Sanderson Farms clarifying chicken

Chicken processor Sanderson Farms is launching a marketing program to educate consumers about the use of antibiotics in poultry production, and attempting to bring clarity to a complicated subject that is sometimes characterized in simplistic and apocalyptic terms by critics. This effort merits close attention. The Sanderson Farms campaign features print, radio and television marketing materials that will run in the 24 US media markets where the company’s products are sold. The budget supporting the initial launch is between $5 million and $6 million. When asked by a financial analyst on Aug. 25 how long the program will run, Joe Sanderson Jr., chairman and CEO of Sanderson Farms, simply said, “… it is permanent. We feel like we have to do it to support our retailers and, based on the response we have gotten, we’re going to continue it for the foreseeable future.”