000609 Perdue Farms Automating Live Haul OperationJune 7, 2000Salisbury, MD - After five years of researching the latest technologies, two years of exploring implementation and usage scenarios and six months of intensive field trials at area poultry farms, Perdue Farms has announced plans to automate its live haul operations on the Delmarva Peninsula. “As the owner and operator of the automated systems, it is our intent to create a process that reduces the arduous nature of catching chickens while improving the efficiency and quality of the processing system,” said Bob Turley, Perdue's President and Chief Operating Officer. The search for an automated means of collecting chickens from farms to transport to processing facilities (a process known as live haul) included evaluations of systems developed in Denmark, England and Italy. In the end, four separate chicken harvester machines were considered for the Delmarva Peninsula, and two brought to the Eastern Shore for onsite trials. “Until now, we had never seen a viable automated system that could take over the physically demanding job of catching chickens,” said Turley. “When we found the right technology, we made the decision to invest in the future by acquiring automated catching machines to make this tough job much easier.” Although the use of automation will reduce the number of personnel involved in the catching process, it will not eliminate the need for manpower. Individuals currently performing this task under contract will be offered the opportunity to join the company as Perdue Farms associates. The announcement marks the start of a multi-year transition to automation while ensuring a continuity of employment for the people involved in the process.
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