Lives on the Line -- A New Report on U.S. Poultry Workers

"Chicken is the most popular meat in the country; Americans consume 89 pounds per capita every year. Yet the people who process the birds that end up on our plates remain largely invisible. Over the past 50 years, poultry has ballooned to a $50 billion industry—while nearly a quarter of a million workers in the processing plants endure dangerous conditions and poverty-level wages every day," begins the Executive Summary of a compelling new report and interactive website from Oxfam America, Lives on the Line. 

North Carolina ranks #3 in the nation for poultry production. In fact, it is our state's top agricultural commodity. But little is known about the thousands of workers in our state who work on dangerously fast production lines, earning low wages and enduring a climate of fear. One of FAN's member organizations, the Western North Carolina Workers Center, played an important role in Oxfam's report, assisting for years with research and interviews with poultry plant employees. 

Take a moment to visit and share this interactive website that offers a glimpse inside the hidden side of a booming industry and learn more about things you can do to help those whose lives are on the line.