends. The revenue contract growers actually 

receive is a contracted payment for capital and labor services rendered. Payment is based on 

pounds of bird delivered multiplied by the contract price, which is derived from a two-part, 

piece-rate tournament scheme, i.e., a base rate plus an incentive determined by the grower’s 

performance relative to others in the tournament. Under the tournament system, the integrator 

sets an average price for raising the chickens (e.g., 5 cents per pound live weight). The contract 

growers are ranked. The top-ranking contract growers can be paid a premium of up to 25 

percent. Since the contract price is a tournament average, the poorest performing contract 

growers will receive less than the average. The grower’s ranking is largely based on feed 

conversion rates: how much weight the broilers gained compared to how much feed the birds 

have consumed.

Enterprise Structure

An analysis of broiler operations reported by the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) in 

2014 provides the best snapshot of broiler production.27 Grower contracts dominate the industry, 

with only about 0.4 percent of birds produced by independent poultry owner/producers and 0.3 

percent produced on integrator-operated farms. Few details about the contracts themselves are 

available. In spite of repeated requests for redacted copies of contracts from growers, 

integrators, and crop experts, the Contractor obtained only two contracts (Appendix A). ERS 

reports that almost 94 percent of the contracts contain performance-based payment incentives; 

however, most of these broiler contracts have tournament or similar competitor-comparisonbased incentive payments. The contracts obtained by the Contractor contain language providing 

the grower with performance-based incentives coupled with tournament-based performance 

payments.

The turnover in farms producing broilers is relatively low. About one third of all broiler 

operations have been in business for at least 20 years. These older operations tend to be smaller 

and to have lower levels of technology. Only 4.5 percent of farms (6.6 percent of production by 

weight) produced broilers for 5 years or less. Interestingly, these newer operations have houses 

that are 11 years old on average, suggesting turnover in the grower cohort or farm-level 

economic restructuring. Just under half of the new operations had new houses. Newer 

operations tend to incorporate a larger number of houses. New operations with new houses also 

tend to carry a higher debt load compared to new operations using older houses.28

Newer operations tend to be larger and also tend to have more substantial investment in housing 

and technology. These newer operations are more reliant on income from the poultry operations 

rather than from a range of “crops” and are more sensitive to changes in energy prices and 

contract settlement terms. New large operations typically receive longer term contracts.29 

Furthermore, in at least one of the contracts reviewed by the Contractor, the integrator offered a 

minimum guaranteed payment for new house construction based on dollars per 1,000 birds 

placed and the type of the new construction. Additionally, integrators search for and more 

 

27 MacDonald, J.M., USDA, ERS, 2014, Technology, Organization, and Financial Performance in U.S. Broiler Production, 

Economic Information Bulletin No. 126., http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1487788/eib126.pdf, accessed July 2015.

28 Ibid.

29 Ibid.
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13

readily offer contracts to operations with newer facilities and updated technology when they 

expand into new areas or contract with growers.

The Industry

While the agricultural segment of the U.S. economy has grown slightly on a relative percentage 

basis from 1999 to 2014, the broiler sector share of the total U.S. agricultural economy declined 

from 8.04 percent to 8.02 percent (Table 6). This decline occurred in spite of increases in 

production, consumption, and exports of meat from broiler chickens.

Table 6. Economic Indicators–Broiler, United States

($ Billions)

Year Gross Domestic Product1 Agricultural Cash Receipts2 Value of Broilers3

1999 9,660.6 187.8 15.1

2000 10,284.8 192.1 14.0

2001 10,621.8 200.0 16.7

2002 10,977.5 194.6 13.4

2003 11,510.7 216.0 15.2

2004 12,274.9 237.9 20.4

2005 13,093.7 240.9 20.9

2006 13,855.9 240.6 17.7

2007 14,477.6 288.5 21.5

2008 14,718.6 316.1 23.2

2009 14,418.7 291.4 21.8

2010 14,964.4 322.2 23.7

2011 15,517.9 368.7 23.0

2012 16,163.2 404.8 24.8

2013 16,768.1 401.3 30.8

2014 17,418.9 407.4 32.7

Source: 1 Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2015, National Income and Product Accounts Table 1.1.5, Gross Domestic Product, 

http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=1&isuri=1, accessed July 2015.

2

In Nominal dollars, USDA, ERS, 2015, Farm and Income Wealth Statistics, Annual cash receipts by commodity, 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/cash-receipts-bycommodity.aspx#.VFutk_nF9qW, accessed July 2015.

3 USDA, ERS, 2015, Poultry Production and Value, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1130, accessed July 2015.

The southern and mid-Atlantic states form the major broiler producing areas of the United States 

(Table 7). Although number of head, pounds produced, and value all track relatively closely, 

variations in the harvest weight of birds lead to modest differences between percent of head 

produced and of pounds produced. The ERS estimated value produced is based on a constant 

price.
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14

Table 7. Broiler Production by States, 20141

State

Number 

Produced 

(1,000 Head)

Percent of 

Number Head 

Produced

Pounds 

Produced (1,000 

Pounds)

Value of 

Production2

(1,000 Dollars)

Percent of 

Pounds/Value 

Produced

Georgia 1,324,200 15.50% 7,547,900 4,808,012 14.69

Alabama 1,061,500 12.42% 6,050,600 3,854,232 11.78

Arkansas 969,800 11.35% 6,012,800 3,830,154 11.70

North Carolina 795,200 9.31% 6,043,500 3,849,710 11.76

Mississippi 727,200 8.51% 4,508,600 2,871,978 8.78

Texas 591,800 6.93% 3,550,800 2,261,860 6.91

Kentucky 308,000 3.60% 1,724,800 1,098,698 3.36

Missouri 288,500 3.38% 1,384,800 882,118 2.70

Maryland 287,800 3.37% 1,554,100 989,962 3.03

Virginia 262,000 3.07% 1,441,000 917,917 2.80

Delaware 244,100 2.86% 1,733,100 1,103,985 3.37

South Carolina 232,500 2.72% 1,650,800 1,051,560 3.21

Oklahoma 205,300 2.40% 1,334,500 850,077 2.60

Pennsylvania 181,300 2.12% 997,200 635,216 1.94

Tennessee 180,600 2.11% 939,100 598,207 1.83

West Virginia 95,300 1.12% 371,700 236,773 0.72

Ohio 75,600 0.88% 430,900 274,483 0.84

Florida 66,700 0.78% 386,900 246,455 0.75

Wisconsin 53,400 0.62% 224,300 142,879 0.44

Minnesota 46,800 0.55% 280,800 178,870 0.55

Other States3546,500 6.40% 3,204,900 2,041,521 6.24

United States Total 8,544,100 51,373,100 32,724,667

Source: USDA, ERS. April 2015, Poultry - Production and Value 2014 Summary, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015

1 Broiler production including other domestic meat-type strains.

2 Live weight equivalent price, derived from ready-to-cook prices minus processing costs, then multiplied by a dressing percentage.

3 California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, and Washington combined to avoid disclosing 

individual operations. 

Nationally, broiler production decreased 5.5 percent from 2008 to 2014, from 9.01 billion birds 

in 2008 to 8.54 billion birds in 2014. Over the same time, weight per bird increased by 7.5 

percent, from 5.594 pounds to 6.013 pounds. The combined decrease in bird numbers and 

increase in bird weight resulted in a 1.98 percent increase in total weight produced, from 50.4 

billion pounds in 2008 to 51.4 billion pounds in 2014.

Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia accounted for nearly 40 percent of the U.S. production in 2014 

when two of these states (Georgia and Alabama) produced more than 1 billion birds. 

Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas comprise a second production tier, with harvests of over 

half a billion birds. Some states, primarily in the northeast and mountain states, reported little or 

no commercial broiler production in 2014.30

Despite substantial research, the Contractor was unable to identify national data other than the 

USDA NASS Census of Agriculture (Census) data at the county level for broilers. NASS annual 

statistics do not include number of growers or county-level statistics in estimates derived from its 

annual surveys. There are fragmented data available from a few state and county agencies and 

 

30 USDA, NASS, 2015, Broiler Production by State Million Head, 2014, 

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Poultry/brlmap.asp, accessed July 2015.
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15

industry associations. Farm-level data have not been obtained despite requests of people who 

attended the listening sessions. Integrators, who have the most complete farm-level records for 

substantial grower populations, consider all their data proprietary.

The 2012 Census reported 32,935 farms with “Broiler and other meat-type chickens sold,” a 21.5 

percent increase over the 2007 reported 27,091 farms. NASS reported that 15,334 growers 

produced more than 100,000 birds in 2012, and 41 percent of those growers produced more than 

500,000 birds. A total of 7,183 farms were located in the 3 states ranked highest in broiler 

production, and 42 percent of farms with reported sales over 100,000 birds were located in the 

same 3 states. Commercial broiler production is organized and operated around broiler houses, 

the major farm-level capital investment. No consistent national dataset that reported the number 

of houses or houses per farm was identified.

Under the integrator/grower contract structure, the broiler enterprise might seem a safe haven for 

the grower. However, this is not the case; growers must be concerned about performance of the 

birds they are raising under contract. Broiler production is influenced by disease, weather, 

equipment, building environment, and the quality of feed provided by the integrator. Also, 

growers are not free from domestic and international market outcomes, even with a contracted 

payment. The potential of subsequent contracts, and, to a lesser extent, the payment and 

incentive provisions of the production contracts depend upon the integrator’s inventory of 

processed meat and short- and intermediate-run market forecasts.

II.D. Turkey Sector

The United States is the world’s largest producer of turkeys. U.S. turkey production was 

reported at 7.2 billion pounds in 2014, with a total estimated farm-gate value of almost $5.3

billion. 31 The average estimated price received by U.S. turkey producers during 2014 was 

almost 74 cents per live-weight pound.32 The structure of the turkey sector, with a wide variety 

of processed products, has made turkey production a year round, rather than a seasonal, activity. 

Smoked and roasted turkey lunchmeats; ground breast meat; pre-roasted and ready to roast 

turkey rolls; heat-and-eat turkey dinners; and turkey sausage, hot dogs, “bacon,” “pastrami,” and 

“ham” illustrate the breadth of turkey products currently available. These products have a 

substantial impact on total integrator revenues, but have limited effects on prices received by 

growers.

The Crop

The domesticated turkey is a descendant of the wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo. The dominant 

commercial breed of turkeys in the United States is the Broad-breasted White (similar to “White 

Holland,” but a distinct breed). Most commercial breeds have been selected for size as well as 

meat types and distribution. 

 

31 USDA, RMA, 2015, Poultry - Production and Value, 2014 Summary, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015.

32 USDA, RMA, 2015, Poultry - Production and Value, 2014 Summary, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015.
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16

Most turkey grow-out facilities raise 50,000 to 75,000 birds with 2.5 to 3.5 “turns” per year. 

Many of the larger facilities have a single structure (the brood house) with the capacity to house 

as many as 100 thousand poults. Poults are raised with an average density of one square foot per 

bird. Each of these brood houses generally serves two grow-out houses. Consequently, seven 

broods may be raised in a year to produce the livestock for 3.5 grow-out production cycles per 

year in each of the grow-out houses. On larger farms, multiple houses may be stocked, although 

normally all the birds on the farm are the same age.

The majority of U.S. turkeys are grown in controlled-environment confinement houses or in pole 

barns. The windowless confinement houses use modern systems of environmental control 

(heating, ventilation, and lighting). Ventilation systems provide sufficient oxygen for the normal 

growth and development and remove ammonia, carbon dioxide, dust, moisture, and heat. 

Confinement houses may contain as many as 50,000 birds. Depending on the degree of 

automation of the environmental control, feeding, and drinking systems, a single employee may 

provide all the necessary labor for a confinement house.

Environmental control within pole barns is more rudimentary. Consequently, labor requirements 

are greater and stocking densities are lower. Turkey poults reared in pole barns are generally 

raised in environmentally-controlled houses to 5 or 6 weeks of age. In the pole barns, the birds 

are raised in natural light, supplemented during the winter months with electric light. In the 

North, there is often limited control of temperature or ventilation in pole barns. The floor area of 

turkey pole barns ranges from 10,000 to more than 20,000 square feet. Automated feeders and 

watering systems maximize production, although the cost of such systems may limit their use. 

Turkeys in the pole barns are raised on litter (wood shavings) and allowed to move freely within 

the barn.

After removal of a flock, a two- to four-week period is allowed before a new flock is placed in 

turkey brood and grow-out houses. During this time, the house is cleaned and disinfected. Old 

litter is generally replaced after a flock is removed from turkey brood houses; however, wastes 

may be removed from turkey grow-out houses just once each year. The decision on the timing of 

cleaning of the grow-out houses is driven largely by the cost of labor and bedding.

Hens in grow-out houses are raised at a density of one per 2.5 square feet. Turkey hens consume 

about 40 pounds of feed in their lifetime with a feed conversion rate (pounds of feed per pound 

of weight gain) of about 2.5. Ten percent mortality during brooding and grow-out is assumed for 

planning the size of the houses and the initial population. For harvest, the hens are collected in 

“modules” or small cages, which are generally loaded onto flatbed trailers. Some additional 

mortality occurs during transportation. Those losses are generally not considered when an 

integrator evaluates a grower’s rank. However, the long-term trends of such losses may impact 

an integrator’s decisions about levels of restocking. Slaughter and processing are mechanized to 

minimize processing time.

Toms are raised at a density of 3 to 4 square feet per bird in the grow-out houses. Stocking 

densities in grower operations are generally based on the recommendations of the integrator. 

Toms consume about 90 pounds of feed during their lifetime with a feed conversion rate of about 

2.9. Commercial toms, which are more aggressive than hens, have a higher mortality than the 
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17

hens. Toms are harvested at about 18 weeks (i.e., somewhat less than 3 production cycles each 

year). Some growers and producers reduce the density of older toms by moving a portion of the 

birds into houses vacated by the hens when they are harvested. This may reduce mortality 

marginally as the large birds compete for space and feed. The harvest process for toms is 

essentially the same as that for hens.

Free-range birds represent a small niche market in the turkey sector. The only requirement for 

labeling with the term ‘free-range’ is the birds have access to the outdoors.33 Housing for freerange birds is usually of the pole barn type. Natural daylight and green food may be available on 

the range, but some source of food is generally provided in the barn. Slower growing strains, 

low nutrient density feed, low stocking density, and longer production cycles characterize this 

minor sector of the crop.

Growers furnish the land, facilities, and labor under contract. They are paid based on the grade, 

live weight, and feed conversion ratios of the birds delivered to the processing plant. Each 

integrator contract is reported to be unique; and contracts between an integrator and individual 

growers may also be quite different, taking into consideration such things as the physical 

services available at a facility, mortality experience, and historic and current feed conversion 

ratios. If the grower realizes a return of $7 to $8 per bird, the facility described as “typical” may 

generate a cash flow of $1.25 million to $2.5 million per year. Cost of production is more 

difficult to assess under the current integrator/grower industry structure. In many cases, the 

integrator owns the turkeys, supplies feed, medicine, vaccines, and pays a grow-out supervisor. 

The grow-out supervisor monitors the turkeys’ health and growth and decides when veterinary 

attention, primarily medications or vaccinations, are required.

During the course of this and other poultry related projects, the Contractor spoke with 

representatives of several operations that were not typical growers. These operations own the 

turkeys produced under a contract with an integrator and bear all the associated financial risks in 

regard to losses, price fluctuations, and poor weight gain. These owner/producer operations 

would have differing incentives to participate in a business interruption insurance product 

depending on their individual agreements and contracts with the integrators.

The Industry

The U.S. turkey sector is dominated by vertically integrated agribusiness firms. In the second 

half of the 20th Century, after a period of decline in the sector, turkey hatcheries began providing 

financing for the purchase of poults, while feed companies provided financing for both feed and 

poults as a means to stimulate feed sales. These financial arrangements eventually evolved into 

production contracts that shifted risk from grower to integrator. Under contract, the grower 

provides the buildings, equipment, and labor; the integrator, who is usually involved in a variety 

of post-harvest processing activities, provides poults, feed, veterinary services, and managerial 

assistance. Most growers receive a fee per bird or per pound and contracts may provide 

performance incentives for feed conversion and reduced mortality rates. Most, but not all, 

 

33 USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2014, Food Labeling: Meat and poultry Labeling Terms, 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/meatand-poultry-labeling-terms/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms, accessed April 2015.
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18

integrators produce both whole bodied and further processed turkey products. The major turkey 

integrators and their associated production for 2013 are documented in Table 8.

Table 8. Top U.S. Turkey Processors in 2013

Processor Live Weight Processed (million pounds)

Butterball, LLC 1,300.0

Jennie-O Turkey Store 1,250.0

Cargill Value Added Meats 1,071.0

Farbest Foods, Inc. 411.0

Hillshire Brands Company (formerly Sara Lee) 402.0

Kraft Foods, Inc. (Oscar Mayer) 280.0

Perdue Farms, Inc. 277.0

Foster Farms 270.7

Virginia Poultry Growers Coop. 239.0

West Liberty Foods 216.3

Cooper Farms 205.0

Michigan Turkey Producers 190.0

Dakota Provisions 179.0

Hain Pure Protein Corp. 172.0

Turkey Valley Farms 145.0

Prestage Foods 140.0

Norbest, Inc. (Western Sales LLC) 82.0

Zacky Farms, LLC 68.3

Northern Pride Inc. 40.0

Whitewater Processing 30.0

Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. 25.2

Koch's Turkey Farm 15.2

Jaindl Turkey Sales, Inc. 11.0

Source: The Contractor’s Research Department after Watt Poultry USA, 2015

Turkey production is scattered throughout the United States. However, over half of all the 

turkeys raised for slaughter in the United States in 2014 were raised in four states: Minnesota, 

Arkansas, North Carolina, and Indiana (Table 9). While U.S. consumers eat more turkey per 

capita and as a population than any other national consumer population, the U.S. turkey industry 

is also more reliant on exports than most U.S. agricultural sectors.34

 

34 USDA, NASS, 2014, Highlights, Turkey Industry Overview,

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2013_Turkey_Industry/, accessed December 2014; USDA, NASS, 2015, 

Quick Stats, http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/5487DA7B-D988-3DF0-8884-2E407CE067F6, accessed June 2015.
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Table 9. Geographic Distribution of 2014 Turkey Production in the United States

State Number Raised 

(1,000 head)

Pounds Produced 

(1,000 lbs.)

Value of Production 

($1,000)

Minnesota 45,500 1,178,450 866,161

Arkansas 30,000 612,000 449,820

North Carolina 28,500 997,500 733,163

Indiana 19,000 754,300 554,411

Missouri 17,000 544,000 399,840

Virginia 16,800 443,520 325,987

California 11,000 310,200 227,997

Iowa 10,500 435,750 320,276

Pennsylvania 7,000 175,700 129,140

Ohio 5,100 209,100 153,689

Michigan 5,100 205,530 151,065

South Dakota 4,500 188,550 138,584

Utah 4,000 96,800 71,148

West Virginia 3,100 81,840 60,152

Other States130,400 983,816 723,104

United States 237,500 7,217,056 5,304,537

Source: USDA, NASS, 2015, Poultry - Production and Value - 2014 Summary, April 2015,

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015.

1

Includes State estimates not shown and States withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.

By 1961, feed company contracts for production accounted for almost two-thirds of all turkey 

production. Subsequently, processors became increasingly involved in production decisions and 

began raising turkeys themselves to better ensure supplies. With the involvement of large feed 

and processing firms, the share of turkeys sold on the U.S. spot market decreased substantially. 

In 2011, turkey production contracts accounted for more than two-thirds of U.S. production.35 

Vertically integrated operations, in which the processor (both integrators and owner/processors) 

owns the production facilities and hires labor to care for the birds, accounted for almost one-third 

of turkey production. With 2014 farm-level cash receipts of just over $5.3 billion (Table 10), 

turkeys accounted for approximately 11 percent of cash receipts for poultry in the United 

States.36

 

35 USDA, NASS, 2012, Census of Agriculture, Volume 1, Tables 32 and 45, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/, accessed January 2015.

36 USDA, NASS, April 2015, Poultry - Production and Value 2014 Summary 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015.
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20

Table 10. Economic Indicators – Turkeys, United States

($ Billions)

Year Gross Domestic Product1 Agricultural Cash Receipts2 Value of Turkeys3

1999 9,660.6 187.8 2.8

2000 10,284.8 192.1 2.8

2001 10,621.8 200.0 2.8

2002 10,977.5 194.6 2.7

2003 11,510.7 216.0 2.7

2004 12,274.9 237.9 3.1

2005 13,093.7 240.9 3.2

2006 13,855.9 240.6 3.6

2007 14,477.6 288.5 4

2008 14,718.6 316.1 4.5

2009 14,418.7 291.4 3.6

2010 14,964.4 322.2 4.4

2011 15,517.9 368.7 4.9

2012 16,163.2 404.8 5.4

2013 16,768.1 401.3 4.8

2014 17,418.9 407.4 5.3

Source: 1/ Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2015, National Income and Product Accounts Table 1.1.5, Gross Domestic Product, 

http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=1&isuri=1, accessed July 2015.

2/ In Nominal dollars, USDA, ERS, 2015, Farm and Income Wealth Statistics, Annual cash receipts by commodity, 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/cash-receipts-bycommodity.aspx#.VFutk_nF9qW, accessed July 2015.

3/ USDA, ERS, 2015, Poultry Production and Value, http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocument

Info.do?documentID=1130, accessed July 2015.

On farms either owned by the integrators or managed under grower contracts, the integrator 

generally provides the stock, feed, veterinary services, production technical support, and 

transportation. The grower provides the growing facilities and day-to-day care and management 

of the birds. The impact of production contracts on turkey enterprises are not as well 

documented as are the impacts of production contracts on broiler enterprises.

The relative importance of direct production in the turkey sector to the U.S. agricultural and 

overall economies is approximately one-fifth that of the broiler sector (see Tables 6 and 9). 

However, it should be noted there are considerably more value-added processing activities in the 

turkey sector than in the broiler sector. This amplifies the financial effects of turkey production 

in the general economy.

Substantial research by the Contractor identified the NASS Census as the only source of national 

turkey data at the county level. The 2012 Census documents some commercial turkey 

production in every state.37 NASS annual statistics do not include number of growers or countylevel statistics in its annual surveys because there are insufficient numbers of growers in most 

counties to allow reporting of results under the disclosure rules followed by NASS. There are 

fragmentary data available from a few state and county agencies and industry associations.

Commercial turkey production is organized and operated around turkey houses, the major farmlevel capital investment. No dataset documenting the total number of houses by county or 

 

37 USDA, RMA, NASS Census of Agriculture, 2012 Census Volume 1, Chapter 2: State Level Data, Table 19, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_019_019.pdf, 

accessed July 2015.
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21

houses per farm was identified. The 2014 Census reported 19,956 farms growing turkeys, a 15.8 

percent increase over the 17,226 farms reported in the 2007 Census. The NASS Census reported 

833 growers produced more than 100,000 birds in 2012.38 NASS reports 1,903 operations grew 

turkeys under contract, producing slightly more than two-thirds of the turkeys reported to have 

been sold.39

The turkey sector has evolved to fewer than 25 highly specialized, vertically integrated 

agribusiness firms. Under the grower/integrator structure, the turkey growers must be concerned 

about performance of the contracted birds. Both turkey growers and integrators have benefited 

from economies of scale associated with the industry’s horizontal and vertical structure, but 

projected gains in efficiency over the next decade are anticipated to be less than historical gains. 

Trade restrictions have slowed growth in many U.S. animal product exports. Continuing 

concerns with AI and Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) have affected trade.40

II.E. Layer Sector

The term ‘layer’ is the poultry industry name for a hen maintained for egg production. Hens 

from all varieties (breeds) of chickens lay eggs, but hens from only a few breeds consistently lay 

eggs of appropriate size. The egg laying breeds of chickens have been genetically selected for 

high egg productivity. Hens of laying breeds produce up to 300 eggs a year; however they 

usually have small bodies that make them undesirable as meat producers. The small bodies 

benefit laying breeds because the hens use fewer nutrients to produce and support body mass. 

Instead, layers direct much of their energy into the egg production. After approximately 12 

months of age, the hen’s egg-laying declines. Hormonal changes resulting from changes in diet 

and photoperiod can be used to stimulate further egg production. After the layer reaches age one 

and a half to two and a half years, commercial hens are typically slaughtered (culled). However, 

laying can be stimulated by forcing the hen to molt. During the molt, laying stops completely. 

Following the molt, the frequency of laying is increased relative to the pre-molt frequency. Meat 

from culled layers is used in pet foods, soup, pot pies, and other processed foods.

Commercial chicken eggs include two categories of “table” eggs for human consumption, as well 

as hatching eggs. “Shell” eggs are table eggs sold at retail, generally by the dozen. “Breaking” 

or processed eggs are table eggs broken in specialized plants that transform the eggs into liquid 

eggs or further process the liquid eggs into products, such as powdered eggs, that have a longer 

shelf life. Production of processing eggs is generally a conscious output decision, rather than a 

salvage activity. Operators of table egg production facilities do not generally produce hatching 

 

38 USDA, RMA, NASS Census of Agriculture, 2012 Census Volume 1, Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data, Table 32, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/st99_1_032_033.pdf, accessed July 

2015.

39 USDA, RMA, NASS Census of Agriculture, 2012 Census Volume 1, Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data, Table 45, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/st99_1_045_048.pdf, accessed July

2015.

40 Iowa State University, 2013, AgMRC, Turkey Profile, 

http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/livestock/poultry/turkey_profile.cfm, accessed July 2015.
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22

eggs.

41

 Instead hatching eggs are raised by niche market poultry owner/producers including 

some subsidiaries operations of integrators.

Table eggs are produced by single-site independent poultry owner/producers, contract operators, 

and vertically integrated companies. Integrated production sites often have more than one 

million birds, a feed mill, and an in-line processing plant. The vertically integrated companies 

generally operate on multiple sites, which are distributed either regionally or nationally. In-line 

breaking operations are located at the farm. Generally, eggs from one to five million hens are 

processed in a breaking operation. While some in-line operations produce shell eggs with 

undersized, oversized, and under-grade eggs diverted for breaking, most large facilities break all 

the eggs produced at that location. Some in-line operations receive eggs from other locations for 

processing.42 Recent trends of decreasing per capita shell egg consumption and increasing per 

capita processed egg product consumption reflect both consumer lifestyle and industry changes.

Substantial consolidation occurred in the layer sector during the last 25 years. The layer sector 

has exhibited substantial changes toward a vertically integrated system. Modern in-line 

production, technologically advanced processing complexes, and lower feed cost has led to 

increased egg production in the Midwest. In 2013, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and 

California (in order of dominance in the number of eggs produced) accounted for 45 percent of 

all table eggs produced.

There are 172 egg-producing companies with flocks of 75,000 layers or more, 63 companies 

with more than 1 million layers, and 16 companies with more than 5 million layers. Companies 

with at least 75,000 layers account for approximately 99 percent of all egg production in the 

United States. 43 In contrast, in 1987, there were approximately 2,500 operations comprising the 

top 95 percent of egg production.44 Diseconomies of scale at a single facility are apparently not 

realized until output exceeds that of the largest production sites, with more than six houses and 

more than one million hens.

It should be noted that new regulations in California, Standards for Confining Farm Animals, 

went into effect on January 1, 2015. These regulations have had a large impact on the layer 

industry and may impact the average size (number of hens in a house) on a production site. 

Proposition 2, as it is called in California, requires all eggs sold in California to come from 

 

41 Perdue University maintains a Website devoted to avian sciences, including a PowerPoint presentation 

(http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/poultry/publication/commegg/) documenting most on-farm aspects of shell and breaker egg 

production.

42 The Egg Sector Working Group (an industry committee primarily staffed by grower association representatives); the 

University of Minnesota’s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety; and USDA, APHIS, 2009 (draft), An Assessment of the 

Risk Associated with the Movement of Nonpasteurized Liquid Egg (NPLE)and Its Products Into, Within, and Outside of a 

Control Area during a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak, http://secureeggsupply.com/wpcontent/uploads/RANonPasteurLiquidEggs.pdf, accessed July 2015. 

43 American Egg Board, 2010, Egg Industry Fact Sheet, http://www.aeb.org/egg-industry/industry-facts/egg-industry-facts-sheet, 

accessed July 2015.

44 Watts and Associates, 2010, Final Feasibility Report, Feasibility Research Report for Insuring Commercial Poultry Production,

http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2011/poultryfeasibility.pdf, accessed July 2015.
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23

chickens that have enough room to fully extend their limbs and turn around freely.45 Missouri, 

Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama and Kentucky, and Iowa filed legal challenges to the California 

regulations. The initial federal court decision in October 2014 was in favor of California, but the 

six states have carried the challenge to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.46

The Crop

Eggs are the crop from layer operations. The layers are the capital asset producing the eggs.47 

Shell eggs are usually sold by the carton at retail, while breaking eggs are subjected to a variety 

of value-added processing. While the nature of the retail product has changed, since 2001 there 

have been only modest changes in the number of eggs produced. In 2001, 334.9 million layers 

produced 85.7 billion eggs, an average of 256 eggs per hen, with 85 percent of the eggs used for 

the table (i.e., breaking or shell eggs). In 2013, 346.4 million layers produced 95.2 billion eggs, 

an average of 275 eggs per hen, with 87 percent of the eggs used for the table.48 Price and 

consumer lifestyle changes are key factors reducing per capita shell egg consumption while 

increasing per capita consumption of broken (processing) eggs.

Egg production in the United States is widely dispersed (Table 11). Commercial egg production 

is reported in all 50 states; minor production areas are combined in NASS reports to avoid 

disclosure of data concerning individual operations. Changes in technology and demand are 

driving regional concentration of production. These, along with differences in use and proximity 

to markets, drive differences in price.

 

45 National Public Radio, December 29, 2014, Dan Charles, How California’s New Rules Are Scrambling The Egg Industry, 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/12/29/373802858/how-californias-new-rules-are-scrambling-the-egg-industry, accessed 

July 2015.

46 Dan Flynn, Egg Safety News, 2015, Egg-Producing States File Appeal Over California’s Proposition 2, 

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/03/six-egg-producing-states-file-appeal-over-californias-proposition2/#.VZVkw_lViko, accessed July 2015.

47 Some parallels with the production of fruits from trees in orchards and groves have been noted in the layer/egg relationship.

48 USDA, NASS, 2014, Chickens and Eggs 2013 Summary, February 2014, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/ChickEgg/ChickEgg-02-27-2014.pdf, accessed January 2015.
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24

Table 11. 2014 United States Egg Production by State

State Eggs Produced Value of Production State Eggs Produced Value of Production

(million eggs) (1,000 dollars) (million eggs) (1,000 dollars)

Alabama 2,148 400,702 Nebraska 2,860 240,418

Arkansas 2,962 482,351 New York 1,493 133,257

California 4,551 419,135 North Carolina 3,381 500,989

Colorado 1,450 130,584 Ohio 8,731 744,317

Connecticut 669 61,646 Oklahoma 712 102,226

Florida 2,390 218,994 Oregon 727 65,781

Georgia 4,723 665,866 Pennsylvania 7,570 715,299

Illinois 1,409 124,258 South Carolina 1,117 130,060

Indiana 7,747 674,076 South Dakota 752 63,293

Iowa 16,449 1,403,504 Tennessee 341 67,997

Kentucky 1,219 154,849 Texas 5,109 526,459

Louisiana 541 72,828 Utah 1,180 106,640

Maine 989 86,266 Vermont 36 4,275

Maryland 785 70,753 Virginia 765 114,346

Massachusetts 44 3,844 Washington 1,950 176,805

Michigan 3,867 325,322 West Virginia 270 55,886

Minnesota 3,071 265,908 Wisconsin 1,449 129,890

Mississippi 1,351 234,653 Other States 1 2,410 227,573

Missouri 2,407 252,305

Montana 143 12,966 United States 99,768 10,166,321

Source: USDA, NASS, April 2015, Poultry - Production and Value Summary, 2014 Summary,

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015.

1 Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, 

and Wyoming combined to avoid disclosing individual operations.

The Industry

The two primary types of operating arrangements within the layer sector are farms owned by 

growers and producer-owned farms. Growers own or control the land, buildings, and labor 

inputs used to produce eggs under contract to integrators, who process the eggs for retail sales or 

for breaking. On producer-owned farms, independent operators own farm assets, own and 

manage the flock. Many producer-owned operations are large, vertically integrated, regional and 

national firms.49 The large integrated firms were formed primarily in the 1970s and early 1980s. 

Consolidation has continued as some owner/producer firms incorporated processing into their 

operations and some processing firms acquire ownership of layer operations. Compared to large, 

integrated companies with a national presence, smaller independent egg owner/producers are at a 

disadvantage when dealing with the rapidly consolidating wholesale-food industry.

The Census reported 3,144 farms produced eggs under contract in 2012 (a 5.61 percent decrease 

from 2007). In 2012, almost 22 billion eggs were produced under contract.50 More than 97 

percent of the table eggs were produced by producer-owned operations. The layer segment 

accounts for approximately 2 percent of the U.S. agriculture economy (Table 12). In 1995, egg 

production in California, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, the top five egg producing 

states (by number of eggs produced), accounted for 37 percent of U.S. table egg production. By 

 

49 Paul Aho, personal communication.

50 USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Table 45, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/st99_1_045_048.pdf, accessed July

2015.
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25

2001, the top 5 egg producing states accounted for 41 percent of table egg production and 

Georgia had dropped out of the top five egg producing states. By 2001, egg production in Iowa 

had doubled, increasing from 4.3 billion eggs in 1995 to 8.7 billion eggs. By 2013, the top five 

states accounted for 45 percent of egg production, and included (in order of number of eggs 

produced) Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and California. It is interesting to note that the top 

five states in order of total value of egg production in 2013 were, in order: Iowa, Georgia, 

Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. NASS publishes less complete data on hatching egg 

production because of the requirements for confidentiality. Over a billion hatching eggs were 

produced in 2014. Major production states included Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, 

and North Carolina. Other substantial production occurred on very large operations whose 

location could not be disclosed.51

Table 12. Economic Indicators – Layer Segment United States

($Billions)

Year Gross Domestic Product1 Agricultural Cash Receipts2 Value of Egg 

Production3

1999 9,660.6 187.8 4.3

2000 10,284.8 192.1 4.3

2001 10,621.8 200.0 4.4

2002 10,977.5 194.6 4.3

2003 11,510.7 216.0 5.3

2004 12,274.9 237.9 5.3

2005 13,093.7 240.9 4

2006 13,855.9 240.6 4.4

2007 14,477.6 288.5 6.7

2008 14,718.6 316.1 8.2

2009 14,418.7 291.4 6.2

2010 14,964.4 322.2 6.5

2011 15,517.9 368.7 7.3

2012 16,163.2 404.8 7.9

2013 16,768.1 401.3 8.7

2014 17,418.9 407.4 10.2

Source: 1/ Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2015, National Income and Product Accounts Table 1.1.5, Gross Domestic Product, 

http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=1&isuri=1, accessed July 2015.

2/ In Nominal dollars, USDA, ERS, 2015, Farm and Income Wealth Statistics, Annual cash receipts by commodity, 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/cash-receipts-by-commodity.aspx#.VFutk_nF9qW, 

accessed July 2015.

3/ USDA, ERS, 2015, Poultry Production and Value, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1130, accessed July 2015.

The 2012 Census reported 198,272 farms with an inventory of layers – a 36 percent increase 

over the 2007 Census numbers. However, 174,211 (88 percent) of the reported farms had fewer 

than 50 hens, and only 4,719 operations (2.4 percent) had more than 400 hens. Fewer than 400

operations had more than 100,000 hens. 52 The American Egg Board reported 176 egg producing 

owner/producers owned approximately 95 percent of all U.S. layers in 2014.53

 

51 USDA, NASS, 2015, Chickens and Eggs, http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/ckeg0215.pdf, accessed July 2015.

52 USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_019_019.pdf, 

accessed July 2015.

53 American Egg Board, 2014, U.S. Egg Industry Egg Facts – Q1 2014, http://www.aeb.org/search/result-item/69-farmersmarketers/market-data-trends/231-u-s-egg-industry-egg-facts, accessed July 2015.
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26

Cal-Maine Foods of Mississippi is the largest shell egg producer (Table 13). Cal-Maine is a 

“pure” shell egg producer without any breaking facilities. National and regional supermarket 

chains buy directly from this company, generally with packaging under each retailer’s brand 

name. The second-largest producer, Rose Acre, is a privately owned company with both shell 

and breaking egg production. Moark, LLC, the third-ranked firm, produces eggs for processing 

and sells egg products and other food items.

Table 13. Top Ten Egg Production Companies: 2013

Company Layers in Production 

(million)

Cal-Maine Foods 33.0

Rose Acre Farms 24.6

Moark LLC 16.0

Rembrandt Enterprises 13.6

Daybreak Foods 13.0

Michael Foods 11.3

Trillium Farm Holdings 9.9

Midwest Poultry Services 8.5

Centrum Valley Farms 7.5

Hillandale Farms 7.5

Weaver Brothers 7.5

Source: The Contractors Research Department after WATT Poultry.

Many of the largest operations producing shell eggs are in the Midwest (Table 14). The upper 

Midwest also currently dominates in the production of processing eggs. Many in-line production 

and processing complexes with on-site feed preparation facilities were constructed during the last 

quarter of the 20th Century. These complexes are now operated by low cost owner/producers 

with large markets for processed egg products. 
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Table 14. Top Ten States (in order of Value Sold): Number of Farms Reporting Layers 2012 Census of Agriculture

Number of 

Layers Iowa Georgia Pennsylvania Ohio Indiana Arkansas Texas North Carolina Alabama California Total U.S. Percent of U.S.

1 to 49 3,246 2,672 7,921 7,313 4,910 2,818 18,058 4,070 2,587 6,069 59,664 174,211 34%

50 to 99 283 266 683 679 400 211 1,055 350 324 339 4,590 13,074 35%

100 to 399 147 106 465 372 158 76 403 185 173 245 2,330 6,268 37%

400 to 3,199 31 24 123 36 25 6 71 40 31 39 426 1,103 39%

3,200 to 9,999 40 37 83 9 2 54 9 74 25 4 337 482 70%

10,000 to 19,999 18 112 81 40 12 187 22 101 175 4 752 1,199 63%

20,000 to 49,999 8 229 64 29 41 180 89 148 138 5 931 1,292 72%

50,000 to 99,999 8 14 68 33 7 10 17 23 7 8 195 256 76%

100,000 or more 40 23 51 37 29 7 24 5 9 31 256 387 66%

Total 3,821 3,483 9,539 8,548 5,584 3,549 19,748 4,996 3,469 6,744 69,481 198,272 35%

Source: USDA, NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Table 19, http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/usv1.pdf, Accessed July 2015.
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Although the feed cost differences between the Midwest and other parts of the country are well 

understood, production cost differences from west to east within the Midwest are often 

overlooked.54 These have influenced the concentration of production among the Midwestern 

states and within individual states. The North Atlantic region, with high grain, labor, and land 

costs, has imported a large percentage of its eggs during the last 50 years. More recently, 

compliance with environmental guidelines, urban encroachment into rural areas, and food safety 

issues have further increased that region’s relative costs. However, as a result of its proximity to 

large population centers, the North Atlantic region will continue to produce a substantial quantity 

of shell eggs. In the North Atlantic states, only under-grade eggs are likely to be broken.55

Market Structure

Both shell eggs and liquid eggs can be transported long distances using refrigerated trucks. 

Owner/producers typically sell to a variety of markets, including both local and national prepared 

food industry buyers, national supermarket chains, smaller regional grocery stores, independent 

egg product processors, and institutional buyers. Given the vertical integration of large firms and 

contract egg production, egg buyers at the “farm gate” are frequently the integrators themselves. 

The estimated 229 million cases of eggs produced in 2013 were distributed as follows:

 73.3 million cases (32.0 percent) were further processed;

 122.1 million cases (53.3 percent) were sold at retail;

 22.9 million cases (10.0 percent) were used in food services; and

 10.7 million cases (4.7 percent) were exported.56

Independent poultry owner/producers have incentive to increase in size or to act jointly to 

achieve a more equal bargaining position with the large, national firms which are potential 

buyers of their products. Consequently, bargaining associations and marketing cooperatives are 

active in the industry. Urner Barry’s Market Price Reports serves as a basis for establishing the 

price for many contract sales. Contract length and settlement terms are extremely varied. While 

contracts are common, spot market transactions for some egg output are a matter of routine for 

nearly all firms as a way to deal with inventory fluctuations.

To the layperson, eggs are produced in “chicken houses.” However, these houses are extremely 

sophisticated, controlled-environment facilities. The environment is regulated with thorough and 

strict sanitary practices and disease prevention and security regimens. Thus, competent 

managers of very large firms are confident in their perception of the “things that could go 

wrong,” analysis of alternatives to prevent occurrence of those events (or at least mitigate the 

effects), and ability to implement the “best” strategy. Under such tightly managed conditions, 

there are few risks for which contingency plans do not exist. As large consolidated firms have 

grown to increasingly dominate the market, the fraction of total production under less intensive 

management schemes has grown very small.

 

54 Aho, P. Updated 2000. “Regional Egg Production Trends, Poultry Science and Technology Facts.” Cornell University, 

Department of Poultry and Avian Sciences.

55 Ibid.

56 American Egg Board, 2015, U.S. Egg Industry Egg Facts – Q1 2014, http://www.aeb.org/search/result-item/69-farmersmarketers/market-data-trends/231-u-s-egg-industry-egg-facts, accessed July 2015.
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State regulations regarding egg handling generally align with USDA Egg Grading Standards57

and Shell Egg Surveillance Inspections.58 Environmental standards address manure and dead 

bird disposal. Thirteen states prohibit repacking shell eggs to limit the spread of Salmonella.

59

 

Pennsylvania requires all eggs be refrigerated throughout the distribution chain. Brand names 

must be registered by California egg handlers. Ohio poultry farms that discharge waste water 

into waterways are required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 

(NPDES) permit, regardless of federal requirements for such a permit. This complex regulatory 

environment has been perceived by some growers and owner/producers to add substantially to 

production costs.

II.F. Game Birds

Game birds are raised primarily for specialty food markets, restaurants, and for release into the 

wild for sport hunting. Private individuals in the United States have been raising game birds for 

more than 100 years for meat and hunting. Game bird owner/producers and hunting preserves 

are licensed and regulated in all 50 states by state conservation departments. The game bird 

sector has experienced dramatic growth since 2000. As early as 2003, the game bird sector 

contributed more than $1.5 billion to the U.S. economy. A majority of this income was from 

sales of adult birds. A majority of the sector expenses was labor.60 In 2013, the game bird 

industry in the United States produced nearly 52 million birds of various species for meat and 

sport hunting.61

The Crop

“Game birds are native or non-native birds that historically were wild game ... but are now 

raised commercially for their meat or egg production or as ‘flight-ready’ birds for release on 

hunting preserves or by state wildlife agencies. Game birds may include guinea fowl, partridges, 

peacocks, pheasants, pigeons and doves, quail or squab (a young pigeon), swans, wild turkeys 

and some ducks, such as mallards or wood ducks. Only a few species of pheasants, partridges 

and quail are raised as flight-ready birds; an extremely large number of species and variants are 

raised for the ‘decorative pet’ exhibit or hobby market.”

62

 Game birds are raised by individual 

owner/producers, in many cases as a side or hobby business. The commercial production of 

game birds requires specialized housing, netting or fencing systems, knowledge of common 

diseases of game birds, and an identified market. Game birds may be raised for use in the 

specialty food markets (ethnic cuisine specifically), as exotic pets (peafowl, guinea hens) or as 

 

57 USDA, AMS, 2000, United States Standards, Grades, and Weight Classes for Shell Eggs, 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004376, accessed July 2015.

58 USDA, AMS, 2006, Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs, 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004691, accessed July 2015.

59 Eskin, S.B., 2004, “Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket: Egg Safety and the Case for a Single Food-Safety Agency,” Food 

and Drug Law Journal, 59: 441-452.

60 North American Gamebird Association and North American Gamebird Foundation, 2004, Hunting Preserves and Gamebird 

Farms, Preserving Wildlife and Rural America, https://www.mynaga.org/wpcontent/assets/2012/07/Preserves_Wildlife_America.pdf, accessed July 2015.

61 Dan Burden, AgMRC, 20154, Game Birds Profile, http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/agritourism/game-birdsprofile/, accessed July 2015.

62 AgMRC, Game Birds Profile, Dan Burden, Iowa State University, 

http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/agritourism/game-birds-profile/, accessed July 2015.
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flight-ready birds for release and restocking on game preserves. The U.S. government also 

purchases game birds for repopulation and reintroduction on federal lands.

The Industry

Homeowners and hobbyists make up the bulk of the industry. These owner/producers have 

contacts in the local markets who purchase the game bird from the owner/producer through 

direct marketing or under a contractual agreement. Replacement chicks are either produced on 

the operation or are purchased through catalogs and online supply venues. In the late 1990’s, the 

game bird industry was focused on repopulation and reintroducing game birds to regions where 

populations had declined. Since that period, game bird production has expanded to include 

ethnic food markets and exotic pet markets.

The 2012 Census reported Georgia as having the highest population of production game birds in 

the nation with 2.52 million birds, followed closely by California (2.39 million), Indiana (2.37 

million), Pennsylvania (2.18 million), and Alabama (2.14 million). Texas, with 8,435 game bird 

farms, had the highest number of game bird operations in 2012 followed distantly by 

Pennsylvania (3,324), Wisconsin (3,300), Missouri (2,868), and Michigan (2,809).63 

Besides broilers, turkeys and layers, NASS gathers information on 14 additional types of poultry 

production for the 2012 Census report (Table 15). The U.S. game bird inventory included more 

than 16 million birds on almost 64 thousand operations.

Table 15. Game Birds Reported in 2012 Census of Agriculture by Inventory

Type Inventory Operations Top Production State

Roosters 7,564,783 13,399 Arkansas

Quail 6,304,956 2,310 Georgia

Ducks 5,018,661 21,115 Indiana

Pheasants 2,436,570 2,322 Wisconsin

Chukars 805,552 604 Pennsylvania

Guineas 460,932 14,694 Pennsylvania

Pigeons or squabs 415,365 2,149 California

Other poultry 372,483 2,213 Pennsylvania

Geese 106,462 10,286 Texas

Hungarian partridge 52,245 44 Pennsylvania

Peacocks or peahens 46,998 6,076 Texas

Emus 13,281 1,550 Texas

Ostriches 6,540 258 Texas

Rheas 1,424 218 Texas

Total 23,606,252 77,238

Source: after USDA NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture, 2012 Census Volume 1, Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data, Table 

32, Desktop Data Query Tool 2.0, accessed July 2015.

II.G. Summary

While the broiler industry is characterized primarily by production by growers, turkeys are 

produced on both grower and owner/producer operations. In contrast, only a small fraction of 

layers and game birds are produced under contract between growers and integrators.

 

63 USDA NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture, 2012 Census Volume 1, Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data, Table 32, Desktop 

Data Query Tool 2.0, accessed July 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

31

III. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PARAMETERS 

The SOW requires the Contractor to identify what statutory authority changes would be required 

for RMA to provide coverage for poultry business interruption due to an integrator’s bankruptcy. 

To this end, the Contractor reviewed 7 U.S. Code Chapter 36, Subchapter I – Federal Crop 

Insurance with special attention to Sections 1502, 1508 and 1522. Section 1502(a) defines the 

purpose of Subchapter I of Chapter 36 of 7 U.S.C. as “to promote the national welfare by 

improving the economic stability of agriculture through a sound system of crop insurance and 

providing the means for the research and experience helpful in devising and establishing such 

insurance.” Inasmuch as the poultry industry provides important sources of animal protein to the 

diet of U.S. citizens, sound insurance for this agricultural sector could improve the economic 

stability of the sector and support the national welfare by maintaining an important source of 

nutrition for the public.

Section 1522(b)(21) of 7 U.S.C. Chapter 36, Subchapter I provides the statutory authority for this 

study. It states:

“(21) Poultry business interruption insurance policy

(A) Definitions

In this paragraph, the terms “poultry” and “poultry grower” have the meanings 

given those terms in section 182 of this title.

(B) Authority

The Corporation shall offer to enter into a contract or cooperative agreement 

with an institution of higher education or other legal entity to carry out 

research and development regarding a policy to insure the commercial 

production of poultry against business interruptions caused by integrator 

bankruptcy.

(C) Research and development

As part of the research and development conducted pursuant to a contract or 

cooperative agreement entered into under subparagraph (B), the entity 

shall—

(i) evaluate the market place for business interruption insurance that is 

available to poultry growers;

(ii) determine what statutory authority would be necessary to implement a 

business interruption insurance through the Corporation;

(iii) assess the feasibility of a policy or plan of insurance offered under this 

subchapter to insure against a portion of losses due to business 

interruption or to the bankruptcy of an business integrator; and

(iv) analyze the costs to the Federal Government of a Federal business 

interruption insurance program for poultry growers or producers.”

Section 182(6) of 7 U.S.C. defines “poultry” as “chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other 

domestic fowl.” “Poultry grower” is defined in Section 182(8) as “any person engaged in the 

business of raising and caring for live poultry for slaughter by another, whether the poultry is 

owned by such person or by another, but not an employee of the owner of such poultry.” This 

definition differs from the definition for “grower” in the SOW, which is: “Individual(s) who 

raise poultry under a production contract for an integrator.” However, this difference can be 

explained by the language of 7 U.S. Code Chapter 36, Subchapter I, Subsection 1522(b)(21) 
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32

where the focus in on “a policy to insure the commercial production of poultry against business 

interruptions caused by integrator bankruptcy.” Since the policy is to protect against a business 

interruption resulting from an integrator bankruptcy, a person selling poultry on the spot market, 

though a grower as defined under 7 U.S.C. Chapter 9 Subchapter 1 Paragraph 182 , can logically 

be excluded from the class of individuals for whom such business interruption insurance is 

considered.

The layer industry might also be excluded since the poultry grower definition in paragraph 182 

focuses on “raising and caring for live poultry for slaughter by another.” While the primary crop 

of the layer industry is eggs, and eggs are not “slaughtered by others,” eggs constitute an 

important part of the poultry industry both economically and nutritionally. Consequently, in the 

interest of providing the Government with a comprehensive report, the Contractor included the 

layer sector in its study and the report.

The Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S. C. Chapter 36, Subchapter I (hereafter “Act”)) is the 

enabling legislation for the offer of insurance by the FCIC. The Act introduces substantial 

barriers for any approach to develop a successful insurance policy or program “covering business 

interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy.” Some of 

these issues might be addressed by determinations made by the Secretary of Agriculture 

(Secretary) or by an appropriate authority within the USDA Office of General Counsel related to 

the interpretation of existing language within the Act. For example, poultry growers could be 

determined to be “producers” as that construct is used in the Act. Growers of several crops, such 

as sesame and grass seed, are offered such status. However, the Contractor notes that “Revenue 

earned as an animal grower” is specifically excluded from the revenue insurable under the Whole 

Farm Revenue Program. The basis of this exclusion needs to be considered. 

Section 1508(a)(1) provides that if “sufficient actuarial data are available (as determined by the 

Corporation), the Corporation may insure, or provide reinsurance for insurers of, producers of 

agricultural commodities grown in the United States under 1 or more plans of insurance 

determined by the Corporation to be adapted to the agricultural commodity concerned.” While a 

determination that growers are “producers of agricultural commodities” could be made, the 

paragraph continues: “To qualify for coverage under a plan of insurance, the losses of the 

insured commodity must be due to drought, flood, or other natural disaster (as determined by the 

Secretary).” The Contractor found no evidence of integrator bankruptcies caused by natural 

disaster. However, the possibility does exist that an integrator bankruptcy could be caused in 

whole or in part by a natural disaster. The Contractor believes the bankruptcy of an integrator 

per se cannot be considered a natural disaster, although the Secretary has the authority to make 

such a determination. A legislative solution to this issue would be to add integrator bankruptcies 

to the causes of loss covered under crop insurance. However, as the Contractor has noted, other 

crops are sold under contract. Adding integrator bankruptcy as a covered cause of loss would 

potentially cause producers of contract crops to request this peril be covered under their 

products, especially when the products address loss or revenue.

Section 1508(a)(2) of the Act states that FCIC insurance shall not “extend beyond the period 

during which the insured commodity is in the field,” except in the cases of tobacco, potatoes, and 

sweet potatoes. Clearly a similar exception could be made for poultry by amendment of the Act. 
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33

In some ways, not being able to populate a house would be analogous to prevented planting. The 

possibility of covering the business interruption as a “prevented planting” event would require 

clarification of this concept at the regulatory level if not in the language of the Act itself or by 

determination of the General Counsel of the USDA.

The idiosyncratic nature of bankruptcies in general and of integrator bankruptcies specifically 

would likely require development of premium rates based upon informed judgment and the very

limited data that might be accessed. While the Act requires any insurance to have actuarially 

sound rates (7 U.S.C. 1508(d)(1)), there are many precedents for rating crop insurance products 

with limited data. None have attempted to rate the losses that would be associated with the 

bankruptcy of a contractee, bailee or payee. However, the Contractor believes this is an actuarial 

rather than a statutory issue.

The Act includes language directing the FCIC to limit competition with private insurance that is 

generally available. This includes statements about the administration of the insurance: “In the 

administration of this subtitle [Title V— Crop Insurance; Subtitle A—Federal Crop Insurance 

Act of 75-30 - Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 & Federal Crop Insurance Act as amended 

through P.L. 113–79, enacted February 7, 2014, the FCIC Board] shall, to the maximum extent 

possible, ... contract with private insurance companies... avoid duplication by the Federal 

Government of services that are or may readily be available in the private sector ...” (7 U.S.C. 

1507(c)(2)). More important are the constraints on FCIC insurance products competing directly 

with private products. The Act states offers of additional coverage under the Federal Crop 

Insurance program are appropriate only if “additional coverage is unavailable privately.” (7 

U.S.C. (c)(1)(B)) Similar, though less constraining, restrictions apply to FCIC catastrophic 

coverage offers as the Board must consider “the availability of private insurance carriers” in 

offering such products (7 U.S.C. (b)(4)(B)). Finally, for optional coverage “... no program may 

be undertaken if insurance for the specific risk involved is generally available from private 

companies.” (7 U.S.C. (l)). 

Finally, Subsection 1523(b)(10)(C) of the Act limits expected costs of conducting all livestock 

programs in the Crop Insurance program as follows: “The Corporation shall conduct all livestock 

programs under this subchapter so that, to the maximum extent practicable, all costs associated 

with conducting the livestock programs (other than research and development costs covered by 

section 1522 of this title) are not expected to exceed...” [emphasis added] $20,000,000 for fiscal 

year 2004 and each subsequent fiscal year.” The issue about whether or not poultry business 

interruption coverage for losses due to integrator bankruptcy fits within this guideline cannot be 

established until the premium rate and the potential liability of a pilot are known. At the very 

least, the exposure must be limited to a portion of the available funds in the same manner as 

capacity presently is allocated among dairy and other livestock programs. A poultry business 

interruption program would compete with other existing livestock programs for funds within this 

limit. The expected costs of a poultry business interruption program covering losses due to 

integrator bankruptcy then need to be coordinated with expected costs for the other livestock 

programs to determine if the limitation needs to be modified by congressional action. However, 

it appears interest in a poultry business interruption program covering losses due to integrator 

bankruptcy, if any, is minimal. Consequently, the effect of this statutory issue on development 

and implementation of a pilot is de minimis.
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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

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34

IV. DATA COLLECTION AND PRICING

This section of the report discusses both the data collection efforts conducted by the Contractor 

and the pricing analysis. Much of the poultry industry is vertically integrated. A small number 

of very large firms have “integrated” many elements of production, marketing, and sales. 

Development of insurance typically is driven by data. Diverse and comprehensive data, or 

appropriate judgments about what such data would reveal, are required to assess the appropriate 

rates for an actuarially-sound business interruption insurance product.

IV.A. Data Collection

The SOW calls for the Contractor “to conduct a search to identify viable data series.” The SOW 

further requires the data series identified to be from acceptable data sources. Acceptable data 

sources are defined as “Publications and data of the ERS, RMA, FSA, NIFA, NASS, WASDE

and other agencies of the USDA; marketing and promotion organizations, supported by public

funds or a check-off system; State Departments of Agriculture; any grower organization or

association, whose membership represents 15 percent of growers in the area the organization or

association serves; any generally recognized authoritative or professional journal or magazine;

any other source approved by RMA, such as schools of higher education, international agencies,

(FAO or the World Bank; growers’ organizations or associations whose membership is

representative of growers in one or more areas); and farm level data subject to review by 

qualified crop insurance experts.”64

Development of insurance typically is driven by data. Diverse and comprehensive data, or 

appropriate judgments about what such data would reveal, are required to assess the appropriate 

rates for an actuarially-sound business interruption insurance product. For the product to be 

meaningful to the insured, it must address the appropriate risks and be rated to address the 

insured’s risk. The Contractor notes that the private insurance industry has developed products 

for grower business interruption resulting from integrator bankruptcy. However, their 

availability may be limited if demand is great. These products address financial risks in 

contractual agreements. For livestock growers, the liability covered is generally tied to potential 

lost revenues and to existing credit obligations of the insured. Rating is based on integrator 

finances when available (from public sources such as annual financial reports of publicly traded 

integrators) and from additional information identified by underwriters in drafting one-off 

contracts. Some of these policies are offered as standard policies while others are on offer as 

surplus line policies.

The most comprehensive insurance dataset would include data on total production, production 

cycle, and inventory by poultry species, location, characteristics of the production facility (e.g., 

pole barn versus enclosed climate controlled facility), and management practices (e.g., 

conventional, organic, free-range, etc.). It would also include data on the contracting integrator 

and on other integrators serving the same production region. Finally, a comprehensive insurance 

database will address information on insurable interest by integrator, grower, and 

owner/producer, although it may be sufficient to define the insurable risk of the potential insured

in terms of a contract that states no birds will be placed on my property for a certain number

 

64 USDA, RMA, 2015, SOW, Order Number D15PD00545, page 20 of 39.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

35

weeks after an integrator bankruptcy. This may be important because growers, especially of 

turkeys, and independent owner/producers, indicated their contractual arrangements included a 

range of distribution of risk among the parties.

The Contractor conducted a detailed review of the available data, including review of summary 

statistics and metadata from acceptable data sources concerning the grower revenue and 

integrator bankruptcies. Primary agricultural data are collected directly from the data source. In 

the case of agricultural production, primary data come from the person responsible for the crop 

(including livestock and livestock products such as eggs). Primary data can be provided by 

growers, owner/producers, and integrators, although the integrators have substantial data from 

growers and/or owner/producers. The granularity of primary data supports an analysis that limits 

uncertainty. This in turn allows risk premiums to be minimized. For most crop insurance 

products, the risk premium and the subsidies provided by the government for the purchase of 

insurance are important elements in a potential insured’s decision to purchase the insurance. The 

Contractor heard repeatedly from stakeholders in the poultry segment of the agricultural 

economy that the thin margins in the industry will make the cost a critical factor in these 

decisions.

NASS is the principal repository of primary agricultural data for the United States. NASS 

conducts numerous surveys each year and prepares reports covering most aspects of U.S. 

agriculture. The most comprehensive survey is the Census of Agriculture (Census). The 

Census, conducted every five years, is especially valuable because its methods are transparent; 

furthermore, it is conducted using a relatively consistent methodology. While farm-level data 

are only available under limited circumstances that protect the anonymity of the data sources, the 

Census reports provide detailed aggregate information about many aspects of U.S. agriculture. It 

is the only source of comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the United 

States collected using a consistent and uniform methodology. Participation by owner/producer, 

regardless of the size or type of operation, is expected and NASS makes every effort to 

encourage such participation. However, it should be noted that access to many county level data 

are restricted by NASS’s confidentiality requirements.

The Census reports inventory and sales of 14 species of domesticated fowl and commercial 

game-birds as well as poultry from other species under the category “other poultry” (Table 16). 

The Census reports on inventory, farms with inventory, and numbers sold for these species. For 

the major species there is a breakdown to identify these quantities by industry sector and by size 

of operation in the published Census report.
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36

Table 16. Census of Agriculture Poultry Species for which Data are Collected and 

Reported

Chickens Peafowl

Chukars Pheasants

Ducks Pigeons/squabs

Emus Quail

Geese Rheas

Guineas Turkeys

Hungarian partridge Other poultry

Ostriches

Source: The Contractor’s Research Department after USDA, 

NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture Table 32.

Many production and inventory data from the Census are also available at the state level in both 

the published and online versions of that report. The online version allows preparation of 

customized reports for limited areas of significance to the analysis. However, NASS does not 

report comprehensive data on integrator-contractor relations; a review of the questionnaire shows 

these data are not collected.65

In published reports, in “keeping with the provisions of Title 7 of the United States Code, no data 

are published [by NASS] that would disclose information about the operations of an individual 

farm or ranch. All tabulated data are subjected to an extensive disclosure review prior to 

publication. Any tabulated item that identifies data reported by a respondent or allows a 

respondent’s data to be accurately estimated or derived, was suppressed and coded with a ‘D’. 

However, the number of farms reporting an item is not considered confidential information and 

is provided even though other information is withheld.”

66

 Furthermore, the infrequent 

distribution of the wide-ranging Census surveys (i.e., once every five years) limits their utility 

for insurance development.

More poultry industry data, including annual estimates derived by NASS from annual surveys, 

are available for the larger sectors of the industry: chickens (including egg production), ducks, 

and turkeys. NASS carefully documents its Census67 and survey methods68 for use in data 

analysis by third parties. The survey analyses extrapolate from the responses from limited 

populations surveyed using standard sample survey methods. The extrapolations build on 

patterns identified in the Census. However, the limited number of large poultry operations and 

the large number of small operations reported in the Census survey limit the utility for the 

detailed quantitative analysis essential for development of an insurance product meaningful to 

growers and appropriately addressing their risks related to integrator bankruptcy.

 

65 USDA, NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture Questionnaire. The Contractor would note information about production under 

contract are collected, but this information is limited and addresses primarily the amount of crop sold under contract.

66 USDA, NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture, Introduction IX.

67 USDA, NASS, 2009, Surveys: Census of Agriculture, http://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/ 

Census_of_Agriculture/index.asp, accessed April 2015; USDA, NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture, Appendix A 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/usv1.pdf, accessed April 2015.

68 See for example: USDA, NASS, 2015, Poultry - Production and Value 2014 Summary, 

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-30-2015.pdf, accessed July 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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37

As reported previously, data from NASS on contractual production in the major poultry sectors 

are limited. Data on the other sectors of the poultry industry are even more geographically 

limited, sporadic, and in many cases anecdotal.

The Contractor identified thousands of academic research articles addressing poultry contracts. 

The Contractor found no subset of these articles focused on the data required for crop insurance 

development for a business interruption product specific to integrator bankruptcy. Most of the 

research articles addressed single incident case studies. Inasmuch as the methods used for data 

collection were not consistent, consolidating the data available in different articles would by no 

means produce the comprehensive dataset required for insurance development. Furthermore, it 

was not possible in many cases to be sure that the data in different articles was not replicated. 

The precision of the data presented in different articles suggested that some used rounding to 

facilitate comparison between dissimilar events. The search for data with which to construct a 

comprehensive poultry integrator bankruptcy insurance dataset, more than anything else, 

convinced the Contractor that, even with extraordinary efforts, construction of such a database 

from disparate sources of historical data would be fraught with problems.

The Contractor notes, for the private insurance available for business interruption resulting from 

integrator bankruptcy, brokers work with contractors to obtain the data required by the insurer to 

underwrite and rate the distinctive policies for each insured. The liability covered is generally 

tied to potential lost revenues based on both historical experience of the grower and the contract 

terms. Rating is based on integrator financial data, when available from public sources such as 

annual financial reports of publicly traded companies and from additional information identified 

by underwriters in drafting one-off contracts. This approach generally results in products whose 

premiums are idiosyncratic and likely to carry a substantial load. The Contractor identified no 

data series from acceptable sources that could be used to replicate these policy development 

processes for an FCIC product.

IV.B. Pricing Analyses

The SOW calls for the Contractor to “formulate reasonable methods for pricing or determining

dollar amounts of insurance for a potential insurance program.” As a term of art for crop 

insurance, “price” refers to the value per unit of the insured crop. Generally, price is used in the 

calculation of liability by multiplying the approved yield by the price published by RMA or by a 

lower price elected by the insured (yield-based policies only). For revenue-based policies, RMA 

publishes two prices: projected price and harvest price. The projected price or a lower price 

election is multiplied by the approved yield and coverage level to establish a guarantee for the 

purpose of establishing the premium amount. The higher of the projected price or the harvest 

price multiplied by the approved yield and the coverage level establishes the final guarantee for 

revenue-based policies. The harvest price (or the value established by the insured for yield 

protection) is multiplied by the production to count to establish the quantity to count.

Business interruption insurance is a purchased risk management tool in which one party (the 

insurer) agrees to pay another party (the insured) all or a portion of business income lost after a 

disaster. The “disaster” posited as the sole cause of loss for the insurance under study is an 

integrator bankruptcy. Therefore for the purpose of this potential product, the logical construct 

for establishing the liability is a dollar amount of insurance reflecting the net lost business 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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38

income. Furthermore, since each grower operation is characterized by unique financial attributes

defined by its normal contractual terms, it is more logical that the dollar amount of insurance not 

be fixed.

The Contractor has identified two potential methods for quantifying the loss of income and 

consequently a cap for each insured’s liability. The first is to use cost of production budgets to 

establish a per bird income value. This value could be multiplied by a grower’s average number 

of birds per production cycle and by the number of production cycles lost to establish a net

income lost value.

Numerous cost of production budgets are available for sectors of the poultry industry, by crop 

and location.69 While the details of the approach used in development of each of these budgets 

vary, ultimately the calculations use prospective costs and potential gross income to establish the 

potential net income from the enterprise. In a development effort, where pricing for business 

interruption were established using cost of production budgets, appropriate decisions would need 

to be made by the developer on which costs among the prospective costs were covered by the 

insurance. An appropriate standard would likely be “unavoidable” prospective costs. Costs not 

incurred because of the business interruption should not be insurable under a crop insurance 

program. This would create the possibility of beneficial gain.

There is the potential for differences between the actual costs incurred by an enterprise and the 

theoretical costs captured in a cost of production approach used to establish the insurance 

“pricing.” However, this situation is no different from that for any crops.

The best way to describe the “price” received by a broiler sector grower would be to document

contract prices over time. However, the secrecy around tournament pricing in these contracts 

makes it difficult to establish precisely the individual grower’s price received from the contract 

itself. Reliable longitudinal datasets recording contract payments are not publicly available. In 

fact, no report of prices actually received by the growers by state is available. Despite efforts by 

the Contractor to obtain these data from growers or integrators, these data were considered 

proprietary. NASS and ERS publish estimates of prices received. These would be the best 

estimates for establishing potential gross income, which in turn could be used with appropriate 

adjustments to establish a dollar amount of insurance.

 

69 For example, for the broiler sector: Cunningham, D.L., and B.D. Fairchild, 2011, Broiler Production Systems in Georgia, Costs

and Returns Analysis, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, 

http://www.agecon.uga.edu/extension/pubs/documents/B1240_3.PDF, accessed July 2015; Rhodes, J.L., J. Timmons, J.R. 

Nottingham, and W. Musser, 2011, Broiler Production Management for Potential and Existing Growers, University of 

Maryland, https://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_docs/POULTRY_BroilerProductionManagement_final1.pdf, 

accessed July 2015.

For the turkey sector: Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2014, Sample Turkeys Budget - Hens, 

hehttp://extension.psu.edu/business/ag-alternatives/livestock/files/budgets/small-flock-turkey-production/sample-turkeybudget-hens, accessed July 2015 and Sample Turkeys Budget – Toms, http://extension.psu.edu/business/agalternatives/livestock/files/budgets/small-flock-turkey-production/sample-turkey-budget-toms, accessed July 2015.

For the layer sector, Menon, D. 2009, Economics Of Layer Farming, http://www.slideshare.net/drdgmmrm/economics-oflayer-farming, accessed May 2015; and Ibarburu, M. and D. Bell, 2014, U.S. and Regional Estimates of Layer Feed Prices, 

Cost of Producing Eggs, and Egg Prices, http://www.ans.iastate.edu/EIC/newsletters/LayerFeb2014.pdf, accessed May 

2015.
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39

For substantially more than half of production, turkey growers generally receive a contracted 

price per pound of live bird and frequently have contracts that include incentive payments for 

feed conversion rates and survival to harvest. The best way to establish prices received by 

growers would be to document contract prices over time. Reliable datasets recording contract 

payments over time are not publicly available; the integrators consider these data proprietary. 

Many growers also consider these data proprietary. Payment is based on numbers and pounds of 

birds delivered times the contract price. Once again, NASS and ERS publish estimates of prices 

received. In the absence of contract prices received data, these would be the best estimates for 

establishing potential gross income, which in turn could be used with appropriate adjustments to 

establish a dollar amount of insurance.

Establishing an estimate for losses of potential gross income in the layer sector is complex. It is 

important to understand eggs are the crop from a layer operation. The eggs are produced 

seriatim, rather than in a single production event, the length of potential laying becomes an issue 

in establishing lost income. In many cases, this production could occur in more than one 

calendar year and likely more than one crop year (however that is defined). After the layer 

reaches age one and a half to two and a half years, commercial hens are typically slaughtered 

(culled). The larger the operation, the more likely culling will occur early. However, laying can 

be stimulated by forcing the hen to molt. Following the molt, the frequency of laying is 

increased relative to the frequency immediately prior to molting. There are similarities to this 

pattern and the patter of trees in a grove or orchard. Nonetheless, for layers there is a definite 

end to the productive life of a layer and a logical financial end to that productive life which 

occurs earlier than the biological end of productivity. Grower concern with the APHIS model to 

establish values for depopulated birds suggests how challenging development of a price structure 

for the layer sector will be.

The game birds include several species of ducks, geese, guinea hens, pheasant and quail. As 

difficult as it would be to establish prices received by growers for broilers, turkeys, and eggs 

(i.e., layers), the challenges facing the insurance industry for establishing game bird prices 

received are substantially greater. In the first place there are the numerous species involved. 

Furthermore, individuals within a species are sold at different ages. The birds may pass through 

the hands of several agricultural producers before being sold for slaughter or release. Finally, it 

appears there are differences in price regionally, reflecting both where the birds are raised and 

transportation costs. There are no time series data available for the farm-level value of birds in 

this class. In fact, there are no data for a single point in time that captures farm-level value for 

game birds generally.

In many ways the challenges related to establishing game bird prices are analogous to the 

challenges related to establishing the prices of nursery stock. In that industry, catalog prices 

(subject to a maximum) for wholesale stock are used in lieu of a survey to establish maximum 

prices for individual species and size (equivalent to poultry age) classes. The Contractor 

believes pricing with caps set based on industry prices patterns is the only viable approach for 

game bird prices received for a crop insurance product.

Regardless of the decision made during development to identify appropriate net income losses to 

be covered (i.e., both the appropriate gross income to include the appropriate prospective costs to 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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40

include and exclude from the calculations), the developer would also need to determine the 

appropriate period for coverage. The insurance period could be as short as a production cycle or 

as long as a year or more. Since a production cycle is much shorter for broilers and some game 

birds than for turkeys and other game birds, and the meat bird cycles are much shorter than the 

layer sectors, an equitable determination of the appropriate insurance period would need to be 

made during development.

The Contractor heard testimony that following some broiler integrator bankruptcies, most 

growers had been “picked up” by another integrator within one or two production cycles, some 

had been picked up after a longer period, and some had never been picked up. A factor like a 

price election for a yield-based product could be applied to the insurance period price so the 

insured could manage the liability (and consequently the premium) to reflect their individual 

concern about the potential length of a business interruption. However, this creates issues with 

the actuarial basis of the premiums, since the risk of not being picked up is higher for some 

regions, sectors, and insureds (based on their experience and the quality of their facilities) than 

for others.

Consequently, although establishing a price using cost of production budgets potentially is 

feasible, the Contractor prefers an alternate pricing approach. The preferred approach is the 

adjusted revenue approach used in the Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) product. The 

Contractor is not suggesting the WFRP product itself is appropriate for poultry growers as 

defined in the SOW. The WFRP product does not provide meaningful coverage for a poultry 

grower because of geographic exclusions and specific exclusions of contract livestock growers. 

Information about issues that limit the utility of the product is found in the Existing Program 

Review section. However, the approved revenue construct from that product could be adjusted 

to establish a dollar amount of insurance for a potential business interruption product for growers 

who experience losses because of an integrator’s bankruptcy.

In the WFRP program, the approved revenue amount is determined on a Farm Operation Report 

and is the lower of the expected revenue or the whole-farm historic average revenue. The dollar 

amount of insurance is determined by multiplying the approved revenue amount by a coverage 

level. Total revenue is established using data from tax documents. Generally, five years of 

historic Schedule F farm tax records are required. If the potential insured hasn’t filed Schedule 

F, the tax forms filed documenting the grower’s income is used to create a Substitute Schedule F. 

Specific entries on the income tax returns are used but with adjustments to remove items that are 

not allowed to establish ‘allowable revenue’ and ‘allowable expenses’ for each tax year.

Post production costs for activities such as packing and packaging, as well as any added value 

operations, are excluded from the expected revenue and allowable revenue as well as from the 

allowable expenses. Non poultry income and expenses would also be excluded as are 

government agricultural payments, such as disaster payments. Government payments are 

excluded because these are not earned as part of the farming operation. The dollar amount of 

insurance would appropriately be based on actual historical crop production.

RMA has already developed procedures to establish a dollar amount of insurance unique to each 

insured based on this approach. In a development effort, it would be appropriate to start with the 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

41

existing RMA procedures for WFRP and make appropriate adjustments to reflect the revenue 

and expenses associated with contract growing of poultry.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

42

V. REVIEW OF OTHER PROGRAMS

In this section the Contractor provides information regarding programs offering financial support 

for the poultry industry identified during the course of the project. The Contractor reviewed 

programs offered through the Federal government, state governments, and from the private 

insurance industry. Numerous support programs are available from governmental agencies, 

although the Contractor found the risk management products exclude many poultry industry 

stakeholders. The WFRP Pilot Program specifically excludes growers, operations with large 

gross revenues, and operations whose primary revenue source is livestock (including poultry). 

Furthermore, WFRP was not available in 2015 in certain major geographic areas including 

counties and states with substantial poultry production (such as Arkansas). This may change for 

subsequent crop years. WFRP may be available and useful for smaller, diverse operations with 

poultry production. This could include some niche market operations. 

APHIS provides compensation to the owner of the poultry for animals the government destroys 

as part of the service’s disease control programs (“takings”). Payments are not made for disease 

related death, only for animals destroyed (depopulation). The APHIS compensation is only 

available to owners of the birds taken (i.e., owner/producers, integrators and growers who have 

an ownership interest in the birds they raise). The compensation addresses lost costs, but not 

total lost value. This contrasts significantly with most crop insurance which compensates the 

insured for total lost value (based on historical averages) less a deductible. Furthermore, the 

APHIS program does not compensate growers for business interruption related expenses. 

Private catastrophic loss coverage is available for poultry operations and does provide some 

measure of compensation for losses associated with business interruption. The Contractor was 

able to identify only one private product which covered losses associated with loss of contracts. 

Details of the various support programs available to poultry industry stakeholders follow.

Federal Programs

Federal programs supporting poultry growers are offered primarily by agencies and services of 

the USDA. USDA programs supporting poultry growers are described by the agencies or 

services within the USDA offering the program. These agencies and services are listed 

alphabetically.

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Poultry growers benefit from general services of AMS including the following programs:

 The Agricultural Analytics Division: Provides economic, scientific, statistical, 

mathematical, and market analysis.

 The Country of Origin Labeling Division: Ensures that poultry sold at retail are labeled 

by their country of origin (COOL). The recent World Trade Organization ruling 

regarding COOL labeling for beef may force changes in this program.

 The Food Safety and Commodity Specification Division: Develops and maintains 

specifications for poultry and eggs purchased by USDA for distribution through the 

various Federal food and nutrition assistance programs. Relevant standards include:

 Poultry Carcass Grading and Standards (AMS 70.200 et seq.).

 Egg Grading and Standards (AMS 56, 7 CFR Part 56, 7 CFR Part 57).

 Grading Division, Poultry Program: Monitors the Shell Egg Surveillance Program. Shell 

eggs that are not of the best quality for human consumption are called “restricted eggs.”
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

43

Restricted eggs include checked eggs, dirty eggs, leaking eggs, incubator rejects, and 

inedible eggs. The program also provides mandatory procedures for the disposition of 

restricted eggs. The Shell Egg Surveillance Program limits the number and types of 

restricted eggs permitted in consumer channels and specifies the approaches appropriate 

for different restricted egg types.

 The Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News Division: Collects price and volume 

information for the sale and purchase of poultry and eggs reported in the Weekly 

Livestock, Poultry, & Grain Market Highlights.

 The Quality Assessment Division: Develops and maintains Federal standards for egg and 

poultry quality and nomenclature. Participates in development of national and 

international standards.

 The Research and Promotion Division: Oversees industry-funded egg research and 

promotion programs, commonly called the checkoff programs.

 Animal Protein Free Certification Program (APFC): This program provides third-party 

verification that poultry have never been fed animal protein, animal fats, or animal byproducts.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

APHIS is responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, administering the 

Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. APHIS has been 

tasked with greater responsibility for enforcing the obligations of the United States under 

phytosanitary rules such as the Codex Alimentarius and responds to other countries’ animal and 

plant health import requirements and assists in negotiating science-based trade restrictions.

APHIS, under authority of the Secretary of Agriculture granted by the Code of Federal 

Regulations, Title 9: Animals and Animal Products, Chapter I: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture, has been given the task of responding to poultry 

disease outbreaks. APHIS may seize, quarantine, and, if necessary, order the destruction of 

poultry affected by any one of several identified diseases. Furthermore, the Secretary of 

Agriculture has authority to ascertain the value of animals destroyed and provide compensation; 

this task has also been assigned to APHIS. The poultry diseases named in 9 CFR are Newcastle 

disease, HPAI, and chlamydiosis. APHIS relies heavily on the NPIP program standards as the 

foundation of their poultry disease monitoring activities.70 One of the constraints on APHIS 

programs compensating owners is that payments are generally limited to those animals alive at 

the time a (Veterinary Service) VS 1-23 form is submitted to APHIS. Confirmation of infection 

is required for submission. Consequently, animals lost to the disease prior to submission of the 

VS 1-23 to APHIS are generally not covered under the compensation program.71 

 

70 USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, August 2014, National Poultry Improvement Plan Program Standards, 

http://www.poultryimprovement.org/documents/ProgramStandardsAugust2014.pdf, accessed April 2015.

71 USDA, 2015, HPAI Outbreak 2014-2015 Indemnity Procedures, 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/emergency_management/downloads/hpai/indemnity_procedures.pdf, accessed July 

2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

44

Other APHIS programs important to the poultry industry include:

 Animal Welfare,

 Import and Export Services:

 Animal and Animal Product Import and Export Information,

 International Trade,

 Sanitary and Phytosanitary Management (Trade Facilitation),

 Veterinary Services:

 Animal Diseases by Species,

 Animal Health Report,

 Laboratory Information and Services,

 Monitoring and Surveillance,

 Professional Development Training,

 Veterinarian Accreditation,

 Veterinary Biologics,

 Veterinary Services Process Streamlining (VSPS),

 Veterinary Services, Office of the Chief Information Officer (VS OCIO), and

 Wildlife Service.

Economic Research Service (ERS)

ERS provides data and analysis on poultry product supply and demand, as well as information on 

industry structure, pricing, trade, farm policies, production systems, and processing. ERS reports 

of particular interest include:

 Animal Production and Marketing Issues Briefing Room,

 Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook: Tables,

 Livestock and Meat Trade Data, and

 Meat Price Spreads Data.

Farm Service Agency (FSA)

FSA provides financial assistance to assist producers facing losses from natural disaster (i.e.,

drought, flood, fire, freeze, tornadoes, pest infestation, and other “calamities”). FSA’s 

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides payments to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to a natural 

disaster. Eligible producers include landowners, tenants, or sharecroppers who share in the risk 

of producing an eligible crop. The annual gross revenue of the eligible producer cannot exceed 

$2 million. The natural disaster causing the loss must occur before or during harvest and must 

directly affect the eligible crop. There is a requirement that disaster caused by weather, 

earthquake, volcano, or flood be declared or that losses result from disease or insect infestations 

arising because of such a declared disaster.

In the 2014 Farm Bill, FSA’s Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program 

underwent some modifications. Four disaster programs were extended indefinitely: Livestock 

Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Emergency Assistance for 

Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP), and Tree Assistance Program (TAP). 

Furthermore, the 2014 Farm Bill removed the requirement that producers purchase crop 

insurance or NAP coverage to qualify for these payments. Of these programs, only LIP and 

ELAP apply to the poultry industry.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

45

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides “benefits to livestock producers for livestock 

deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather. In addition, LIP covers attacks 

by animals reintroduced into the wild by the Federal government or protected by Federal law, 

including wolves and avian predators. LIP payments are equal to 75 percent of the market value 

of the applicable livestock on the day before the date of death of the livestock as determined by 

the Secretary.”

72

 Eligible poultry for this program include broilers, pullets, chicks, layers, 

Cornish hens, ducks, ducklings, geese, goslings, and turkeys. Those persons whose average 

adjusted gross income is greater than $900,000 are ineligible for payment under this program. 

This program does not provide compensation for business interruption.

Poultry owner/producers may also qualify for disaster payments under ELAP. ELAP provides 

emergency assistance to eligible owner/producers of livestock (including contract poultry 

growers), honeybees and farm-raised fish. “ELAP covers losses due to an eligible adverse 

weather or eligible loss condition, including blizzards, disease (including cattle tick fever), water 

shortages and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary, that occurs on or after Oct. 1, 2011.”73 

The payments for death losses are the only benefit for which poultry is eligible to participate. 

Eligible loss conditions for this program do not include business interruption.

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

FSIS is the agency responsible for ensuring the safety, wholesomeness, labelling, and packaging 

of the commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products. Both the Federal Meat Inspection 

Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) require the Secretary of Agriculture 

to consult with an advisory committee before issuing product standards, labeling changes, or 

statements on matters affecting Federal and state meat inspection programs.74 The National 

Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) was created to serve that end, 

and FSIS employees are responsible for scheduling and facilitating the work, actions, and 

meetings of the committee. Agency employees also identify, assess, and define emerging and 

standing issues affecting procedures, policies, activities, or resources for consideration by the 

committee.

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

Poultry growers benefit from FAS general services and programs. Due to the growing 

importance of foreign markets to the poultry sectors, FAS export development and promotion 

programs are of particular importance. The FAS poultry data includes:

 Dairy, Livestock and Poultry Division (DLP),

 Data series, analysis of world markets, buyer lists, etc., and

 Export Program Data.

 

72 USDA, FSA, Program Fact Sheets, April 2014, Livestock Indemnity Program, 

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsReleases?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=pfs&newstype=prfactsheet&type=detai

l&item=pf_20140415_distr_en_lip.html, accessed April 2015.

73 USDA, FSA, 2014 Farm Bill Fact Sheet, November 2014, Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised 

Fish Program (ELAP) – Livestock Assistance, http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/DisasterAssist/elap_livestk_fact_sht1114.pdf, accessed April 2015

74 USDA, FSIS, 2015, FSIS History, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/aboutfsis/history/history, accessed April 

2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

46

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

NASS is the primary data collection and publication service of the USDA. Its continuous, 

consistent data series are widely used by growers, integrators, and owner/producers and 

researchers. Some poultry industry data are collected and summarized by NASS. The two 

principal data collection approaches are census and survey. All commercial producers are 

expected to respond to the census questionnaires which are distributed every five years. NASS 

extrapolates from survey responses to report state and national poultry data.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (formerly Cooperative State Research, Education, and 

Extension Service) (NIFA)

The NIFA is the Federal administrative authority for the State Land Grant Agricultural 

Experiment Stations and the Cooperative Extension Service. Extension and education programs 

provide important educational and consultancy resources for producers in all areas, including 

poultry growers.

NIFA funds research leading to a better understanding of the financial strength of the poultry 

industry. Fairly recent NIFA-funded research has addressed agricultural and rural finance 

markets.75

Risk Management Agency

The WFRP Pilot Program provides a risk management safety net for essentially all revenue on 

the farm under one insurance policy. WFRP replaces the previous Adjusted Gross Revenue 

(AGR) and Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite) policies. This new insurance plan is 

available for farms with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue. Due to the effective deductible in 

the coverage level, the total gross revenue of the insured operation can be larger. WFRP is 

available for farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those 

marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets. 

WFRP is designed to meet the needs of highly diverse farms that are growing a wide range of 

commodities, and for farms selling commodities to wholesale markets. The WFRP policy was 

specifically developed for farms that tend to sell to direct, local or regional, and farm-identity 

preserved markets and grow specialty crops and animals and animal products. All commodities 

produced by the farm are covered under WFRP except timber, forest, and forest products, and 

animals for sport, show or pets.

The insured must have filed five consecutive years of Schedule F (or equivalent) tax forms as the 

same tax entity; unless an appropriate change in the tax entity is approved by the insurance 

provider under the terms of the policy. The farm operation will be ineligible for insurance under 

this policy if expected revenue from animals and/or animal products is more than $1 million or 

35 percent of the total expected revenue or if the operation derives more than 50 percent of 

allowable revenue from commodities purchased for resale. Revenue from contract production of 

livestock is specifically excluded from coverage. The amount of farm revenue a producer can 

 

75 Ahrendsen, B. L.; Dixon, B. L., 2009, AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL FINANCE MARKETS IN TRANSITION, USDA 

Research, Education & Economics Information System, http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0202932-agriculturaland-rural-finance-markets-in-transition.html, accessed July 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

47

protect with WFRP insurance is based on the lower of the revenue expected on the current year’s 

farm plan or the producer’s five-year historic income adjusted for growth. WFRP provides 

whole-farm revenue protection coverage levels from 50 to 85 percent of insured revenue

described above. These coverage levels are available in 5 percent increments and a farm must 

have diversification of at least three (3) commodities in order to qualify for the 80 and 85 percent 

coverage levels.

At the end of the insurance period and after the insured has filed farm income tax forms for the 

insurance year, a loss adjuster will complete an Allowable Revenue and Allowable Expense 

Worksheet for the insurance year using the insured’s farm tax forms. The allowable revenue will 

be adjusted for inventory adjustments, unharvested or unsold production, and production lost for 

uninsured causes of loss to determine the revenue-to-count for the year. A loss is paid when the

total revenue-to-count for the insurance year falls below the insured amount of revenue, 

multiplied by the expense reduction factor, if applicable.

There are limits and qualifications under WFRP that may impact a poultry operation. First, the 

operation will not qualify for WFRP if: “The expected revenue from animals and animal 

products on the farm is greater than $1 million or more than 35 percent of the expected revenue 

as determined on the sales closing date.”76 “Animals” is defined in the WFRP Pilot Handbook 

as: “living organisms other than plants or fungi that are produced or raised in farm operations, 

including, but not limited to, cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, aquaculture species, 

bees, and fur bearing animals. For the purposes of WFRP, animals must be propagated or reared 

in a controlled environment.”

77 [emphasis added]

In addition, the following are excluded from the allowable revenue in each year of the wholefarm history period, expected revenue for the insurance year, and revenue-to-count for claims:

 “Revenue from commodities in which the insured does not have an insurable interest;”

 “Revenue earned as an animal contract grower”

78 [emphasis added]

Contract grower means a person retained under contract to manage the growth of a commodity 

owned by another person. Integrators, contract with independent farmers, commonly called 

growers, to raise birds until ready for processing. The grower provides the facility and the labor, 

and then cares for the poultry until the birds are ready for processing and are picked up by the 

integrator. The revenue earned by the “grower” in these cases is excluded from the WFRP 

program. WFRP is available in most states for the 2015 crop year as shown in the following 

figure.

 

76 USDA, RMA 2015, Whole Farm Revenue Protection Pilot Handbook: 2015 and Succeeding Crop Years (FCIC 18160-1 (01-

2015), page 10.

77 Ibid., page 78.

78 Ibid., page 20.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

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48

Figure 1. Whole Farm Revenue Protection Pilot Area

Source: http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/2015/wfrpareamap.pdf, accessed July 22, 2015.

Rural Business–Cooperative Service (RBS) 

RBS is a small agency with limited funding and staff whose purpose is to finance and facilitate 

development of small and emerging private business enterprises, and promote sustainable 

economic development in rural communities.79 While this agency could potentially serve 

poultry growers and integrators, the industry structure will limit the impact of RBS services to 

many in the poultry industry.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Poultry operations are affected by EPA rules administered primarily by the Office of Water 

Management under the heading “Animal Feeding Operations” (AFO). Relevant reports may be 

found through linked topics such as water, waste, and waste management and by reviewing the 

EPA Website for AFOs (http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/anafoidx.html). The rules regulate the 

discharge of pollutants from point sources to waters of the United States. As a point source, 

some operations require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. 

Application for the permit includes development of a nutrient management plan ensuring litter is 

properly managed.80 Many stakeholders expressed concern that EPA regulations introduce 

economic barriers to profitable management of poultry operations.

 

79 USDA, Rural Development (RD), 2015, About RD, http://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd, and Rural Business–Cooperative 

Service, http://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/agencies/rural-business-cooperative-service, accessed July 2015.

80 EPA, 2015, Animal Feeding Operations Overview, http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/afo/index.cfm, accessed July 2015.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

49

State Government Programs

State programs and regulations affect poultry production. State statutes or codes generally define 

an administrative office and/or an administrator responsible for licensing and enforcing 

minimum husbandry, sanitary, and environmental standards for poultry operations. Some states 

have poultry regulations that replace or complement Federal sanitary or environmental standards. 

The various regulations are similar to Federal standards, often referencing them as minima. 

Several states use their legislative bodies to regulate the oversight and construct of business 

entities within the state including poultry production facilities. Some states use legislative force 

to address business relationships between integrators and growers.

The Contractor conducted research into 9 key poultry producing states and discovered, since 

2011, no fewer than 50 state-level bills considered by the respective legislative bodies which 

would have, if passed into law, impacted poultry business operations and/or relationships in 

those states. Arkansas considered at least ten bills which would have impacted the poultry 

industry in that state. Arkansas legislators considered topics such as protecting livestock and 

poultry operations from interference.

States oversee and regulate integrators’ slaughter, processing, and distribution activities. 

Regulations governing slaughter and processing procedures generally follow the FMIA and the 

PPIA, which control operations and transactions affecting interstate commerce.81

While integrator regulation not associated with “crop” production is outside the scope of this 

feasibility assessment, it contributes to institutional risks that may impact grower wellbeing. 

These regulations ultimately affect growers. For example, compliant poultry operation 

management plans in Maryland must ensure proper storage, handling, and land application of 

excess poultry waste. Until the current regulations were set, manure disposal was the 

responsibility of the growers; now it is the integrator who must bear this cost.82

Private Insurance Inventory

Private insurance companies offer coverage to commercial poultry operations, family farm 

poultry operations, private hatchery operations, and growers. Policies and the coverage provided 

are described herein.

Bankruptcy Coverage

During the course of the research the Contractor ascertained that at least one private insurance 

company, H.U.B. International, offered poultry growers and owner/producers the opportunity to 

purchase business interruption coverage for some bankruptcy related losses. These insurance 

brokers and consultants work with contractors in many industries to address financial risks in 

contractual agreements. The liability covered is generally tied to potential lost revenues and to 

existing credit obligations of the insured. Rating is based on integrator finances when available 

(from public sources such as annual financial reports of publicly traded integrators) and from 

 

81 Poultry products are sold under provisions of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act, or 

the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

82 State of Maryland. 1998, BILL INFO-1998 Regular Session-SB 41.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

50

additional information identified by underwriters in drafting one-off contracts. Some of these 

policies are offered as standard policies while others are on offer as surplus line policies.

Other business interruption riders are written on an individual basis and negotiated individually. 

In email correspondence, a representative of such a company indicated that coverage could be 

extended, on a case by case basis. The Contractor believes this one-off nature of these policies 

and the individually established premiums will limit access to these products to highly motivated 

(risk averse) insureds.

Building Coverage

Although coverage varies by company, “All Risk Coverage” insurance is available for farm 

buildings. These policies indemnify losses from fire, weather, damage due to snow and ice load, 

or impact by a farm-owned vehicle. Replacement cost coverage is available for farm buildings. 

Typically, no depreciation is calculated in establishing indemnities. Building policies tend to 

cover the repair or replacement of fixed equipment. Replacement cost coverage is also available 

for all on farm dwellings including the replacement cost of contents. Business interruption riders 

may be available on these policies, although integrator bankruptcy would not be an insured cause 

of loss for all risk building coverage.

Companies writing poultry insurance building coverage have various underwriting requirements 

based on the age of the poultry house. Policies are generally contingent on a favorable 

inspection of the poultry house. Although insurance companies tend to have a limited range of 

premium rates regardless of house construction materials (i.e., the premium rate on all-metal 

houses may be the same as the premium rate on wood frame houses), there is a movement 

toward differentiating the rates, with all-metal housing receiving discounts.

Flock Insurance Coverage

Most insurers offering coverage for the poultry industry do not typically cover animal mortality 

or loss of business income resulting from loss of birds. However, several carriers and/or 

agencies are aggressively seeking customers through online sales.83 Some insurance is available 

to cover the value of lost poultry as well as the loss of business income resulting from the 

inability to complete a production cycle. Covered losses include losses to livestock due to 

contaminated feeds, smoke, failure of environmental controls, suffocation of the livestock, 

biosecurity issues (terrorism and quarantine), and certain defaults by integrators.84 These 

product lines are offered in at least 19 states, including most, but not all of the major poultry 

production locations85 and are offered by carriers who underwrite insurance in the United 

States.86 The terms of the policies are considered proprietary. Agents at three agencies indicated 

they had not yet seen a policy covering feed conversion (the best measure of production). 

However, two agents indicated individual policies are negotiated with terms defined by the 

 

83 e.g., The Hartford, http://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/poultry-insurance, accessed April 2015.

84 TGA Cross Insurance, http://www.thomasgregory.com/property-casualty/poultry/, accessed April 2015, Alabama Farm 

Insurance, http://alabamafarminsurance.com/, Westfield Insurance, 

http://www.westfieldinsurance.com/farm/farm_insurance.jsp/, accessed April 2015

85 Westfield Insurance, http://www.westfieldinsurance.com/farm/farm_insurance.jsp/, accessed April 2015

86 Nationwide Agribusiness, the agricultural arm of the Nationwide Insurance, and its affiliates Allied Insurance offer this 

insurance and are the largest underwriter of farmowners’ property and casualty insurance in the United States.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

51

insured and underwriting and premium defined by the insurer. Most of the existing policies 

cover catastrophic losses. 

Flock insurance coverage is available for heat prostration due to power interruption (both on and 

off premises) from any cause including mechanical breakdown and fuse breakage. Some 

policies require a back-up system or alarm system warranty in order to offer power interruption 

coverage. Policies may provide schedules to value types and ages of birds differently within the 

same policy or may value poultry using a simple formula based on both the age at which birds 

are typically marketed and different values for various types of birds. Coverage is available for 

full mortality and theft, specific perils and theft, major medical, loss of use, and infertility. 

Programs are available for insurance under an “agreed value endorsement,” wherein the value of 

breeding stock is insured for a predetermined value regardless of market forces. There is also a 

“market value endorsement” option where the market value acts as an adjustment increasing the 

value of the poultry when the market value increases. Coverage available in Canada through 

mutual insurance arrangements appears to be even more extensive,87 suggesting that demand 

over time may drive the development of additional available coverage options in U.S. markets.

Loss of Income Coverage

Loss of income coverage is available to poultry operations from the private insurance industry. 

Profits insurance is also available with a 12 month loss of income agreement. Some companies 

offer policies for loss of egg income or income from meat birds. Within these policies, growers 

may be allowed to choose a dollar limit per bird. Typically, loss of income coverage for poultry 

houses is included in the Farm Owner’s Policy, which stipulates coverage of the entire farm (i.e., 

house, tractor, barn, and poultry houses). Loss of income coverage for the broiler house growers 

and owner/producers is generally based on structural and/or mechanical risks. Loss of income 

insurance is available as a result of damage to the covered poultry houses, generators, freezers, 

feed equipment, etc. Coverage may not be available for older houses (12 to 15 years old) or the 

premium for older houses may be prohibitive. Loss of income coverage for the poultry industry 

is less common than for some other industries due to the limited loss exposure and reduced 

amount of risk.

TGA Cross Insurance, Alabama Farm Insurance, Westfield Insurance, the Livestock Department 

of Hartford Insurance, and Nationwide Agribusiness (the agricultural arm of the Nationwide 

Insurance) offer loss of income and flock insurance. According to industry representatives, 

Nationwide Insurance, Hartford Insurance, and a third unnamed major company (although this is 

most likely the Lloyds consortium) carry much of the poultry liability. Nationwide Insurance 

and its affiliates Allied Insurance are the largest underwriter of farm owners’ property and 

casualty insurance in the United States. They appear to be aggressively targeting poultry 

markets with policies customized through negotiations to reflect the risk borne by growers, 

owner/producers, and integrators. The Contractor found mortality coverage for extreme weather 

conditions is available from a variety of sources, along with corollary business interruption 

insurance. Several agents indicated a willingness to talk about such coverages, but none had had 

experience negotiating policies for these perils. 

 

87 North Blenheimual Mutual Insurance, http://www.northblenheim.ca/products/farm/poultry-coverage/, accessed April 2015.
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52

Coverage in Transportation

Some policies are available to provide coverage for growers, owner/producers, and integrators 

requiring transportation of poultry or eggs from one listed location to another, if the vehicle is 

owned by the policy holder.

Basic Farm Liability

Basic Farm Liability is available for all but the smallest operations.

Employers Contingent Liability

Employers Contingent Liability is available with the ability to add employees as insureds.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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53

VI. STAKEHOLDER SESSIONS

The SOW required the Contractor to “contact leaders representing poultry businesses at the state 

and national levels to determine the potential interest in an insurance program. Assess the 

impact to poultry growers as a result of integrator bankruptcy. ...[D]etermine why they are 

interested in insurance, identify the types of insurance programs that would meet their risk 

management needs and would best suit their type of operation, and what they are willing to pay 

to manage their risk. ...[R]eview their perceptions of any potential conflicts and difficulties with 

an insurance program and implementing said program. The Contractor shall analyze, 

summarize, and interpret the data gathered.” Additionally, the SOW stated that “RMA

anticipates five (5) listening sessions.”

88

The Contractor gathered stakeholder input during discussions with growers, integrators, 

owner/producers, industry organization representatives, insurance industry representatives, state 

and federal legislators and their staff, extension agents, and USDA staff. See Appendix B,

Exhibit 1 for a sample listening session agenda. The Contractor collected this input during six 

listening sessions focused on business interruption with the cause of loss being integrator 

bankruptcy in the four primary sectors of the poultry industry: broiler, layer, turkey, and game 

bird. With the approval of USDA RMA, all six sessions were conducted as teleconference 

listening sessions in recognition of the threat posed by the 2015 Highly Pathogenic Avian 

Influenza outbreak affecting the poultry industry nationwide. Several contacts and the 

Contractor’s livestock segment expert recommended this forum for these discussions. 

Additionally, the Contractor conducted numerous personal and telephonic conversations outside 

these more structured stakeholder input gathering activities. The Contractor had proposed 

listening sessions be conducted to cover industry stakeholders in the upper and lower Midwest 

regions of the United States, the northeast and southeast regions of the United States, and the 

west coast region of the United States. While the sessions and the advertising were designed to 

maximize exposure to diverse sectors, regions, and stakeholder types.

The Contractor contacted 15 grower associations in the 5 regions by telephone and through email 

correspondence. The Contractor asked each grower group to convey listening session invitations

to their membership. The Contractor’s livestock segment specialist contacted more than 100 

individuals within the poultry industry to invite them to participate in the sessions. Three weeks 

before the first two teleconference listening sessions the Contractor sent the RMA-approved 

Press Release (Appendix B, Exhibit 2) to local papers and regional agricultural publications. 

These advertisements and announcements were available to run for two weeks in each region and 

contained a brief synopsis of the topic for the listening session. The press releases also invited

email communication directly with the Contractor concerning the research topic. Finally, the 

Contractor contacted university extension specialists in six states and requested both their 

presence at the listening sessions and that they convey the information to poultry industry 

stakeholders with whom they worked directly.

 

88 USDA, RMA, Order Number: D15D00545, Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption, Listening 

Sessions, page 27.
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Those who participated in the listening sessions were provided a very brief summary of the crop 

insurance development process and encouraged to express their opinions concerning the value 

and feasibility of insuring business interruption resulting from integrator bankruptcy.

Northeast Region

The first teleconference was conducted from 10:30 am to 11:30 am Eastern time on July 8, 2015. 

The Contractor advertised this teleconference to the northeast region of the United States. There 

were 16 participants in attendance during this teleconference. Of these 16 participating 

stakeholders who provided demographic information, there were three growers, five 

representatives from congressional offices, one representative of a poultry industry association, 

four insurance representatives, and two representatives of RMA. Stakeholders from five states 

were represented during this teleconference. Participants in this session expressed very little 

interest in a business interruption insurance based on potential losses associated with integrator 

bankruptcy. One participant summed the discussion fairly succinctly, stating that the industry 

has developed response protocols for instances of integrators going out of business which 

virtually assure most growers will be without a contract for a relatively short period of time; 

usually no longer than one production cycle. The stakeholders did voice a fair amount of interest 

in business interruption insurance based on losses associated with downtime following a disease 

outbreak response event. 

Southeast Region I

The second teleconference was advertised to and focused on gathering information from 

stakeholders in the southeast region of the United States. The second teleconference was also 

held on July 8, 2015 and began at 12:30 pm Eastern time and concluded at 1:30 pm Eastern time. 

A single poultry industry representative from North Carolina attended this session along with 

two representatives from RMA. The poultry association representative stated that their 

membership was not interested in a bankruptcy-related business interruption insurance product. 

Furthermore, this representative also suggested their conversations with the national poultry 

association offices also indicated very little interest in this type of product nationally. The 

Contractor notes these conversations occurred while these national organizations were also 

immersed in addressing the concerns related to the worst catastrophic poultry disease event in 

modern U.S. history.

Lower Midwest Region

On July 20, 2015 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm Central time, the Contractor conducted the third 

teleconference for this project. Eleven poultry industry representatives from the lower Midwest 

(Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas) participated in the 

discussion. The most revealing statement regarding interest on the part of the poultry industry in 

the lower Midwest came from an association representative who stated the growers in their 

organization were not interested in government getting involved in their insurance options. 

Comments similar to those heard during the first teleconference regarding disease clean up 

assistance and disease related business interruption insurance were also collected from this 

group.
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55

West Coast Region

The teleconference conducted for the west coast region and advertised through personal contacts, 

extension service agents, local and regional media outlets, and the RMA Regional Office, 

resulted in no stakeholders from that region participating. The Contractor heard from our 

livestock segment specialist that this session may have been overshadowed by another 

government agency conducting a poultry-disease-related meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah on the 

same day.

Upper Midwest Region

The fifth teleconference, conducted on July 21, 2015 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm Central time, was 

attended by 23 stakeholders from the upper Midwest. Insurance industry, owner/producers, 

integrators, growers, poultry associations, and the government were each represented during the 

discussion. The discussion primarily revolved around interest in business interruption insurance 

stemming from a disease related loss rather than an integrator bankruptcy.

Southeast Region II

The final teleconference was scheduled at the request of interested stakeholders in the southeast 

region who had been unable to attend the earlier teleconference. After notifying the RMA 

COTR for this project, the Contractor scheduled this call to occur on July 22, 2015 from 10:00

am to 11:00 am Eastern time. Six stakeholders participated in the discussion, including 

insurance representatives, farm credit representatives, government representatives, and industry

representatives. The insurance representative told the participants that business interruption 

insurance based on integrator bankruptcy was a policy that an insurance company already 

offered and sold in the United States. Several comments were then collected regarding the 

construct of the available insurance and the method by which the company addressed the 

underwriting concerns for the product.

Themes Raised During Listening Sessions:

The following comments gleaned from the listening sessions are categorized by theme. The 

Contractor identifies the commenter by the segment of the industry represented in accordance 

with the following descriptors:

A = Association Representative

C = Company or Integrator Representative

E = University Extension Representative

G = Government Representative

I = Insurance Industry Representative 

P = Owner/producer or Grower

Theme 1: Industry level of concern

 The hesitancy in the industry to involve government in their insurance might change once 

the growers get a better understanding of what kind of insurance this might be and who 

would be responsible for paying for it. (A)

 I have heard no one say anything about being concerned about integrator bankruptcy. (A)

 If you can set this up like crop insurance where you can purchase different levels based 

on what financial position you are in...that would be helpful. (P)

 We haven’t heard of anyone being interested in this type of insurance. (G)
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56

 We have gotten less than half a dozen calls from folks that have either heard about the 

possibility of the product or heard that a study being done and want to know where we 

are in that process. That is why we reached out a few weeks ago to ascertain the status on 

this study. However, this was at about the same time that AI was hitting the Delmarva 

Farmer newspaper and was likely truly driven by the AI. (G)

 On the producer side - there should be a concern of bankruptcy on the producer side. (P)

 In purchasing a subsidized product from the government would we be subject to the 

current approach the government uses to determine net present value? (C)

 I don’t think a program like that would be very valuable to the egg industry in particular.

(C)

 I haven’t heard much. (A)

 I checked with the National Chicken council, National Turkey Federation, US Poultry Ag 

Association in Atlanta, and I got very little feedback or understanding or anything at all 

from the National Organizations related to the 2014 Farm Bill mandate of doing this 

study. (A)

 I am sure there are some growers who didn’t get picked up with other integrators that are 

still left out here that caught by the nature of the bankruptcy and now there is interest in 

some kind of insurance that they could buy to protect against bankruptcy. (A)

 As far as a type of insurance for an integrator going bankrupt, right now, I can't think of 

anyone [i.e., integrator] on the edge of bankruptcy. (A)

Theme 2: Industry practices already in place to manage integrator bankruptcies

 Some of the growers with Lady Forest did get picked up by other integrators. (C)

 Some of the better ones with newer houses picked up contracts from other integrators. 

(C)

 Some other farms were not able to get feed, they went under. (C)

 Those that were growing chickens with the old company got picked up by another 

company or by the new company. (A)

 When the second bankruptcy occurred in this area, every operation got picked up by 

another chicken company or by a replacement chicken company. (A)

 It was pretty much that everyone had a place where they could grow chickens. (A)

 When you talk about the subject of bankruptcy for an integrator, there is coverage for that 

through the trade credit industry. They underwrite the financials of the integrator, and the 

underwriters put up a limit based on the sales volume or the receivable volume that they 

can get for that integrator. (I)

 The bankruptcy business interruption insurance value is tied to the loan value of the 

grower. (I)

Theme 3: Industry experiences with integrator bankruptcies

 We had an integrator bankruptcy in about 2010, Lady Forest Farms, which went under.

(C)

 That bankruptcy was almost completely attributable to fluctuations in the corn price. (C)

 That [integrator] company got in a hole and were never able to climb out. (C)

 The company just stopped taking delivery of chickens at farms and then the chickens had 

to be euthanized. (C)
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 The state board of animal health had to work with the local fire departments to euthanize 

those birds. (C)

 The company just hadn't been reinvesting for years. (C)

 We were fortunate that when there were bankruptcies about 5 or 6 years ago, while there 

were disruption when one went bankrupt, another [integrator] was coming in. (A)

 We had two companies a few years back, one of them was Pilgrim’s Pride out of Texas 

and Townsends declared bankruptcy for a variety of reasons and because of that a few 

growers were caught without contracts. (A)

 Pilgrim’s Pride got out of bankruptcy by selling to a company out of Brazil and 

Townsend never recovered. (A)

 Some of the Townsend growers weren't close enough to another integrator to be picked 

up and to have birds provided to them. (A)

Theme 4: Thoughts on business interruption indemnity calculation

 I believe current loss of income insurance is about 60% of gross income, but for a 

disaster not covered for depopulation or long lay-up. (I)

 Generally what I see in the policies is a stated dollar amount that the farmer purchases. 

So the farmer can control their premium and how much reimbursement they get for a 

covered loss. (I)

 We are finding that with turkeys, once the [avian influenza] disease has stopped they 

have been able to repopulate quite quickly. (C)

 With the egg laying industry it might take up to two years to repopulate a population of 

ten million birds. So the indemnity can't just be the loss of egg production for the birds 

you don't have...you lost them as well as the future production [from new birds]. That 

might make this thing too expensive. I don't know, but it is significant. (C)

 For this [business interruption insurance] to be a viable option you will need producers in 

California, Texas, the Southeast, and East Coast to sign up for it. How do you make this a 

national program...I don't think it can work as a regional program. (C)

 The definition of business income and an indemnity period and what might be reasonable 

limits is necessary because a $20 million limit number as the entire bucket [for Federal 

livestock insurance] would make this product not meaningful. (I)

 The APHIS program was focused on birds that had to be depopulated, those that had to 

be killed versus those that simply died and didn’t take into account the associated cleanup 

costs. A business interruption plan - one that would be meaningful - would have to 

consider all of that, not just a portion. (P)

 If you can come up with something like insurance for bankruptcy, I guess it would be 

nice to know that if a grower wanted to sign up for it, it would be affordable. Not some 

kind of “way out of reach” plan. (A)

Theme 5: Obstacles to developing insurance product

 A fear of government involvement in the everyday lives of growers. (A)

 Are you looking at provisions in the policy for cleanup of a catastrophic incident, not 

necessarily AI, where the State steps in? (I)

 If you ultimately receive payments through an insurance program, does that kick you out 

of future payments through the federal government? (P)
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58

 [You need to i]nclude the revenue from future projected egg production. (P)

 There seems to be a lot of reluctance to come up with a[n APHIS indemnification] plan 

that is consistent with what is already in the code. (P)

 I am curious if crop insurance would consider that kind of [comprehensive] 

indemnification if we could not already achieve it in the [APHIS] code of the federal 

register? (P)

 The duration or length of the insurance “crop year” needs to be considered heavily 

because in this [layer sector of the poultry] industry that could be two or three years to 

repopulate to the [economic situation] where you were before the loss. (P)

 If one wants to participate in some kind of a subsidized insurance program then there 

would be some kind of requirement to perform good risk management and some 

incentive. (I)

Theme 6: Other issues raised by stakeholders

 The time factor for developing a product seems awful long for the disease problems we 

are having right now. We don't have [2 to] 12 years to deal with this, we are on a short 

time range. (P)

 There is enough historical data for cost of production through the National Chicken 

Council, the National Turkey Federation, etc. [to establish business valuations] (P)

 [A developer c]ould get information about egg production cost from large egg 

integrators. (P)

 The $20 million [livestock insurance cost cap]would be a drop in the bucket compared to 

what APHIS owes people if they paid based on the indemnity that we should have 

expected from the code. (P)

 We, as a poultry industry, have a responsibility to get to Congress and get these 

[indemnification calculations] cleaned up in the APHIS indemnity program. (P)

 We don't have 6 months to two years to wait if we get another AI break. (P)

 We can't vaccinate to protect our birds. (P)
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59

VII. RISK ANALYSES

The SOW requires the Contractor to identify “any production perils; define the economic perils; 

report and supply the data identifying and quantifying these perils; and estimate the frequency 

and severity of the peril that currently is uninsured.” The Contractor is also required in the risk 

analysis to report on any available data history of disaster program payments, including

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payments, to poultry growers.

This contractually required risk assessment has a broader scope than the risks to growers due to 

integrator bankruptcy. To provide a concise and relevant report, the Contractor has provided an 

analysis of the proposed insurable risk in the context of the more encompassing description of 

risk in the poultry industry sectors.

Growers are sensitive to the difference between systemic risk and idiosyncratic risk due to their 

contractual relationship with integrators. Both broiler price and feed price are subject to market 

forces. Together, these risks may lead to considerable income variability. Output and input 

price changes may also be manifested through changes in the number of contracts fulfilled each 

year based on integrator financial decisions, contract prices, and/or incentive clauses.

Production risks have not changed substantively over the past several decades. However, 

changes in the relationship between growers and integrators have resulted in shifts in risk 

management responsibility. Production risks facing growers include weather, disease, feed 

quality, and chick quality. Weather-related risk in broiler production is minor compared to 

similar risks in crop production with severe weather affecting a small portion of flocks each 

year.89 Disease risk includes both catastrophic losses, such as losses to avian influenza, and 

chronic disease losses, which more slowly erode profits. Growers are also impacted by the 

competence of integrators who control feed and chick quality.90

Under the current contract system, growers often cede control of marketing and production 

management decisions to the integrator in return for a guaranteed price floor. With payments 

based on relative production performance, price risk and the common portion of production risk 

are transferred from individual growers to integrators. By some estimates, as much as 97 percent 

of the risk borne by broiler growers is shifted from the growers to integrators through the typical 

contract arrangement.91

Growers perceive some of the production-related risks they face as disadvantages of the contract 

system. Growers are concerned with a system where their payment can be affected by 

production inputs, all of which may be under the exclusive control of integrators.92 Some grower 

contracts provide additional grower security through casualty clauses. These clauses indemnify 

 

89 Aho, P. and D. Reid, 1988, “Risks and Returns,” Broiler Industry, May, 14-16.

90 Ibid; Taylor, C.R. and D. A. Domina, 2010, Restoring Economic Health to Contract Poultry Production, 

http://www.dominalaw.com/documents/Restoring-Economic-Health-to-Contract-Poultry-Production.pdf, accessed January 

2015.

91 Knoeber, C.R., and W.N. Thurman. 1995. “Don’t Count Your Chickens...”: Risk and Risk Shifting in the Broiler Industry. 

American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 486-496.

92 Tsoulouhas, T. and T. Vukina, 2001, “Regulating Broiler Contracts: Tournaments versus Fixed Performance Standards,” 

American Agricultural Economics Association: 1063-1072.
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60

losses arising from natural disaster such as a flood, excessive heat, fire, or losses of potential 

production. The casualty clauses in contracts vary by integrator and region.93

Input quality, including the quality of chicks supplied by the integrator, is considered as a peril 

by some growers. Chick quality refers to the flock-to-flock variation in the growth rate and 

performance of company owned chicks being fed company supplied feedstuffs and medication 

while in a grower-owned house, under the grower’s daily care. No quantifiable estimates of 

variation are available. Risks arising from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, 

litter and dead bird disposal, energy cost, cost of operation, and banned antibiotics are elements 

of management that would not be insurable under conventional production (yield) insurance 

structure.

Disease prevention and control are given continual management attention. Growers and experts 

offered very general qualitative statements regarding frequency and severity of disease perils. 

The only statements made regarding the frequency of disease perils were generic statements such 

as “rare.” Discussions with APHIS staff indicate that APHIS does not maintain a disease 

occurrence database appropriate for insurance development inclusive of frequency (time and 

location) and severity (number of birds affected, depopulated, cost of depopulation activities, 

etc.) for any of the NPIP identified poultry diseases. 

During the listening sessions, growers identified two weather events – severe storms and 

extended periods of extreme weather – as the “weather” perils of greatest concern. In the South, 

hurricanes and tornados may damage or destroy houses. In Mid-Atlantic States, snow storms 

resulting in accumulations that exceed roof load limits and cause building collapse are the most 

damaging. A storm event results in lost revenue from the flock in grow-out, incurred expenses 

that will not generate any return, unplanned building repair or replacement costs, and, possibly, 

additional lost revenue from interruption of the annual production cycle during repairs or 

reconstruction. With the data currently available, questions concerning identification and 

measurement of losses tied to specific weather events seem problematic. Growers and lenders 

generally considered available property and casualty coverage for house damage adequate 

though costly. Weather related property losses would be indemnified under the grower’s usual 

coverage for catastrophic events such as fire and building collapse, and some loss of income 

coverage is available. Participation is this coverage is highly variable, but is distinctly higher in 

highly leveraged/low equity operations.

Many growers considered power loss a peril to production. For some, power loss is the peril of 

greatest concern because they do not have back-up systems. With existing technology and 

building design, heat and moisture build-up following the loss of ventilating and cooling systems 

measurably affects flock well-being and consequently production. It is an area event, whose 

frequency is influenced primarily by the delivery system for commercial power and secondarily 

by weather affecting that system. It should be noted that “Failure of, or reduction in, the power 

supply” is a covered cause of loss in the Nursery Crop Provisions. Hence, procedures to adjust 

losses claimed due to this event already exist. The insurability of electric power loss from the 

 

93 MacDonald, J.M., USDA, ERS, 2008, The Economic Organization of U.S. Broiler Production, Economic Information Bulletin 

No. 38. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB38/EIB38.pdf, accessed January 2015.
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61

RMA perspective revolves primarily around the failure of the electrical supply outside the 

control of the grower. This is similar to the terms for causes of loss that affect irrigated acreage. 

The loss of the irrigation water supply must be due to an insurable cause that occurs during the 

insurance period.

Equipment failure is very similar to power loss. The difference is a matter of degree. If a piece 

of bird watering or feeding equipment breaks down there may not be the same urgency to 

complete repairs as with a loss of power, or for that matter, a controller malfunction. However, 

given the inventory of replacement equipment and parts that growers keep as a means of selfinsuring, the Contractor would conclude the events are not trivial, as lack of attention would 

transform these situations into catastrophic events. Conversely, if the failed piece of equipment 

were an integral part of the environmental control system, then failure could be catastrophic in a 

very short time. Insurability issues would be similar to those for weather related power loss. 

Failure of the irrigation water supply is a comparable event covered by other crop insurance 

policies.

Bankruptcy

As noted earlier, the SOW identifies the objective of this contract as: “...to obtain information; 

provide analyses; and produce a data gathering report that may support developing an insurance 

program covering business interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s 

bankruptcy.”94 Integrators are defined in the contract SOW as an “individual or company that 

owns poultry that is raised by a contracted grower/producer or that is involved with harvesting, 

processing and marketing goods from poultry (may include slaughter and processing)”, while a 

grower is defined as “[i]ndividual(s) who raise poultry under a production contract for an 

integrator.” 95 The reader should note, this study is focused by legislative mandate (2014 Farm 

Bill, P,L. 113–79, Title XI, Section 11022, paragraph (a)(7) and 75-30 Agricultural Adjustment 

Act Of 1938 & Federal Crop Insurance Act amended February 7, 2014, Section 522, paragraph 

22) and contract on a single named peril: integrator bankruptcy. This peril is currently uninsured 

under the Federal Crop Insurance program. Private insurance is available for business 

interruption resulting from integrator bankruptcy through H.U.B. International. Brokers for 

contract-based business interruption insurance work with contractors in many industries to 

address financial risks in contractual agreements. The liability covered is generally tied to 

potential lost revenues and to existing credit obligations of the insured. Rating is based on 

integrator finances that are likely to affect bankruptcy. These may be available in public sources, 

such as annual financial reports of publicly traded integrators. The underwriters also collect 

additional information in drafting one-off contracts. While some of these policies are offered as 

standard policies or riders to standard policies, most are on offer as surplus line policies.

There are five types of bankruptcy. Each type is identified by the chapter of the United States 

Bankruptcy Code in which it is described. Four types are available for individuals and/or 

corporate entities (Chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13) and one type for municipalities (Chapter 9). As 

this report addresses bankruptcies of poultry integrators, which are primarily corporate entities, 

the following discussion focuses on Chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13.

 

94 Department of Interior, Interior Business Center, AQD, 2015, Order Number D15PD00545 page 25.

95 Ibid., page 22..
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Chapter 7 bankruptcy provides for “liquidation” (sale of a debtor’s nonexempt property and the 

distribution of the proceeds to creditors) and a “fresh start” for the debtor. The debtor may be an 

individual or any business entity and, subject to a means test, relief is available irrespective of 

the amount of the debtor’s debts or whether the debtor is solvent or insolvent. Chapter 7 

bankruptcy results in the debtor retaining no liability for discharged debts. However, discharge 

is only available to individuals, not to partnerships or corporations (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(1)).

96

 

Integrators are rarely individuals, although they may be privately held. Consequently, 

integrators generally avoid Chapter 7 bankruptcies to avoid going out of business.97

Chapter 11 bankruptcy is considered the most complex bankruptcy for corporate entities. 

Nonetheless it is the approach most businesses use when filing for bankruptcy. Chapter 11 

bankruptcy allows the business (or in some cases an individual) to continue to function and 

maintain ownership of all the business assets. Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows a business in debt 

to develop a reorganization plan to pay off creditors. The debtor submits the reorganization and 

payment plan to the creditors for an approval. Unlike some other bankruptcy types which limit 

payment plans to a period of three to five years, Chapter 11 payment plan durations are 

contingent on judicial discretion and approval of creditors. 98 Depending on these third party 

decisions, the pay off period can be longer or shorter than the typical period under Chapters 7, 

12, and 13. Unless there is a court order to the contrary, the debtor also must file among other 

documents a schedule of current income and expenditures and a schedule of executory contracts 

and unexpired leases (Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure: Rule 1007(b)). An executory 

contract is an agreement where “the obligations of both the bankruptcy and the other party are so 

far unperformed that the failure of either to complete performance would constitute a material 

breach excusing performance of the other.” (N.L.R.B. v. Bildisco & Bildisco, 456 US 513 

(1984); Countryman, Executory License Agreements in Bankruptcy, 57 Minn. L. Rev. 439, 460 

(1973)). While the requirement to list executory contracts in the bankruptcy filing assures that 

non-debtor parties to the contracts will receive appropriate notices, the underlying policy in the 

bankruptcy code is that debtors should have the ability to abandon burdensome contracts and 

retain contracts that are beneficial. This has the potential to impact growers in the poultry 

industry.

Bankruptcy under Chapter 12 was designed for the agricultural sector and allows financially 

challenged “family farmers” to create and propose a repayment plan for all or part of their debts. 

Similar to Chapter 11 and 13 filings, Chapter 12 sets the period for repayment at three years 

unless the court approves a longer period “for cause”. Chapter 12 repayment plans are limited to 

a five year duration, although and most are approved for a three year duration. Chapter 12 

procedures are designed to bring the benefits of a Chapter 11 filing together with the somewhat 

simpler Chapter 13 approach for the unique size of the debtor impacted under Chapter 12. 

 

96 Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary, undated, Chapter 7 - Bankruptcy Basics, 

http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/Chapter-7-bankruptcy-basics, accessed June 2015.

97 Ibid.; Silverman, Jacob, and Ed Grabianowski, 2005, How Bankruptcy Works, http://money.howstuffworks.com/personalfinance/debt-management/bankruptcy.htm, accessed May 2015.

98 Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary, undated, Chapter 11 - Bankruptcy Basics, 

http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/Chapter-11-bankruptcy-basics, accessed June 2015.
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63

Chapter 12 proceedings tend to be less expensive than a Chapter 11 and more streamlined, while 

taking into account the “corporate” structure of many agricultural enterprises.

99

The Bankruptcy Code stipulates that only a “family farmer” or “family fisherman” with “regular 

annual income” may file a petition for relief under Chapter 12.100 The Code further defines 

“family farmer” and “family fisherman” into two categories: 1) an individual or individual and 

spouse and 2) a corporation or partnership. To be considered under the first category for Chapter 

12 the farmer/fisherman or farmer/fisherman and spouse must meet four criteria:

1. The individual or husband and wife must be engaged in a farming operation or a 

commercial fishing operation.

2. The total debts (secured and unsecured) of the operation must not exceed $4,031,575 (if a 

farming operation) or $1,868,200 (if a commercial fishing operation).

3. If a family farmer, at least 50 percent of the total debts that are fixed in amount (exclusive 

of debt for the debtor's home) must be related to the farming or commercial fishing 

operation.

4. More than 50 percent of the gross income of the individual or the husband and wife for 

the preceding tax year (or, for family farmers only, for each of the 2nd and 3rd prior tax 

years) must have come from the farming or commercial fishing operation.

To be considered under the corporate or partnership category for Chapter 12, a farming operation 

must meet six criteria:

1. More than one-half the outstanding stock or equity in the corporation or partnership must 

be owned by one family or by one family and its relatives.

2. The family or the family and its relatives must conduct the farming operation.

3. More than 80% of the value of the corporate or partnership assets must be related to the 

farming or fishing operation.

4. The total indebtedness of the farming operation must not exceed $4,031,575.

5. At least 50 percent of a farming operation’s total debts that are fixed in amount 

(exclusive of debt for one home occupied by a shareholder) must be related to the 

farming operation.

6. If the corporation issues stock, the stock cannot be publicly traded.101

Chapter 13 proceedings enable an individual with regular income to adjust debts by allowing the 

debtor to keep property and pay debts over time. Similar to Chapter 11 for corporations and 

Chapter 12 for farmers and fishermen, Chapter 13 allows an individual debtor to propose a 

repayment plan to creditors over three to five years, with the actual timing subject to an 

assessment of the ratio of the debtor’s income to the median applicable state income. If the 

debtor’s current monthly income is less than the applicable state median, the plan will be for 

three years unless the court approves a longer period “for cause.” If the debtor’s current monthly 

income is greater than the applicable state median, the plan generally must be for five years. In 

no case may a plan provide for payments over a period longer than five years.102 Chapter 13 

 

99 Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary, undated, Chapter 12 - Bankruptcy Basics, 

http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/Chapter-12-bankruptcy-basics, accessed June 2015.

100 11 U.S.C. 101(18), 101(19A), 109(f).

101 Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary, undated, Chapter 12 - Bankruptcy Basics, 

http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/Chapter-12-bankruptcy-basics, accessed June 2015.

102 11 U.S.C. 1322(d).
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64

relief is only available if the individual debtor’s unsecured debts are less than $383,175 and 

secured debts are less than $1,149,525.103 During the reorganization and repayment, the law 

forbids creditors from starting or continuing collection efforts.104

Most integrators are neither eligible individuals as defined under Chapter 13 nor family farms as 

defined under Chapter 12. Consequently integrator bankruptcies have been and are expected to 

be structured under Chapter 11. One complication affecting the impact of an integrator 

bankruptcy on growers is the sale of the debtor’s assets as a part of the payment plan. Generally 

an integrator’s poultry-related assets are only of use to another poultry integrator. Economies of 

scale may make a facility being sold attractive to one integrator while it contributed to the losses 

leading to bankruptcy of another. A second complication is that the grower-integrator contracts 

are structured to limit the responsibilities of the integrator to provide a consistent supply of birds 

to the grower. The bankruptcy of an integrator may allow either the bankrupt integrator or the 

new owner to walk away from the contract if it is deemed burdensome. This outcome was 

demonstrated by the 2008 bankruptcy of Pilgrim’s Pride. In 2006, Gold Kist, the second largest 

poultry integrator in the United States at that time, was purchased by Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., the 

largest integrator at the time of the mergers. Pilgrim’s Pride then filed for reorganization under 

Chapter 11 in December 2008. The increased debt burden resulting from the merger, higher feed 

costs, and lower demand for poultry were cited as causes of the bankruptcy. In its restructuring

plan, Pilgrim’s Pride reduced production and cancelled more than 750 grower contracts. While 

the company tried to compensate growers for some portion of their losses, grower claims totaling 

more than $180 million were issued by 762 growers. Ultimately these claims were settled for 

pennies on the dollar.105

Insurable perils under the Federal Crop Insurance program typically include:

 Adverse weather conditions including natural perils such as hail, frost, freeze, wind, 

drought, and excess moisture; 

 Earthquake; 

 Failure of irrigation water supply, if caused by an insured peril during the insurance 

period; Fire, if caused by an insured peril during the insurance period; 

 Insects, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of control measures; 

 Disease, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of control measures;

 Volcanic eruption; or 

 Wildlife.

Integrator bankruptcy does not cause loss to the amount of a crop that can be harvested, unless as 

in one case described in a listening session the unharvested birds are abandoned by the 

integrator. The integrator bankruptcy may represent a revenue risk to the grower if the crop must 

be sold at a discount or a financial risk to the grower if no market can be found for the crop. 

However, even these risks are complicated by the fact that the crop is almost always owned by 

 

103 11 U.S.C. § 109(e).

104 Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the Federal Judiciary, undated, Chapter 13 - Bankruptcy Basics, 

http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/Chapter-13-bankruptcy-basics, accessed June 2015

105 Snyder, W.K., 2010, Inside the Turnaround of Pilgrim’s Pride, American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, Volume 32, 

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/80128244/Inside-the-Turnaround-of-Pilgrims-Pride#, accessed June 2015.
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65

the integrator. In the case of integrator bankruptcy, the crop is most often an asset of the 

bankrupt party. The asset is held by a contractor who has a financial stake but no insurable 

interest in the crop. Furthermore in the case of meat birds, the asset will decrease in value after 

the crop has reached a marketable size. The integrator represents the primary market for the 

asset.

Integrator bankruptcy may result in circumstances similar to prevented planting. If there is only 

one integrator in a region, the bankruptcy of that integrator will likely mean the grower’s poultry 

houses will not be stocked with young birds. If the houses could be considered “fields,” the lack 

of repopulation would be comparable to the field not being planted. However, for the purpose of 

crop insurance, this comparison breaks down. While the term “field” is not defined in the Act, 

no use of the term “field” in the Act can be construed to mean a poultry house. Furthermore, 

growers generally provide services and facilities and only a small number have contracts that are 

structured on a share basis. Therefore, the lack of repopulation is comparable to a cash tenant 

not renewing a lease rather than to prevented planting events insurable under any section of the 

Act. Finally, prevented planting causes of loss are limited to catastrophic natural conditions. 

Consequently, under the terms of the Act, integrator bankruptcy does not result in insurable 

“prevented planting” of the poultry house as a field.

Similarly, integrator bankruptcy may result in circumstances for a grower similar to those faced 

by an orchardist as a result of tree loss. Trees are a capital asset of the orchardist. Similarly, 

poultry houses are a capital asset of the poultry grower. Tree loss is insurable under several 

insurance products (e.g., the Tree Based Dollar amount of Insurance Plan) for certain fruit and 

nut types. As noted above, if there is only one integrator in a region, the bankruptcy of that 

integrator will likely mean the grower’s poultry houses will not be stocked with young birds. 

Without being stocked, no crop harvest can be anticipated. If the houses could be considered 

“trees,” the lack of repopulation would in some ways be comparable to trees becoming barren. 

However, for the purpose of crop insurance, this comparison breaks down. While the term “tree” 

is not defined in the Act, insurance for trees is authorized under section 508(l). The insurable 

causes of loss are damage and disease. The lack of repopulation because of integrator 

bankruptcy cannot be construed to be either damage or disease. Likewise, the house cannot be 

construed to be a tree.

Testimonial data shows the most important risk for the grower in the event of integrator 

bankruptcy is not the revenue risk tied to a single production cycle, but rather the economic peril 

that the substantial facilities the grower has built to support poultry production will be left idle. 

The Contractor found no database from an acceptable source documenting the frequency and 

severity data necessary to establish these risks of poultry industry bankruptcies. Integrator 

bankruptcies are sporadic and idiosyncratic events. During a search of the literature, the 

Contractor identified six poultry integrator bankruptcies between 2009 and 2012 (Table 16). The 

reader should note, Custom Processors Inc. was a division of P&C Poultry Distributors Inc. 

When the frequency of these reorganizations and the number of growers contracting with each 

integrator are considered, the impact of these events on growers is obviously substantial.
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66

Table 16. Historical Integrator Bankruptcies – 2009 - 2015

Year of Bankruptcy States Affected Bankrupt Party

2009 Arkansas and North Carolina Pilgrim’s Pride

2010 California P&C Poultry Distributors Inc.

2010 California Custom Processors Inc.

2011 Georgia and North Carolina Townsends, Inc. (Division)

2011 Georgia Cagle’s

2012 California Zacky Farms LLC

Source: The Contractor’s Research Department based of reports in the press.

The assets, liabilities, and cash flow of the smallest integrators can be measured in the millions 

of dollars; those of the largest are measure in billions of dollars. The corporate structure of each 

integrator is unique. The grower-integrator contracts are not at all transparent. The lack of 

transparency protects the unique nature of the relationships between the two parties in the 

contract. It appears that even within a cohort of growers providing facilities and services for an 

integrator, the terms of the contracts may be different. The singular nature of each integrator 

bankruptcy makes it difficult to identify any patterns quantifying the risk to growers of integrator 

bankruptcy and estimate the frequency and severity of the peril. Data identifying and 

quantifying integrator bankruptcy and resultant grower losses are anecdotal, sporadic, and not 

collected by a consistent method. Since the bankruptcies are a legal matter in public record, it 

might be possible to glean some useful information from the bankruptcy filings and settlements. 

However, such a search would be substantial; documenting the individual events this way is 

outside the scope of this contract. Furthermore, because of the nature of the integrator-grower 

contracts, it is possible the filings and settlements do not provide a complete picture of the 

potential interruption of grower businesses.

Disaster Payment History

The 2008 Farm Bill provided that the USDA make available $80 million in Section 32 Fiscal 

Year 2010 funds to assist the poultry industry in the form of grants to States. These funds were 

specifically targeted to address losses to growers due to an integrator’s bankruptcy in the poultry 

industry. The Poultry Loss Contract Grant Assistance Program (PGAP), announced in 2010,

provided up to $60 million in assistance to poultry growers whose poultry growing arrangements

contracts with integrators were terminated because of the bankruptcy of the integrator. FSA was 

authorized to provide grants to the state departments of agriculture in Alabama, Arkansas, 

Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. These states 

agreed to provide assistance to eligible poultry growers. The Contractor found no documentation 

of the specific use of PGAP funds to assist growers damaged by an integrator’s bankruptcy.

The Contractor made a request of the FSA for information documenting disaster payments to the 

poultry industry or to growers specifically. FSA indicated their data cannot be sorted to provide 

useful data for this report. With RMA’s permission, the Contractor withdrew the request.
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67

VIII. FEASIBILITY RECOMMENDATIONS

The SOW requires the Contractor to report on the “feasibility and potential for developing a 

successful insurance policy or program...” covering... “business interruptions incurred by 

poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy.”106 To address this requirement, the 

Contractor considered the FCIC’s criteria for feasibility.107 The Contractor identified no

insurance approach to address business interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an 

integrator’s bankruptcy meeting all the feasibility criteria. This includes modification of the 

coverage under an existing insurance program. The impact of each of the feasibility 

requirements on this conclusion is discussed below.

The proposed insurance coverage must conform to RMA’s enabling legislation, regulations, 

and procedures that cannot be changed. The Crop Insurance Act (Act) is the enabling 

legislation for the offer of insurance by the FCIC. The Act introduces substantial barriers for any 

approach to develop a successful insurance policy or program “covering business interruptions 

incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy.” Some of these issues 

could be addressed by determinations by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) or by an 

appropriate authority within the USDA Office of General Counsel related to the interpretation of 

language within the Act. For example, poultry growers could be determined to be “producers” 

as that construct is used in the Act. Growers of sesame and grass seed are offered such status. 

However, the Contractor would note growers of livestock who provide only facilities and 

services under their contract are specifically excluded from including those revenues in the 

revenue insurable under the WFRP.

In the Act, 7 U.S.C. 1508(a)(1) further provides that if “sufficient actuarial data are available (as 

determined by the Corporation), the Corporation may insure, or provide reinsurance for insurers 

of, producers of agricultural commodities grown in the United States under 1 or more plans of 

insurance determined by the Corporation to be adapted to the agricultural commodity 

concerned.” While a determination that growers are “producers of agricultural commodities” 

could be made, the paragraph continues: “To qualify for coverage under a plan of insurance, the 

losses of the insured commodity must be due to drought, flood, or other natural disaster (as 

determined by the Secretary).”

The Contractor found no evidence of integrator bankruptcies caused by natural disaster. 

However, the possibility does exist that an integrator bankruptcy could be caused in whole or in 

part by a natural disaster. The Contractor believes the bankruptcy of an integrator per se cannot 

be considered a natural disaster, although the Secretary has the authority to make such a 

determination. Such a determination might be expected if the bankruptcy was caused primarily 

by a natural disaster of the sort that has resulted in indemnities or other payments from the 

USDA in support of an affected industry.

Furthermore, 7 U.S.C. 1508(a)(2) states that FCIC insurance shall not “extend beyond the period 

during which the insured commodity is in the field,” except in the cases of tobacco, potatoes, 

and sweet potatoes. Clearly a similar exception could be made for poultry by amendment of the 

 

106 USDA, RMA, 2015, SOW, Order Number D15PD00545, Sections 2.4 and 2.4.1, page 26 of 39.

107 Ibid., Section 2.3, pages 25 and 26.
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68

Act. In some ways, not being able to populate a house would be analogous to prevented 

planting. However, this analogy is only useful if the aforementioned restrictions to coverage for 

losses due to natural disaster can be addressed. The possibility of covering the business 

interruption as a “prevented planting” event would require clarification of this concept at the 

regulatory level if not in the language of the Act itself or by determination of the General 

Counsel of the USDA.

The Act requires any insurance to have actuarially sound rates (7 U.S.C. 1508(d)(1)). The 

idiosyncratic nature of bankruptcies in general and of integrator bankruptcies specifically would 

likely require development of premium rates based upon informed judgment and the very limited 

data that might be accessed. This is not unprecedented in rating for crop insurance policies, but 

none have attempted to rate the losses that would be associated with the bankruptcy of a 

principal (the status of the integrator in the contract).

The offer of additional coverage under the Federal Crop Insurance program is allowed under the 

Act only if “additional coverage is unavailable privately.” (7 U.S.C. (c)(1)(B)) [emphasis 

added]. Similar, though less stringent, restrictions apply to FCIC catastrophic coverage offers as 

the Board must consider “the availability of private insurance carriers” in offering catastrophic

products (7 U.S.C. (b)(4)(B)). Finally, for optional coverage “... no program may be undertaken 

if insurance for the specific risk involved is generally available from private companies.” (7 

U.S.C. (l)). Historically, “generally available” has been interpreted by the Board to address the 

offer of such insurance rather than purchase by farmers of the insurance. This could be an 

important obstacle to the development of an FCIC product covering the risk of grower business 

interruption due to integrator bankruptcy, since such insurance is available from at least one 

private insurance source.

Finally, Subsection 523(b)(10)(C) limits expected costs of conducting livestock programs for 

fiscal year 2004 and each subsequent fiscal year to $20,000,000. A poultry business interruption 

program would compete with other existing livestock programs for funds within this limit. 

However, it is important to note the $20 million specified in Section 523(b)(10)(C) is not a cap 

on outlays for any particular year. The Subsection language is a guideline for expectations. So 

the issue about whether or not business interruption coverage fits under this limitation cannot be 

established until the premium rate and the potential liability of a pilot are known. The poultry 

business interruption expected costs then need to be coordinated with expected costs for the other 

livestock programs to determine if coverage of the nature described for this contract can be 

accommodated within this limitation or if Congressional action is needed.

Identify and appropriately categorize perils affecting production and/or revenue as 

insurable and non-insurable. The proposed insurance would have a single cause of loss. If the 

Act is interpreted to allow coverage for a poultry grower’s business interruption as a result of an 

integrator’s bankruptcy as an insurable cause of loss, either as a result of interpretation of 

existing language in the Act or as a result of an amendment to the Act, it would be easy to 

identify and categorize the peril as affecting revenue. The bankruptcy, as a legal action, would 

also be well documented.
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Be ratable and operable in an actuarially sound manner. Rating insurance ideally requires 

access to historical data on the frequency and severity of losses. However, for crop insurance 

this ideal is rarely met. Poultry integrator bankruptcies are relatively infrequent events. The 

Contractor was unable to identify a long-term, time series database containing the necessary 

frequency and severity information concerning the financial impact of integrator bankruptcies on 

growers for use in constructing a data driven rating model. The best data to understand the risk 

of an integrator declaring bankruptcy are in the proprietary data of the integrator. For publicly 

traded integrators, some useful data are likely to be found in the annual financial statements of 

the entity. Nonetheless, the distinctive nature of each bankruptcy event makes it difficult to 

establish appropriate rates. Furthermore, the potential indemnities are appropriately tied to the 

uncontrollable losses the grower incurs as a result of the integrator bankruptcy. Yet these losses 

will also be idiosyncratic. They will be influenced by the location, age, technology, and contract 

performance history of the insured’s operation. Another factor influencing the duration for 

assessing losses would be access to competing integrators. Consequently, both the frequency 

(governed primarily by the integrator’s situation) and the severity (governed primarily by the 

grower’s circumstances) are likely to be unique to each policy.

Charge a premium that the insureds must be willing to pay for the insurance. As noted 

earlier, the Contractor learned that growers are interested in insurance for business interruption 

insurance if the premium is appropriate. Many already have such insurance for business 

interruptions caused by natural causes that affect the integrity of their houses. However, the 

Contractor noted that interest in business interruption insurance for losses resulting from an 

integrator’s bankruptcy is limited as reported by a broker offering such coverage.

Be an appropriate geographic distribution of production to ensure a sound financial 

insurance program. The Contractor understands this feasibility requirement applies to the 

RMA portfolio in its entirety. The geographic distribution of the risk for business interruption 

insurance losses resulting from an integrator’s bankruptcy would mirror the geographic 

distribution of the growers. The risk of bankruptcy for each integrator is unique. Nonetheless, 

some risk would exist in all areas where poultry growers produce birds or eggs. While the 

Contractor would note the risk would vary from location to location (and contract to contract), 

this variation in risk is no different from the geographic variation of risk associated with weather. 

The assurance that the financial basis is sound cannot be made until the rating approach can be 

assessed. An appropriate rating approach would address numerous factors including appropriate 

geographic factors.

Avoid or mitigate moral hazards. It would be difficult to control integrator behavior involving 

risky activities. The integrators’ behavior might be influenced by knowledge that effects of that 

behavior on losses by the grower are mitigated by the insurance. However, since a grower

cannot engage in activities likely to trigger an integrator bankruptcy, moral hazards resulting 

from risky behavior of the insured are likely to be easily addressed by the underwriting for the 

product or program.

Not allow insureds to select insurance only when conditions are adverse. While the growers 

may have limited knowledge about the possibility of an integrator bankruptcy, it is unlikely their 

knowledge will be asymmetric with the insurer’s knowledge. The asymmetry that could exist 
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70

would be between the integrator and the insurer and between the integrator and the grower. 

Consequently, potential insureds should not be able to insure inappropriately if the program is 

appropriately structured and rated to reflect the risk of integrator bankruptcy.

Produce enough interest for the risk to be spread over an acceptable pool of insureds. As 

noted earlier, growers are interested in insurance for business interruption insurance if the 

premium is appropriate, but generally not for business interruption insurance for losses resulting 

from an integrator’s bankruptcy. The Contractor believes it is not possible to address this 

criterion for feasibility for development of an insurance product or program for growers with 

integrator bankruptcy as the sole cause of loss.

Not allow a change in market behavior or market distortions that change the quantity

supplied or shift the supply curve. It is hard to predict how an insurance product or program 

for growers with integrator bankruptcy as the sole cause of loss might affect the markets. 

Currently the integrators and their growers are in competition with owner/producers. Insurance 

for growers might drive some owner/producers to change their business model. These changes 

are most likely in the turkey sector and layer sector where growers’ production currently 

represent 69 percent and 23 percent108 of the total sector production, respectively.

Be effective, meaningful and reflect the actual risks of the producers [i.e., growers]. The 

Contractor believes the very limited expression of interest in the proposed insurance indicates 

growers do not consider an insurance product or program with integrator bankruptcy as the sole 

cause of loss meaningful. This is not a peril risk that “keeps growers awake at night.”

The perils affecting production must be identified and categorized as insurable and noninsurable. It is easy to identify the peril that affected the production: an integrator bankruptcy is 

a matter of public record. However, since many bankruptcies occur under Chapter 11, the 

actions of the integrator during the term of the bankruptcy may affect growers differently. This 

could create issues regarding eligibility for indemnities.

Contain underwriting, rating, pricing, loss measurement, and insurance contract terms and 

conditions. Terms and conditions are a matter of policy language and procedures. If other 

barriers to implementation of a poultry business interruption product covering losses due to 

integrator bankruptcy can be overcome, the Contractor believes appropriate contract terms and 

procedures can be developed.

Have best management practices that can be defined, required of an insured and be 

monitored. The Contractor believes this criterion can be met. The relevant management 

practices related to integrator bankruptcy will most likely focus on the terns and provision of the 

grower’s production contract. Such conditions are already part of most policies RMA manages 

that address contracted production.

 

108 USDA, NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture, Full Report, Volume 1, Chapter 1, US, Tables 32 and 48, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/st99_1_032_033.pdf, 

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/st99_1_045_048.pdf, and USDA, 

NASS, Quick Stats, accessed July 2015. Note: The USDA NASS Survey data reported in the NASS Quick Stats website are 

measured by “egg” while the USDA NASS Census of Agriculture data is reported in “dozens” of eggs.
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71

Summary of Potential for Developing a Successful Insurance Policy or Program Covering 

Business Interruptions Incurred by Poultry Growers as a Result of an Integrator’s 

Bankruptcy. The principal barriers to developing an insurance policy addressing business 

interruption covering losses due to integrator bankruptcy are private sector products already 

available on the market, the idiosyncratic nature of integrator bankruptcy events, the limited 

available data, and the lack of grower interest in the proposed cause of loss. The Act imposes

important constraints on development of a successful insurance policy or program for the FCIC 

portfolio covering business interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an 

integrator’s bankruptcy. There are also important questions regarding identification, 

measurement, and tracking of the value of the interrupted business. However, in many ways 

these are similar to those that have been faced by the FCIC as it has provided crop insurance 

coverage for trees. The proprietary and closely guarded nature of integrators’ financial data 

makes the prospect for development of meaningful premium rates without a significant 

uncertainty load unlikely. This in turn affects the issue of whether potential insureds would be 

willing to pay an appropriate premium. Furthermore, the Contractor heard little testimony to 

suggest that growers would be willing to pay any premium for business interruption insurance 

with an integrator’s bankruptcy as the sole cause of loss. In light of these issues, the Contractor 

believes it is not feasible to develop insurance covering business interruptions incurred by 

poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy for the FCIC portfolio.
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Appendix A

Grower/Integrator Contracts
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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

BROILER PRODUCTION AGREEMENT

This AGREEMENT, made and entered into this _________ day of __________, ______, 

by and between INTEGRATOR COMPANY hereinafter referred to as “Integrator” and 

_____________________________________________ of _____________________________, 

Party of the Second Part, with its address for notice at _________________________________, 

hereinafter referred to as “Grower.”

WITNESSETH

Additional Capital Investments Disclosure Statement: 

ADDITIONAL LARGE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS MAY BE REQUIRED OF GROWER 

DURING THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT.

Integrator expressly intends that this Agreement and the independent services of Grower 

establish Grower as an independent, third party contractor grower. Grower is primarily 

responsible for the care, maintenance and growth of each flock to which it has custody. Grower 

shall use its own judgment and experience in finalizing all techniques and production methods, 

using the Broiler “Growing Program” Procedures Guide as guidelines only and reporting its 

successes and recommendations to Integrator.

In consideration of the agreements and covenants of each with the other herein contained, 

said parties hereby contract and agree as follows:

I. Integrator agrees:

A. To furnish the Grower with a flock (“Flock”) of birds to raise for broiler 

production for Integrator. Integrator bears the cost of and retains title to the birds [emphasis 

added]. Integrator shall have the right to determine the placement density of the birds.

B. To provide and deliver to the Grower such feed, fuel, litter, medication, vaccine, 

and litter amendments as may deem necessary for the care of the Flock placed in the custody of 

the Grower under this Agreement. Integrator retains title to any feed, medication, or other 

supplies remaining on the Grower’s farm [emphasis added].

C. To determine and schedule when and where the Flock is to be removed for 

processing [emphasis added] and shall or shall arrange for third parties to catch, load and 

transport the Flock at no cost to the Grower.

D. To provide the Grower all feed delivery and live poultry scale tickets that are used 

in the calculation of the Grower’s compensation and furnish Grower with a copy of the final 

Flock settlement instrument calculating the payment due to Grower (“Final Flock 

Settlement”). Any feed picked up by or returned to Integrator shall be weighed and reported on 

the Final Flock Settlement. 
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E. To compensate the Grower for services rendered herein as provided for in the 

attached “Grower Payment Schedule,” not later than fifteen days following the week in which 

the Flock is slaughtered. 

II. Grower hereby commits himself to accept delivery or placement of the Flock, and in 

addition, agrees:

A. To furnish and provide, in accordance with Integrator’s judgment, the necessary 

land, buildings, equipment, utilities (understanding that maintenance, management and 

environmental management are always Grower’s responsibility and Integrator assumes no 

responsibility as to these or other Grower responsibilities) and further, to provide such labor 

(including hiring assistants, if any, as Grower may choose) as are necessary to properly care for 

the Flock.

B. To be present and assist in the preparation of the house(s) for the delivery of 

chicks and, also, for the removal of the Flock.

C. To adopt and follow sound poultry management practices that conform to 

practices of good animal husbandry that are at least comparable to Integrator’s recommended 

practices. 

D. To comply with applicable State, Federal and Local environmental laws, rules, 

regulations, codes and ordinances (“Laws”), including but not limited to, those governing 

environmental management, poultry litter management, and prompt and proper disposal of all 

litter and dead birds. Growers in the State of Oz shall be properly certified by the Oz Nutrient 

Management Commission, or its successor, and shall include within their Nutrient Management 

Plans or Animal Waste Management Plans (NMP/AWMP) accurate and required accounting for 

nitrogen and phosphorous applications, as required by Oz’s nutrient management Laws.

E. To provide properly maintained roads, free of surface or overhead obstructions, 

from the nearest county or state maintained road to and around Grower’s poultry house(s) and 

furthermore, to provide adequate space to turn vehicles where necessary and adequate loading 

areas for birds. Grower shall be liable for wrecker or towing charges incurred by Integrator due 

to insufficiently or improperly maintained roads.

F. To allow no other poultry, fowl, wild birds, exotic or domestic pet birds on the 

Grower’s premises.

G. To secure all poultry house(s) to prohibit the entrance of unauthorized persons or 

wild and domestic animals and birds.

H. To insure that all hired labor or other authorized entrants to the poultry house(s) 

follow proper biosecurity procedures and have no contact with other fowl, wild birds, or exotic 

or domestic birds.
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I. To keep accurate records (such as daily mortality) necessary for the efficient and 

proper care of the Flock.

J. To notify Integrator immediately if any situation develops that has an adverse 

effect on the health or well being of the Flock (such as increased mortality or other disease or 

abnormal conditions).

K. To not use or allow to be used during the period of this Agreement any feed, 

medication, herbicides, pesticides, rodenticides, insecticides or any other such item except as 

supplied or approved in writing by Integrator.

L. Within this framework, Grower retains the exclusive power to control how the 

actual growing and care services are provided, by use of its own skills, labor, tools, ideas, 

manner, and judgment [emphasis added]. 

M. To indemnify Integrator, its officers, employees, agents and representatives, 

defend and hold Integrator harmless from and against:

1. Any and all claims for damage or injury to persons or property arising out of or 

resulting from the Grower’s operations or inactions under this Agreement, except 

to the extent such damage or injury is caused by the gross negligence or willful 

misconduct of Integrator.

2. Loss from theft or disappearance of birds, feed, medications, or other goods 

supplied by Integrator pursuant to this Agreement.

N. To indemnify, defend and hold Integrator, its officers, employees, agents and 

representatives harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, and actions, 

including federal, state, or local administrative actions, rulings and all other actions of any nature 

whatsoever which are in any manner caused by or which result from the presence of the broilers 

on the premises of Grower, including, but not necessarily limited to matters involving emission 

complaints; disposal complaints; pollution complaints; violation of Laws and any negligent acts 

or omissions of Grower in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

O. To carry comprehensive general liability insurance with limits of not less than 

Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) for death or bodily injury and/or property damage 

per occurrence. If possible without charge to Grower or Integrator, Integrator shall be named as 

an additional insured. In any event, a certificate of insurance shall be delivered to Integrator

annually on or before the renewal date of the policy. All policies of insurance shall contain a 

provision that the insurer will not cancel or materially change the policy, except after thirty (30) 

days’ prior written notice to Integrator.

P. To notify Integrator if Grower plans to significantly change its operations. 

III. It is further understood and agreed that:
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A. This is a service contract and not a contract of employment and Integrator and the 

Grower are independent contractors and neither their employees nor agents shall be considered 

to be employees of the other for any purpose whatsoever.

B. The Grower accepts full and exclusive liability for payment of any and all 

applicable local, state and federal taxes, taxes for workers’ compensation insurance, 

unemployment compensation insurance, or old age benefits or annuities now or hereafter 

imposed by any governmental agency, as to Grower and all persons as Grower may engage in 

the performance of this Agreement.

C. Integrator shall not be held responsible or liable for damages to Grower caused by 

delay or failure to perform hereunder when such delay or failure is due to fire, labor strike, act of 

God, legal act of a public authority or a labor, feed or fuel shortage, disease, or other 

circumstances outside the reasonable control of Integrator.

D. Integrator shall have the right to immediately remove said birds from the 

Grower’s premises at any time that any of the following events may occur:

1. The birds contract any disease that, in Integrator’s sole reasonable judgment, 

renders the Flock to be unthrifty, poses a disease threat to other poultry, or as 

directed by federal, state, or local authorities.

2. Grower’s management practices do not conform to Integrator’s standards and/or 

do not conform to practices of good animal husbandry.

3. Failure of the Grower to comply with any provision of the Agreement.

4. Grower becomes insolvent or commits any act of bankruptcy.

5. The use of abusive language, threat of physical harm or in any manner prohibiting 

Integrator or its authorized representative from properly monitoring the Flock.

6. The Flock reaches a normal marketable age as determined by Integrator.

E. If in the judgment of Integrator, the Grower should fail to provide proper care, 

feeding or treatment under the terms of this Agreement, Integrator shall have the right to enter 

over and into the land and premises where the Flock is located and provide necessary care for 

and handling of the Flock and to charge the Grower with expenses incurred to accomplish this,

which will be deducted from settlement before final payment is made.

F. Integrator shall have the right of access at all times to the premises in which the 

Flock shall be housed or otherwise located for the purpose of inspecting birds, delivering chicks,

feed or supplies and removal of birds.
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G. If a Grower’s Flock performance as determined by either the Standard Cost (as 

defined in the Grower Payment Schedule) or the basic management practices of the Grower 

reaches an unacceptable level as determined by Integrator, then the following may occur: 

1. Consultation with Integrator’s Grow-Out Department management and placement 

of Grower on an action plan or performance improvement plan. 

2. Action plans will be developed in writing with a Grower.

3. Action plans precede a notice of termination that will be issued concurrently with 

placing a Grower on a performance improvement plan so the Grower is advised 

that if the performance improvement plan is not met that the Grower will be 

terminated and the date of termination. 

4. A copy of the current performance improvement plan standards are attached 

hereto as Schedule I. New contracts or new Flocks may have changed terms for 

performance improvement plans that will be provided to the Grower. 

5. If the Grower fails to comply with the performance improvement plan to 

Integrator’s satisfaction the contract will be terminated at the date specified in the 

initial notice.

H. INTEGRATOR DOES NOT WARRANT QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY, 

FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE WARRANT ANY PRODUCT 

DELIVERED BY OR RECOMMENDED BY IT TO THE GROWER UNLESS 

MANUFACTURED BY INTEGRATOR. SUCH GOODS ARE DELIVERED AS IS, WHERE 

IS AND THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES THAT EXTEND BEYOND THE FACE HEREOF.

I. Integrator may assign this Agreement at any time. The Grower may assign this 

Agreement only with the written consent of Integrator which consent may be withheld in 

Integrator’s sole discretion.

J. TERMINATION PROVISIONS: 

As a matter of convenience of not having to initiate a new contract for each Flock, this 

Agreement shall be continuous until terminated as follows: 

Grower shall have a right to rescind this Agreement until 11:59 p.m. on the third business 

day after the day on which Grower signs the Agreement. Grower shall provide written notice of 

termination to the Integrator’s Live Production Manager or Breeder Manager. 

Grower may cancel this Agreement without cause and either party may cancel this 

Agreement with cause, but in all cases, upon first giving the other party written notice of such 

decision to terminate: provided, however, that such written notice on the part of the Grower or 

Integrator shall be given no less than ninety (90) days prior to the termination date. Any such 

notice of termination shall be personally delivered or sent by first class mail to the other party at 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data A6 Risk Management Agency

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the address set forth below such party’s signature line. The notice may be given at the date the 

party enters the performance improvement plan program if that program applies to the Grower. 

In any event, Integrator’s termination notice shall specify the reasons and any appeal rights. The 

effective date of the termination shall be stated by the party giving notice. 

Neither party shall incur any liability to the other party as a result of so electing to 

terminate this Agreement. Any claim that either party may have against the other party for sums 

loaned or indebtedness owed to the other party or for breach of this Agreement shall survive 

termination of this Agreement.

Termination during a Flock placement shall be in accordance with the other terms of this 

Agreement. Should such termination occur, Integrator agrees to pay the Grower for all services 

performed until termination of this Agreement, and the Grower agrees to perform all obligations 

until termination of this Agreement. Except for cause or economic necessity, such as Grower’s 

gross negligence, Flock abandonment or material financial breach, hereinafter defined, 

Integrator will not terminate this Agreement without first providing Grower an opportunity to 

cure any deficiencies through a performance improvement plan or other written agreement 

reached by the parties.

Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event of 

Grower’s gross negligence or Flock abandonment, Integrator shall have the right to remove the 

Flock and/or take over said work and complete it in any manner it sees fit, with any and all 

expenses incurred by Integrator being charged back to the Grower, and at Integrator’s option this 

Agreement, at that time, may be terminated without notice. 

Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, Grower’s default under 

any financing agreement and/or levy, seizure, or attachment of Integrator or Grower’s property, 

Grower insolvency or bankruptcy, shall be considered a “material financial breach” of this 

Agreement and/or its Exhibits, and Integrator shall have the right to take over said work and 

complete it in any manner it sees fit, with any and all expenses incurred by Integrator being 

charged back to the Grower, and at Integrator’s option this Agreement, at that time, may be 

terminated without notice.

IV. Miscellaneous:

A. This Agreement shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators, 

successors and assigns of the parties hereto, and shall supersede any previous agreements made 

between the said parties.

B. Further, this Agreement constitutes the sole and final agreement between the 

parties hereto and may be changed or modified only by an agreement in writing signed by each 

of the said parties.

C. The terms of this Agreement and any documents provided in conjunction 

herewith or pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, any Final Flock Settlement and 

Grower Payment Schedule, shall be deemed confidential information and trade secrets and may 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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restrictions on the title page of this report.

only be shared by Grower if or with: (i) required by applicable legal standards or processes to a 

federal or state governmental agency; (ii) provided to financial or legal advisers or lenders; (iii) 

Grower’s hired accounting services representative; (iv) if Grower is an entity, Grower’s 

executives or managers that agree in writing to maintain the confidential nature of the 

information; (v) Grower’s landlords that agree in writing to maintain the confidential nature of 

the information; (vi) a member of Grower’s immediate family or a business associate with whom 

the Grower has a valid business reason for consulting; or (vii) other Integrator. All such 

produced documents shall be marked COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL on each page. In addition, 

the Grower shall immediately provide to Integrator notice of any such legal requirement.

Confidential information shall not include information which becomes generally available to the 

public other than as a result of any unauthorized disclosure by Grower. Grower agrees on behalf 

of it and its officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, if any, not to disclose to 

any third party or appropriate for their own use any confidential information. Each party to 

whom or to which confidential information is shared will be asked to maintain the confidential 

nature of the information.

D. This Agreement shall be governed and interpreted by the laws of the State where 

Grower’s operations under this Agreement are conducted.

E. As noted above, this Agreement may be canceled by Grower within three (3) 

business days after it is executed by Grower by delivery of a cancellation notice from Grower at 

the address referenced in the opening paragraph hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have hereunto set their hands the day and year first 

above written.

_________________________________ INTEGRATOR

Grower

_________________________________ By: ________________________

Social Security # or Federal ID #
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SCHEDULE I

Criteria for placing Grower on PIP (Performance Improvement Plan):

1. Written action plan required:

 When a grower’s six Flock average reaches (-) minus $.0040 or worse.

 The plan will be written in cooperation with the Grower and it will define steps 

the Grower should take to improve performance.

2. PIP required:

 When a grower’s six Flock average reaches (-) minus $.0065 or worse.

 The Grower will be sent a certified letter notifying them that they are on the PIP 

and providing notice of termination if the PIP plan does not result in improved 

performance.

 The certified letter will be sent prior to the placement of the Flock on the PIP.

 The certified letter will inform the Grower that any Flock while on the PIP must 

settle better than (-) minus $.0030 or the contract with the Grower will be 

terminated.

 If the termination Flock settles in less than ninety (90) days from the notification 

by certified letter, the Grower may place another Flock in order to meet the ninety 

(90) day notification.

 If a grower’s six Flock average improves to better than (-) minus $.0065 and does 

not have any Flocks worse than (-) minus $.0030 while on the PIP, the Grower 

will be removed from the PIP program.

 In the case of "Force Majeure" meaning war, hostilities (whether declared or 

not), disasters, including as to individual farms, unforeseen natural catastrophe 

including but not limited to earthquake, flood, fire, and other causes beyond 

Grower’s foreseeable control, such as labor strike, legal act of a public authority 

or a labor, feed or fuel shortage, then the PIP and notice of termination may be 

extended, in writing. 
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Schedule II

INTEGRATOR

ADDENDUM TO BROILER PRODUCTION AGREEMENT

MINIMUM PAYMENTS FOR NEW HOUSE CONSTRUCTION

This ADDENDUM, made and entered into this _____________ 

day of _______________, by and between INTEGRATOR., 

referred to as “Integrator” and 

___________________________________________________ of

_________________________________________, Party of the Second 

Part, hereinafter referred to as “Grower”. 

The Broiler Production Agreement (Grower Payment Schedule) is 

hereby amended as follows:

I Integrator agrees to pay the Grower for each flock of poultry 

placed in the Grower’s care a guaranteed minimum payment for 

new house construction according to the following schedule:

House Dollar ($) Amount

Class Type Per 1,000 Birds Placed* Age of 

House – Period of Payment

Large 

AAA Tunnel With $300 15 

Year Term

Self Generation, (Built after 12-31-02)

Darkout With

Dimmers,

6” Recirculating

Pad, Approved 

Air Speed,

Radiant Heat in

Brood Chamber

AA** Tunnel With $245 15 Year Term

 Controller, Self

Generation, (Built after 08-19-02)

Dimmers, 6”

Recirculating Pad,

Approved Air Speed

A Tunnel With $230

15 Year Term 

 Controller and

Dark-out
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* Based on a placement density of one bird per .75 square foot of floor space.

II All house types must be constructed and equipped 

according to Integrator’s requirements and specifications.

III Disaster Payment:

a. A disastrous loss will be determined by Integrator and is the result of 

fire, windstorm, flood, or disease [emphasis added], not resulting from any 

negligent act or omission on the part of the Grower.

b. In the event of a 100% disastrous loss of birds, Integrator will compensate 

the Grower $15.00 per 1,000 birds started for each week the birds are in the 

Grower’s house until the date of the disaster.

c. In the event of a partial disastrous loss (less than 100% of the birds are lost), 

Integrator will compensate the Grower $15.00 per 1,000 birds lost for each week 

the birds are in the Grower’s house based on the number of birds lost. The above 

payment schedule will be used to calculate the payment for the surviving birds 

with the exception that if any minimum payments apply, they will be paid on 

number of birds moved rather than number of birds started.

 IV In the event there is an excessive amount of birds lost (greater than 4% of the birds 

housed) during a 24-hour period that is the result of the following event:

1. Birds are lost due to malfunction of the Grower’s equipment (alarms, fans, 

curtain minders, generators, electrical boxes, etc.) that was preventable and within the 

control of the Grower,

Or

2. Birds are lost due to a caretaker not being present to respond to an emergency 

situation,

Then

all Minimum Payments, Disaster Payments, and New House Construction Minimum 

payments will not apply.

3. Birds are lost due to malfunction of the Grower’s equipment (alarms, fans, 

curtain minders, generators, electrical boxes, etc.) that was not preventable and not within 

the control of the Grower, then all Minimum Payments, Disaster Payments, and New 

House Construction Minimum Payments will apply to the number of birds moved (Live 

Haul count).
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have hereunto set their hands the day and year first 

above written.

_________________________________ INTEGRATOR

Grower

_________________________________ By: __________________________

Date
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Poultry

House # Class Date Built

 

______ ________ _________________________

______ ________ _________________________

______ ________ _________________________

______ ________ _________________________

______ ________ _________________________

______ ________ _________________________

GROWER PAYMENT SCHEDULE

A. Base Payment Rate: $.0450 per pound of poultry moved.

B. Feed Conversion Performance Rating:

 Will be determined by comparing each Grower’s average weight per bird and 

feed conversion to the Weekly Average Weight / Feed Conversion of all flocks in 

the settlement week.

 The average weight will be adjusted using a ratio of .10 points of weight equal to 

.01 point of feed conversion.

 Average weight will be determined by dividing the pounds of poultry moved 

from the Grower’s farm by the number of birds at movement as determined from 

the House Mortality Chart. The grower is required to keep an accurate record of 

flock mortality.

Example

Weekly Average Grower #1 Grower #2 Grower #3

Avg. Weight 6.50 6.60 6.40 6.60

Avg. Feed Conversion 2.05 2.04 2.06 2.06

Rating .00 +.02 -.02 .00

 The rating is then multiplied by $.0750 to determine the cents per pound 

adjustment to the Base Payment Rate.

Example

+.02 x $.0750 = + $.0015/ lb. Added to the Base Payment Rate

-.02 x $.0750 = - $.0015/ lb. Deducted from the Base Payment Rate

C. Fuel Performance Rating:

 Will be determined by comparing each Grower’s fuel cost per pound to the 

Weekly Average Fuel Cost per pound of all flocks in the settlement week.

 An average unit cost of fuel for the settlement week will be calculated and will be 

applied to each Grower’s actual units used during the flock.
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Example

Grower

Actual

Gal. Used

Total*

Fuel $’s

Fuel Cost**

/ Pound

Avg. Wkly

Fuel Cost

Base Pay

Adjustment

#1 73 $58 $.0005 $.0010 =$.0005

#2 216 $173 $.0015 $.0010 -$.0005

* Average Weekly Fuel Cost/Gal. = $.80

** Pounds Moved = 115,000

D. Standard Cost:

 Defined as the cost of feed (using a fixed ingredient cost/ton) plus fuel (using the 

weekly average cost/gal.) calculated on a per pound of poultry moved.

 A minimum of ten flocks per growing program is required to calculate the 

Weekly Average Standard Cost. If less than 10 flocks are moved during the 

week, the Weekly Average Standard Cost for the previous week will be used for 

each flock until the 10 flock minimum requirement is obtained.

 Any flock with a Standard Cost that is either $.0150 per pound greater than (+) or 

less than (-) the Weekly Average Standard Cost will not be included when 

computing the final Weekly Average Standard Cost.

E. Top Six Growers Bonus Payment:

 A bonus payment per pound for each growing program will be added to the Base 

Payment for the top six Growers that have the lowest Standard Cost for the 

week’s settlement period.

 The following per pound payment will be added to the Base Payment:

#1 Grower: $.0050 #4 Grower: $.0020

#2 Grower: $.0040 #5 Grower: $.0010

#3 Grower: $.0030 #6 Grower: $.0005

F. Tunnel Premium Payment

 Tunnel ventilated houses that are approved by Integrator will receive an 

additional payment per pound of $.0010.

 This “Tunnel Premium Payment” will be added to the Base Payment per 

pound.

 If a farm has a combination of “tunnel” housing and “conventional” housing 

on the same account, the premium pay per pound will be pro-rated based on 

percent of capacity placed in each style house.

Example: 3-house farm --- 2 tunnel houses had 49,000 chicks placed and 1 

conventional had 21,000 chicks placed.

49,000 tunnel capacity divided by 70,000 total capacity = 70% tunnel 

housing

70% x $.0010 = $.0007 per pound of poultry moved.

G. Insulated Sidewall Incentive Payment
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 Houses with at least one sidewall that is closed in, insulated to minimum R-8 and 

sealed properly to Integrator approval will receive an additional payment per 

pound of $.0005.

 This “Insulated Sidewall Incentive Payment” will be added to the Base Payment 

per pound.

 If a farm has a combination of solid sidewall and open sidewall housing, then 

“Insulated Sidewall Incentive Payment” will be pro-rated based on the percent of 

capacity placed in each style house. (See tunnel pro-rate formula in Section F.)

H. Performance Payment

 Growers who have a previous Six-Flock Average that is better than average will 

have 50% of their previous Six-Flock Average added to their base payment.

 Six-Flock Average is defined as the simple average of the Grower’s most recent 

six flocks’ Standard Cost. A grower with less than six flocks, but more than three 

flocks, will have a partial flock average of those flocks. A Grower with three 

flocks or less will be assigned the average six flock (i.e., zero).

Example: Growers previous Six-Flock Average is +.0020 than .0010 will be 

added to their base payment.

 I. Minimum Payment:

 A minimum payment per 1,000 birds started (at .75 density) is based upon a 

Grower’s Six-Flock Average as follows:

Six Flock Average Minimum Payment

+$.0026 or above $160.00 per 1,000 birds

+$.0011 to + $.0025 $155.00 per 1,000 birds

+$.0010 or below $150.00 per 1,000 birds

J. Growers who install, maintain and continuously operate the following equipment to 

Integrator’s specifications will be paid an additional payment based on the square footage 

of the house(s) so equipped.

1. Equipment required:

a. Six (6) inch pad with recirculating water system.

b. Tunnel ventilation with a calculated wind speed of 600 feet per minute or 100 

feet per minute more than the length of the house; whichever is greater. (400 

foot or less houses must have a minimum of 500 feet per minute.)

c. Controllers

d. Dark out sidewalls with light dimmers.

e. Cross-over fogger lines inside house to specifications.

f. Generator with automatic switch-on capable of operating all poultry houses.

2. Payment per square footage of house per flock produced: $.0100

3. The Minimum Payment referenced in Item H above will be $165.00 per 1,000 

birds placed (at .75 density).
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K. Disaster Payment:

 A disastrous loss will be determined by Integrator and is the result of fire, 

windstorm, flood, or disease, not resulting from any negligent act or 

omission on the part of the Grower.

 In the event of a 100% disastrous loss of birds, Integrator will compensate 

the Grower at the rate of $15.00 per 1,000 birds started for each week the 

birds are in the Grower’s house until the date of the disaster.

 In the event of a partial disastrous loss (less than 100% of the birds are lost), 

Integrator will compensate the Grower at the rate of $15.00 per 1,000 birds 

lost for each week the birds are in the Grower’s house based on the number 

of birds lost. The above payment schedule will be used to calculate the 

payment for the surviving birds with the exception that if any minimum 

payments apply; the calculation will be based upon the number of birds 

moved rather than number of birds started [emphasis added].

L. In the event there is an excessive amount of birds lost (greater than 4% of the birds housed) 

during a 24-hour period that is the result of the following event:

1. Birds are lost due to malfunction of the Grower’s equipment (alarms, fans, 

curtain minders, generators, electrical boxes, etc.) that was preventable and 

within the control of the Grower,

Or

2. Birds are lost due to a caretaker not being present to respond to an emergency 

situation,

Then all Minimum Payments, Disaster Payments, and New House Construction 

Minimum Payments will not apply.

3. Birds are lost due to malfunction of the Grower’s equipment (alarms, fans, 

curtain minders, generators, electrical boxes, etc.) that was not preventable and 

not within the control of the Grower, then all Minimum Payments, Disaster 

Payments, and New House Construction Minimum Payments will apply to the 

number of birds moved (Live Haul count).

M. Any additional bedding deemed necessary by Integrator, because of Grower’s 

mismanagement or omissions, will be supplied by Integrator at Grower’s expense, as 

determined by Integrator based on standard use and practices. Grower remains 

responsible for handling bedding in accordance with all Laws as defined in the Broiler 

Production Agreement.

N. All flocks moved each week from Saturday midnight through the following Saturday

midnight constitute a payment period.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data A16 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

O. Payment to the Grower will be made within fifteen (15) days of the date of the final 

movement of the flock from the farm. Any Federal or state holiday shall extend this time 

period accordingly.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have hereunto set their hands the day and year first above 

written.

_________________________________ INTEGRATOR

Grower

_________________________________ By: __________________________

Date
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

INTEGRATOR’S 

POULTRY GROWER AGREEMENT AND COMPENSATION SCHEDULE

This AGREEMENT, made this day _______________________, by and between 

_____________, ___________, a Delaware corporation with an address of 

______________________, hereinafter referred to as _________________, _______________, 

and __________________________________________________________________of 

______________________________________________ hereafter referred to as GROWER. 

In consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements of each other herein contained, said 

parties hereby contract and agree as follows: 

WISTNESSETH

Additional Capital Investments Disclosure Statement:

Additional Large capital investments may be requires of GROWER during the term of this 

AGREEMENT.

I. ___________, AGREES:

A. To cosign and deliver chicks to GROWER to be raised exclusively for __________, 

____________, ______________ has the right to determine placement density. 

B. To provide and deliver to GROWER, or arrange to have provided and delivered to 

GROWER, all feed, medication, vaccines, fuel and other flock supplies. _____________, 

_________________ retain titles to any flock supplies remaining on GROWER’S farm. 

C. To provide GROWER with an accounting of chicks consigned and supplies provided 

under the terms of this Agreement. 

D. To determine, at tis sole option and discretion, the time each flock will be delivered to 

GROWER, removed from GROWER for processing and which processing plant will be 

utilized and shall arrange for the catching and hauling of the flock at no cost to the 

GROWER. 

E. To compensate the GROWER in accordance with the terms set forth in the attached 

compensation schedule. 

II. GROWER AGREES:

A. To accept the chicks when cosigned by _________________, ____________ and to raise 

the chicks until removed at _____________________, ___________ sole direction form 

the GROWER’S farm. 

B. To furnish the necessary housing, equipment, supplies to maintain equipment and 

housing, utilities, alarms, labor and management to properly care for the flock in 

accordance with _______, _______ requirements, which Grower agrees may change 

from time to time. 

C. To be present or represented when chicks are delivered and during the catching and 

movement of each flock by _______, _______ and be responsible for proper house 

preparation to include to chick delivery/placement and chicken catching and movement, 

such preparation to include adequately raising or moving of equipment. 

D. To use only the feed, medication, vaccines, fuel and other flock supplies, which 

________, ________ has provided or has arranged to be provided to the GROWER for 

the raising of the chicks cosigned. 

E. To use only pesticides, rodenticides, or insecticides supplied or approved in writing by 

__________.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

F. To allow no other poultry, fowl. Wild birds, exotic or domestic pet birds on the 

GROWER’S premises and to promptly rid the farm of any birds left on the farms same 

day of the final movement of birds. 

G. To keep accurate records of mortality and other information for the efficient and proper 

care of cosigned chicks.

H. To adhere to the National Chicken Animal Welfare Guidelines implemented on April 5, 

2005 (which are adopted and incorporated herein) and any revisions of said Guidelines.

J. To assure that no birds are sold or removed from the GROWER’S premises except by 

________, __________ or with its prior written consent. 

K. To provided properly maintained roads, free of surface or overhead obstructions, from the 

nearest country or state maintained road to and around GROWER’S poultry house(s) and 

furthermore, to provide adequate space to turn vehicles where necessary and adequate 

loading for birds. GROWER shall be responsible for all costs incurred by ________, 

________ if roads are not maintained properly or free from obstructions. 

L. To insure that all hired labor or other authorized entrants to the poultry house(s) follow 

all bio-security procedures and have no contact with other fowl, wild birds, or exotic or 

domestic birds.

M. To properly secure all poultry house(s) to prohibit the entrance of unauthorized persons 

or wild and domestic animals and birds. 

N. To follow, adhere, perform and maintain all bio-security procedures and programs 

recommended by ________, _______ at all times.

O. To provide for prompt and proper disposal of all dead and cull poultry resulting from 

normal moralities and/or catastrophic loss in a manner meeting the requirements of 

federal, state, and local laws, regulations and codes. 

P. To comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, rules or codes 

applicable to GROWER, the services provided, the chicks consigned, and/or the 

properly or equipment utilized in the performance of this AGREEMENT.

Q. To comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, rules or codes 

applicable to GROWER’S environmental management, including, without limitation, 

nutrient management plans, operating permits, birds mortality, waste, disposal, water 

quality and air quality.

R. To indemnify _________, ________, its officers, employees, agents and representative 

and hold them harmless from and against: 

i. Any and all claims for damage or injury to persons or property arising out if 

resulting from the GROWER’S operations, acts or inactions under this 

AGREEMENT, except to the extent such damage or injury is caused by the gross 

negligence or willful misconduct of _________, __________.

ii. Loss from theft or disappearance of birds, feed, medications, or other flock 

consigned herein. GROWER shall use their own judgment, skills labor, tools 

ideas and experience in caring for each flock. 

III. IT IS FURTHER UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED THAT:

A. The GROWER is and shall in all circumstances remain and independent contractor and 

shall not be an agent, servant, or employee of, or a joint venture with _________, 

_________. Each party hereto shall employ and supervise exclusively its own servants, 

agents, and employees. The GROWER shall be solely responsible for the performance of 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

its obligation under this AGREEMENT, and all costs incurred by the GROWER in the 

performance of its obligations hereunder are the GROWER’S exclusive any debts, 

liabilities or other obligations in the name of __________, _________.

B. GROWER represents and warrants that Grower is the owner of the land, buildings, and 

equipment utilized for this AGREEMENT or GROWER is in legal possession of said 

real property, buildings and equipment and has the right and authority to use the same for 

the purposes of this AGREEMENT. 

C. GROWER or their agene/designee, shall have the right to be present at the weight by 

________, __________ of any birds raised by GROWER under this AGREEMENT, be 

present at the weighing of feed delivered under this AGREEMENT, and observe the 

weights and measures used by _________, _________ to determine the compensation 

due to PRODUCER under this AGREEMENT. 

D. GROWER shall be solely responsible for payment of any and all applicable federal and 

state taxes on the GROWER’S income and the timely reporting and payment of all 

worker’s compensation insurance, unemployment compensation, withholding and payroll 

taxes, licenses, permits, and assessments now or hereafter imposed by any governmental 

agency as to the GROWER and all persons employed or engaged by the GROWER in the 

performance of this AGREEMENT. GROWER and all persons employed or engaged by 

the GROWER in the performance of this AGREEMENT. GROWER agrees to defend 

and hold __________, _________ harmless from any liability with respect to any such 

taxes or other charges and reimburse, ___________, ________ for any and all costs 

incurred, including attorney’s fees, in any such action.

E. All poultry and supplies furnished by _________, _________ necessary to raise the birds 

pursuant to this AGREEMENT are the property of __________, __________ and the 

GROWER shall have no titles or right of any kind therein. ___________, _________, at 

its sole option discretion, may post notices or placards concerning its ownership at the 

GROWER’S premises and may file one or more financing statements or similar 

instruments under the UCC or other applicable law (for purposes of which this 

AGREEMENT shall constitute a financing agreement), and the GROWER shall 

cooperate fully with __________, ________ as necessary to accomplished the foregoing. 

The failure by __________, _________ to provide notice of its ownership in the 

foregoing manner shall not, however, relieve the GROWER of its obligation to advise 

third parties of ___________, __________ ownership as provided in this AGREEMENT. 

F. Grower shall permit and allow any agent, or employee of ___________, ____________ 

unrestricted access and entry upon the premises of the GROWER where the flock is or 

shall be located, at any and all times deemed necessary by _______, ________, to inspect 

the premises and the flock, to treat for disease, to cull or remove birds for any reasons, to 

inspect the GROWER’S records, or take any other action ________, ________ deems 

necessary in its sole discretion to protect its property.

G. If in the judgment of _________, _______ the GROWER should fail to provide proper 

care, feeding or treatment under the terms of this AGREEMENT, ________, _______ 

shall have the rights to immediately enter over and into the land and premises where the 

flock is located and provide necessary care for and handling of the flock. GROWER shall 

assume the costs for any necessary disbursements to accomplish such purposes. Costs 

incurred by the GROWER will deduct from settlement before final payment is made.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data A20 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

H. Unless otherwise expressed in the AGREEMENT, _________, _______ GROWER shall 

not be held responsible for damages to the other caused by delay or failure to perform 

hereunder when such delay or failure is due to fires, strikes, acts of God, legal acts of 

public authorities or delays or defaults due to labor, feed, or fuel shortages, which are due 

to natural disaster (including, but not limited to, fire, flood, windstorm. or hailstorm) 

which cannot be reasonable forecasted or protected against. 

IV. TERMINATION:

A. For the convenience of not having to initiate a new AGREEMENT for each flock, this 

AGREEMNT shall continue until the AGREEEMENT is terminated by either _______, 

______ or GROWER as provided herein. 

B. GROWER shall have a right to cancel this AGREEMENT until 12:00 midnight of the 

third business day after the day on which GROWER signs this AGREEMENT or until 

chicks have been placed with GROWER, whichever occurs first. GROWER shall provide 

a written notice of termination to _______, _________ for termination to be effective.

C. This AGREEMENT can be terminated by either party upon giving the other party ninety 

(90) days written notice. Notice is required to be sent by certified mailed to the address 

listed the AGREEMENT. 

D. ________, may not place birds with GROWER during the 90 day notification period 

under the following conditions:

i. The GROWER fails to properly care for any poultry in accordance with terms of 

this AGREEMENT.

ii. The GROWER permits to be levied upon or attached, or disposes or attempts to 

dispose of any poultry or supplies furnished by ________, ________. 

iii. The GROWER breaches any of the terms of this AGREEMENT.

iv. In the opinion of _________, _______ the flock becomes endangered for any 

reason. 

v. Grower’s management practices do not conform to ___________, _________ 

standards or do not comply with practices of good animal husbandry. 

E. If this AGREEMENT is terminated by_________, pursuant to the provisions of the 

preceding paragraphs then, in addition to, and not in limitations of, any other rights and 

remedies available to __________, ________ at law or in equity, it or its authorized 

representative shall be fully authorized to come upon the GROWER’S premises without 

legal process, as ___________, __________ may elect, either to feed and care for the 

flock on the GROWER’S premises or to take immediate possession and to remove or 

dispose of same in such manner as ________, _____ may see fit. If _________, 

________ elects to keep the flock on the GROWER’S premises and equipment for 

completing the growing operation shall be without charge. If _______, ______ exercises 

its rights pursuant to this paragraph, the GROWER shall be liable for any expenses and 

other costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs, incurred by ________, 

_________.

F. Neither party shall incur any liability to the other party as a result of so electing to 

terminate this AGREEMENT. Any claim that either party may have against the other 

pater for sums loaned or indebtedness owed to the other party or for breach of this 

AGREEMENT shall survive termination of this AGREEMENT.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

V. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN (PIP):

A. A PIP will be developed for the improvement of the overall cost and or performance of 

the GROWER. A GROWER may be placed into a PIP program if one or more of the 

following conditions exist:

i. A GROWER’S five of six flock average cost equals or exceeds $0.0075 per 

pound worse the average of their growing program.

ii. GROWER has two consecutive flocks with costs greater than $0.0075 worse than 

average of their growing program.

iii. A single event due to GROWER negligence (such as a suffocation) causing 

increased mortality during a normal production cycle.

B. Once the GROWER is placed into the PIP program, the following steps will transpire:

i. An overview of the GROWER’S facility to include the condition of all 

equipment, GROWER’S management technique, etc., by a committee that will 

consist of the GROWER, the Technical Supervisor, and the Growout Manager.

ii. An action plan will be developed based upon the findings of the committee for 

improving the overall performance and cost. The action plan may include 

upgrades to existing facilities or changes in poultry husbandry practices, including 

but not limited to changes in density or layout period.

iii. Entering into the PIP program precipitates the termination clause that requires a 

ninety (90) day written notices as outlined in the Farm Bill Act. The PIP program 

can last for a period of three (3) grow out cycles. The completion of the third 

growout cycle of 90 days, a GROWER whose performances is better than average 

will be removed from the PIP Program. GROWERS not showing a $0.0025 per 

pound improvement in cost will be terminated. 

VI. MISCELLANEOUS:

A. All disputes, claims, and questions regarding the rights and obligations of the parties 

under the terms of this AGREEMENT shall be subject to compulsory arbitration. Either 

party may make a demand for arbitration by filling such demand in writhing with the 

other party within forty-five (45) days after the disputes first arises. Thereafter, 

arbitration shall be conducted by one arbitrator acting under the rules of commercial 

arbitration of the American Arbitration Association. The decision of the arbitrator shall 

be final and binding upon both parties hereto. Each party shall share equally the 

arbitrator’s expenses. 

B. As outlined in the Farm Bill Act, GROWER has the right, before entering into the 

AGREEMENT, to decline the requirement to use arbitration to resolve any controversy 

that may arise hereunder. If GROWER declines the requirement to use arbitration, 

GROWER has the right to nonetheless seek to resolve any controversy that may arise 

under this AGREEMENT if, after the controversy arises, both parties consent in writing 

to use arbitration to settle the controversy. GROWERS refusing the arbitration process 

are required to sign a statement to that affect.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data A22 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

By signing below, GROWER declines the requirement to use arbitration to resolve any 

controversy that may arise hereunder.

_____________________________ _______________________________(seal)

WITNESS GROWER (CO-OWNER)

_____________________________ _______________________________(seal)

WITNESS GROWER (CO-OWNER)

_____________________________

DATE

C. If any legal action is filed for the enforcement or interpretation of this AGREEMENT, 

the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover, as a part of its damages, the costs, 

including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by prevailing party. 

D. The invalidity of any portion of this AGREEMENT shall not affect the validity of any 

other provision. If any provision of this AGREEMENT is held to be invalid, the 

remaining provisions shall be deemed to be in full invalid provision.

E. This AGREEMENT and the then current COMPENSATION SCHEDULE constitutes the 

entire agreement between __________, __________ and GROWER, and no 

representations statements made by either party or their agents not contained herein shall 

be in any way binding on either party. This AGREEMENT shall be freely assignable by 

GROWER only with _________, _______ prior written consent.

F. This AGREEMENTS shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance 

with the laws of the state where GROWER’S premises are located and operations 

conducted under this AGREEMENT.

G. This AGREEMENT shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators, 

successors and assigns of the parties hereto, and shall supersede any previous 

AGREEMESNT made between the said parties.

H. By executing this AGREEMENT and COMPENSATION SCHEDULE, GROWER 

represents and warrants that he ,she or it has been afforded the opportunity to have the 

AGREEMENT and COMPENSETION SCHEDULE reviewed outside the business 

premises of ___________, ___________ or __________, ____________ agents by an 

attorney or adviser of GROWER’S choosing for at least three business days prior to such 

execution.
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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

___________, _________

GROWER COMPENSATION SCHEDULE

I. WEEK’S AVERAGE PRIME COST

The sum of chick, feed, fuel, and non-chargeable expenses (including but not limited to; 

litter, litter bug treatment, PLT, vaccine, medication, and miscellaneous costs) as charged to 

each program’s Settling GROWERS, divided by the total Pounds of Poultry Moved from 

Settling GROWERS’ farms as recorded by the far, weight record. These costs shall be 

calculated using standard rates as determined by __________, ______.

II. WEEK’S AVERAGE ADJUSTED PRIME COST

The Week’s Starting Adjusted Prime Cost is the sum of chick, feed and fuel costs of all 

Settling Growers divided by the pounds of poultry moved from each program’s Settling 

GROWER’s farms as recorded by the farm weight record. These costs shall be calculated 

using standards rates as determined by ____________, _________.

a. A minimum of 5 flocks are required to calculate the Week’s Starting Average 

Adjusted Prime Cost. In the event there are not 5 flocks within the Payment 

Period, the number of flocks to equal or exceed 5 will be used from the previous 

week’s Payment Period starting with the most recent flocks moved.

b. All GROWERS who’s Adjusted Prime Cost per pound is $.0150 greater than the 

Week’s Starting Average Adjust Prime Cost shall be excluded when calculating 

the Week’s Final Average Adjusted Prime Cost.

III. GROWER ADJUSTED PRIME COST

The Adjusted Prime Cost is sum of chick, feed and fuel costs divided by the pounds of 

poultry moved from GROWER’S farm as recorded by the farm weight record. These costs 

shall be calculated using standards rates as determined by ___________, ________.

IV. GROWER’S POINT SPREAD

Week’s Average Adjusted Prime Cost minus GROWER’s Adjusted Prime Cost.

V. PAYMENT PERIOD

Based on final movement, all flocks marketed each week from Saturday at midnights to the 

following Saturday at midnight will constitute a payment period.

VI. BASE PAYMENT RATES

Payments rates per pound of poultry moved by program:

Program ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Base Pay Rate per Pound $0.0510 $0.0370 $0.0490 $0.0335 

VII. GROWER PERFORMANCE PAYMENT

The GROWER’S Performance Payment per pound is the base payment per pound plus or 

minus the GROWER’S Point Spread.
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

VIII. INCENTIVE PAYMENTS

All the below listed Incentive Payments will be paid per live pound. The applicable 

Incentive Pays will be added to the GROWER Performance Payment (Base Pay +Point 

Spread). If a farm has a combination of different types of housing, the incentive pay per 

pound will be pro-rated based on the percent of square footage of each style house placed. 

Example: A farm has a combination of “tunnel” housing. House #1 has a 6” 

recirculating system and house #2 is conventional. The square Footage for house #1 is 

20,000 and house #2 is 16,000. Total farm square footage of 36,000 square feet. 

20,000 square feet of tunnel divided by 36,000 total square feet = 56% 

tunnel.

56% X $0.0055 (Tunnel Incentive) = $.0031 per pound of all poultry moved.

A. Tunnel Incentive Pay - Houses which meet __________, _________ tunnel specifications 

and approved air will receive the Tunnel Incentive Pay per pound.

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Tunnel Incentive Rate per Pound -

6" Recirculation Pad $0.0055 $0.0055 $0.0055 $0.0055 

Tunnel Incentive Rate per Pound -

Spray on Pad $0.0035 $0.0035 $0.0035 $0.0035 

B. Solid Sidewall Incentive Pay – This incentive pay will be paid to those houses with both 

sides covered and sealed properly and insulated to a minimum rating of R-13. 

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Both sides covered, sealed 

properly and insulated to a 

minimum of R-13 $0.0035 $0.0035 $0.0035 $0.0035 

C. Brooding Light Circuit Incentive Pay – This incentive pay will be paid to those houses 

that contain a brooding light circuit and are able to achieve 2.5 or greater foot candles. 

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Brooding Light Circuit 2.5 or 

greater Foot Candles $0.0015 $0.0015 $0.0015 $0.0015 

D. Pulse Water Meter Incentive Pay – This incentive pay will be paid to those houses that 

are equipped with a pulse water meter connected through the controller. There must be 

one pulse water meter per house. 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

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contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Pulse water meter connected 

through the controller $0.0010 $0.0010 $0.0010 $0.0010 

IX. CHANGE OF PRGORAM INCENTIVE PAY

a. The below rates per pound will paid when the program change involved all of the houses 

within an account.

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

SB or ABF SB placed but 

proceeded as SR or ABF SR NA NA $0.0025 $0.0025 

SR or ABF SR placed but processed 

as SB or ABF SB $0.0120 $0.0120 NA NA

b. If there is a partial farm movement change (i.e. less than all of the houses change 

programs) the GROWER will be paid based on the average pay per day of the flocks used 

to create the best five of six flock average. The per day pay amount will be multiplied 

times the average of the flock for total pay amount prior to bonuses.

X. CONTRACT MINIMUM PAY

Contract Minimum Pay will be paid per square foot of housing space per flock. Contract 

Minimum Pay will be paid instead if it exceeds the total of the Grower’s Performance 

Payments plus Incentives.

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Standard House $0.25/Sq. Ft $0.25/Sq. Ft $0.25/Sq. Ft $0.25/Sq. Ft

New House $0.33/Sq. Ft $0.33/Sq. Ft $0.33/Sq. Ft $0.33/Sq. Ft

XI. GROWER’s SIX - FLOCK ADJUSTED PRIME COST RATING

A simple average of GROWER’S Point Spread for the previous up to six (6) flocks settled. 

If this is the GROWER’S first flock, the rating shall zero.

XII. FIVE OF SIX FLOCKS AVERAGE RATING BONUS

a. Five of Six Flocks Average Rating is the simple average pf GROWER’S highest five out 

of the last six settled flocks’ GROWER’S Point Spread. For growers with less than six 

flocks settled, but greater than two, the Five of Six Flocks Average Rating is a sample 

average of those flocks GROWER’S Point Spreads. If a grower has less than three flocks 

settled, the Five of Six Flocks Average Rating shall be zero.

b. In order to receive the Five of Six Flocks Average Rating Bonus, a GROWER must have 

a Five of Six Flock’s Average Rating greater than zero. The GROWER will receive 50% 

of the Five of Six Flocks Average Rating 
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data A26 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

For example: If the GROWER’S 5 of 6 flock average, prior to current settlement, is +.0020, 

then +.0010 will be added to their payment per pound.

XIII. ELECTRIC BONUS

An electric bonus will be paid pound of poultry moved between June 1 and October 31.

ABF SB SB ABF SR SR

Electric Bonus $0.0025 $0.0025 $0.0050 $0.0050 

XIV. DIASTER PAYMENT:

a. In the event of a disaster involving 100% loss of a flock from fire, windstorm, flood or 

hail ______, ______will pay GROWER $10.00 per week per one-thousand (1000) chicks 

placed and lost from date of placement of birds on GROWER’S farm to the date of 

disaster. 

b. In the event of a partial disaster (less than 100%) of a flock from fire, windstorm, flood or 

hail, placed and lost from date of placement of birds on GROWER’s farm to the date the 

disaster. The surviving poultry will be settled in accordance to the COMPENSATION 

SCHEDULE and all surviving house Contract Minimum Payments will apply:

c. In the event there is an excessive amount of birds lost (greater than 2% of the birds 

placed) during a 24-hour period, the following will apply:

i. If birds lost are due to malfunction of the GROWER’s equipment (alarms, fans, 

curtain minders generators, electrical boxes, etc.) that was preventable and within 

the control of the GROWER, or caretaker not being present to respond to an 

emergency situation, then all Contract Minimum Pay and Disaster Payments will 

not apply. 

ii. If birds lost are due to malfunction of the GROWER’S equipment (alarms, fans, 

curtain minders generators, electrical boxes, etc.) that was not preventable and not 

within the control of the GROWER, _________, _________ will pay GROWER 

$10.00 per week per one-thousand (1000) chicks placed and lost from date of 

placement of birds on GROWER’S farm to the date of the disaster. The surviving 

poultry will be settled in accordance to the Compensation Schedule and all 

surviving house Contract Minimum Payments will apply. 

IN WITNESS WHERORF, the parties have hereunto set their hands and seals to this 

AGREEMENT and COMPENSATION SCHEDULE on the day and year first above written.

__________, _________

By ______________________________ (seal)

Director of Live Production 

_____________________________ _______________________________(seal)

WITNESS GROWER (CO-OWNER)
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data A27 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

_____________________________ _______________________________(seal)

WITNESS GROWER (CO-OWNER)

_____________________________

DATE
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

Appendix B

Stakeholder Input

Exhibit 1.Sample Listening Session Agenda

Exhibit 2. Sample Press Release
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data B1 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

Appendix B

Exhibit 1. Sample Listening Session Agenda
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data B2 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

Poultry Business Interruption Study – FCIC Insurance?

Listening Session Agenda

 Introductions

 Watts and Associates, Inc.

 Attendees

 Purpose

 Gather stakeholder input regarding possible Federal poultry 

business interruption insurance product

 Background

 Paperwork Reduction Act Constraints

 Farm Bill Mandate

 Contract Requirements

 Contract Definition of Business Interruption Cause of Loss

 Stakeholder Input

 Industry level of concern

 Industry practices already in place to manage integrator 

bankruptcies

 Industry experiences with integrator bankruptcies

 Business interruption indemnity calculation thoughts

 Obstacles to developing insurance product

 Other issues raised by the attendees

 Questions
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data B3 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

Appendix B

Exhibit 2. Sample Press Release
Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption

Use or disclosure of information or data B4 Risk Management Agency

contained on this sheet is subject to the Order No: D15PD00545

restrictions on the title page of this report.

Government Contractor Seeks Stakeholder Input on Federal Insurance 

Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption.

Congress made an amendment to Section 522(c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act in the Agricultural 

Act of 2014. One portion of the amendment added a subparagraph to the Crop Insurance Act directing 

the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to contract for “research and development regarding a 

policy to insure the commercial production of poultry against business interruptions caused by integrator 

bankruptcy.”

Watts and Associates, Inc. (W&A) was awarded the contract “to obtain information; provide analyses; 

and produce a data gathering report that may support developing an insurance program covering business 

interruptions incurred by poultry growers as a result of an integrator’s bankruptcy.” W&A is an 

economic consulting firm out of Billings, Montana and has completed almost 100 projects focused on 

crop insurance in the United States, Canada, and Europe over the last 14 years. The completed projects 

include a 2010 report entitled “Feasibility Research Report for Insuring Commercial Poultry Production” 

prepared for the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA). 

Part of the research required under the Insurance Program Development for Poultry Business Interruption 

project is gathering stakeholder input. To that end, W&A is conducting listening sessions open to the 

public on July 8, 2015, at 10:30 am for the stakeholders in the Northeast; on July 8, 2015, at 12:30 pm for 

stakeholders in the Southeast; on July 10, 2015, at 12:30 pm for stakeholders in the upper Midwest; on 

July 15, 2015, at 12:30 pm for stakeholders on the West Coast; and on Date, 2015, at Time am/pm at 

Location, Arkansas for stakeholders in the Midwest.

W&A is particularly interested in the level of concern associated with business interruption in the poultry 

industry; whether this concern includes business interruption caused by integrator bankruptcy; practices 

currently in use to manage the risk of such interruptions; details concerning grower operations that have 

experienced integrator bankruptcy; impressions about how a business interruption indemnity payment 

might be calculated; obstacles for development of such an insurance product both within and outside the 

poultry industry; and any other relevant feedback stakeholders would like to provide. 

In deference to concerns regarding the current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the 

United States, the listening sessions will be held as a teleconference with a GoToMeeting© available for 

those interested in viewing the agenda on their computer screens. The phone numbers and access codes 

for the meetings are as follows:

Northeast - 1 877 309 2070 access code: 521-369-213

Southeast - 1 877 568 4106 access code: 608-911-709

Upper Midwest - 1 877 309 2073 access code: 376-994-797

West Coast - 1 866 899 4679 access code: 674-827-797

Lower Midwest - TBD

If you are interested in accessing the GoToMeeting© for any of these sessions, please contact Richard 

Allen at W&A (rallen@wattsandassociates.com) or at 406 252 7776 and he will provide the login 

information for the session. If you are unable to attend a listening session, you can provide your input to 

Richard Allen by email at rallen@wattsandassociates.com. You may also indicate your interest in 

attending one of the sessions at the same email address.