Tyson Foods Earns Food Safety Award

Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale has been named the 2015 recipient of the International Association for Food Protection’s top honor for food safety.

The Black Pearl Award is given annually by the Iowa-based nonprofit to one company that promotes food safety and quality through its standards, training, consumer programs and employee relations, according to a news release from IAFP.

This award and others will be presented at IAFP’s annual meeting July 25–28, in Portland, Oregon.

Tyson was recognized for its value-driven standards and practices and its development of programs like FarmCheck that improve sustainability and safe food production efforts, in addition to its recent announcement to eliminate by September 2017 the use of human antibiotics from its chicken flocks, according to IAFP.

“Tyson Foods’ commitment to operating our business honorably extends beyond the products to people, animals and the planet,” Tyson president and CEO Donnie Smith said in the news release. “It’s important we make a difference by providing a hand up to those in need through disaster and hunger relief, and we fully respect the animals and environment entrusted to us.”