The National Chicken Council (NCC) has posted new information on <chicken check.in> relating to the sustainability of broiler production. The NCC provides graphics and data to show that since 1965, "the environmental footprint" has decreased by 50 percent.
This is largely due to improved genetics with complementary advances in disease control and nutrition. Resource inputs to produce broiler meat in 2020 are considerably lower than in 1965. The NCC estimates that on the basis of per pound of product, 72 percent less farmland is required to produce corn and soybeans based on enhanced efficiency of feed conversion. Broiler production requires approximately 58 percent less water, mainly through advances in equipment technology and plant management.
More than a third less fossil fuel is consumed to produce an equivalent quantity of chicken in 2020 as compared to 1965. By the adoption of new technology, farmers have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 36 percent based on a lifetime assessment. About 95 percent of poultry litter is recycled and is used as a substitute for chemical fertilizer, improving soil texture and contributing to yields.
