[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 11, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING FOSTER FARMS

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 2014

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleagues, Mr. 
Denham and Mr. Valadao to honor Foster Farms, a poultry company with 75 
years of business experience in California's Central Valley. Foster 
Farms is not only a significant employer in the community but also a 
national leader in high quality poultry production.
  Foster Farms was founded in 1939 by Max and Verda Foster, a couple 
who dreamed of selling better, safer farm products to consumers. By 
taking out a small loan the young couple invested in an 80-acre farm 
near Modesto, California, and their business quickly grew. The Fosters' 
commitment to raising high quality poultry led to their purchase of a 
feed mill in 1950. By 1959, Max and Verda added a processing plant in 
nearby Livingston.
  The expansion of Foster Farms continued into the 1960s when the 
company consolidated its corporate headquarters in the small Central 
California town of Livingston, where it still resides today. Increasing 
demand for fresh poultry led Foster Farms to continue its expansion 
into southern California. By 1973, consumers across the state from Del 
Norte County to San Diego could access Foster Farms' high quality fresh 
poultry.
  Today, Foster Farms' poultry and dairy operations employ more than 
9,000 hardworking Americans. The company has sales in excess of $1 
billion, and their profits have made possible significant financial 
contributions to agricultural education in the state of California. 
Foster Farms has given grants to UC Davis, Fresno State, and California 
Polytechnic State University. Foster Farms' efforts have been 
recognized throughout the state's educational system. The company's 
Chief Executive Officer, Ron Foster, was awarded the Distinguished 
Service Award for 15 years of leadership as an educational advisor, 
fundraiser, benefactor, and collaborator.
  Since 2005, Foster Farms has consistently received the highest animal 
welfare ratings from various independent auditors. In 2013, Foster 
Farms became the first major poultry producer to be certified by the 
American Humane Association, which is the nation's first national 
humane organization for children and animals. The company continued to 
demonstrate their appreciation for high quality chicken through their 
``Say No to Plumping'' campaign, which began in 2009. Thanks in large 
part to Foster Farms, plumping is no longer found in retailers on the 
West Coast.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the 
U.S. House of Representatives to join Mr. Denham, Mr. Valadao, and 
myself in recognizing Foster Farms for 75 successful years in business.

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