MEDIA ALERT: Nationally-Recognized Poultry Contract-Grower & Industry Whistleblower to Speak at New Series of NE Informational Meetings

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2017

FREMONT, NE As the proposed Costco-owned chicken processing operation in Fremont continues to be discussed and challenged by local residents, farmers and their families from surrounding Nebraska counties are weighing the benefits and the costs of entering into the life of a contract-grower. Major questions need to be asked — and answered.

To continue to help provide real-world information and separate the myths from the facts of contract-growing, a second series of informational meetings will be held across Northeast Nebraska featuring a nationally-recognized expert and whistleblower on the industrial poultry industry.

Craig Watts is a former contract-grower for agribusiness giant Perdue in North Carolina who stood up to the industry and the shortcomings common and harmful to growers. Currently an independent family farmer and consultant for Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, Watts offers a unique, experienced perspective on contract-growing and the issues local Nebraska farmers will face.

The meetings will also include a showing of the short documentary film Sharecropper,  which explores the ongoing struggles of America’s chicken farmers.

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The following is the calendar for informational meetings:

TUESDAY, MARCH 14

  • Norfolk Library | 308 West Prospect Ave, Norfolk, NE | 9:30am & 12:00pm (two separate events)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

  • Keene Memorial Library |1030 North Broad Street, Fremont, NE | 9:30am
  • Tekamah Auditorium | 1315 K Street, Tekamah, NE | 1:00pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 16

  • Nielsen Center | 200 Anna Stalp Ave, West Point, NE | 9:30am
  • Wahoo Library | 637 North Maple St, Wahoo, NE | 1:30pm
  • Columbus Library | 2424 14th Street, Columbus, NE| 5:30pm

This meeting series is co-sponsored by Nebraska Communities United, Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, Farm Aid and GC Resolve.

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For more information contact:

Randy Ruppert | Nebraska Communities United | nebraskacommunitiesunited@gmail.com

Steve Masar | SRAP | media@sraprojet.org