Perdue's Chickens "USDA Process Verified": Legit or a Marketing Hoax?

It's partly a positive that large food manufacturers are spending more and more time marketing the quality of their product. It's all natural with no additives and on and on and on. I see the positive side of this marketing front because marketing is consumer-driven so it means consumers are concerned with the foods that they're eating. It's no longer just the convenience and price of food that we're concerned out. It's the quality.

But as consumers chime in with their needs, you can be sure that large food manufacturers will try and assure consumers that they're here to meet them. I simply wish these sizeable food producers would spend as much money producing the highest quality products as they do marketing them. The New York Times recently documented Perdue Chicken's new advertising campaign which took a more serious approach to selling chickens then in years past, speaking specifically about the USDA Process Verified Program. The program allows companies like Perdue to make marketing claims about the raising and feeding of the animals they produce.

According to The New York Times:

"This seal verifies we feed my fresh, all-natural chickens an all-vegetarian diet, including corn, soybeans and marigolds," Jim Perdue says in one commercial. In another spot, he describes the diet as having "no animal byproducts, no animal fat."

Such programs require auditing. According to the USDA, "the USDA Process Verified Program provides companies that supply agricultural products or services the opportunity to assure customers of their ability to provide consistent quality products or services."

Jim Perdue says in one commercial, "we actually ask the U.S.D.A. to come check us." This is inaccurate because they don't ask the USDA to check them, it's a requirement.

Marion Nestle describes this as "an example of a food marketer praising itself for not doing what it is 'not allowed to do.'" Unfortunately, it's an example of companies using the USDA to highlight only the positives while the negatives still go under the radar.

Again, Marion Nestle in the The New York Times:

"Food chickens are usually not caged," she said, and are "fed grain." Also, the commercials "say nothing about whether they're fed antibiotics," she added, concluding, "It's hard not to be sarcastic about all this."

The bottom line is that it's a GOOD thing that we are beginning to care about the quality of the foods that we eat. But as marketing catches up to these new ambitions it's important that we don't get the wool pulled over our eyes again. Ask questions, read labels carefully, look for what's there, and more importantly, what's not. If you're going to eat chicken, choose organic chickens from small, local producers. It's the best way to ensure quality.

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