PORTLAND, Ore. – Poultry industry experts are questioning a recent report that claimed major U.S. brands are selling salmonella-contaminated meat.

In the report, Andrew DeCoriolis, Farm Forward executive director, said that the widespread salmonella contamination in the U.S. poultry industry is the responsibility of a handful of large meat companies, not farmers.

“In the U.S., 90 percent of poultry farmers are contract growers for large poultry companies and bear the burden of the risks and costs of production (e.g., debt, disease, environmental contamination), with few protections from the companies that contract with them,” he told Farm World.

He said integrated poultry companies control every stage of production, from supplying the genetics to controlling feed, and how birds are raised, transported, and slaughtered.

The report said salmonella remains the leading cause of food-borne illness deaths nationwide. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria caused about 1.28 million illnesses and 238 deaths in 2019, with poultry responsible for at least one-quarter of all reported infections.

For broader annual statistics on salmonella deaths, the CDC said it relies on estimates from previous years, such as the 2019 numbers, with more comprehensive 2025 data typically released later this year. 

The report added the USDA organizes poultry processors into three categories based on how often salmonella is detected in their products. Over 13 percent of processing plants fall into Category 3, meaning their meat exceeds acceptable contamination levels. 

Perdue Foods spokesperson Kate Shaw told Indiana Public Media the USDA rating reflects how often salmonella is detected, not the amount found, adding that the measure doesn’t directly correlate with the risk to public health: “We will continue to invest in rigorous food-safety systems, industry-leading controls, and ongoing third-party verification to protect the families who count on us.”

Tom Super, National Chicken Council senior vice president of public affairs, told Farm World, “Consumers should not be concerned. This is an unscientific report from an activist organization whose stated goal is to end commercial chicken farming.

“Americans eat about 150 million servings of chicken every day, and almost all of them are eaten safely,” he said. “Chicken producers have worked to drive salmonella levels to all-time lows, meeting or exceeding performance standards set by the USDA, who has the authority to pull inspection at any establishment that is not producing safe, wholesome and properly-labeled products.”

He added, “Raw chicken is not a 100-percent sterile product, and should always be handled and cooked properly. All chicken is safe to eat when properly handled and cooked.”