How it works: The risky business of contract poultry farming in North Carolina
Big Poultry: Part 3
Many NC poultry farmers get into the business because they are told it is a way to make a steady income with minimal effort. But it doesn’t always work out that way. The system leaves many farmers struggling to make ends meet. The U.S. Justice Department alleges that leading poultry companies have engaged in “deceptive” and illegal practices in their dealings with the farmers who raise their birds. Advocates say the system allows multi-billion-dollar poultry companies to profit at the expense of farmers and keep them trapped in a cycle of debt.
