The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs (US-RSPE) has recently released the inaugural Sustainability Framework Report, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of transparency and continuous improvement within the U.S. poultry and egg industries.
This comprehensive report, introduced during the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in January 2025, offers aggregated results of sustainability metrics across the entire supply chain, encompassing broilers, turkeys, and eggs.
Genesis and Mission of US-RSPE
Established as an independent, multi-stakeholder organization, US-RSPE is dedicated to advancing, supporting, and communicating continuous improvement in sustainability throughout the poultry and egg value chain.
The organization brings together diverse stakeholders, including growers, producers, integrators, processors, retailers, food service companies, civil society organizations, and allied industries.
This collaborative approach ensures that sustainability initiatives are comprehensive and inclusive, addressing the needs and concerns of all parties involved.
The Three Pillars of Sustainability
US-RSPE’s sustainability efforts are structured around three fundamental pillars: Our Poultry, Our Planet, and Its People.
Development of the Sustainability Framework
The journey towards the Sustainability Framework began in early 2019, driven by the need for a standardized tool to assess sustainability practices across the poultry sector.
US-RSPE embarked on a collaborative process, engaging a wide range of industry participants in a pre-competitive, collective effort to create a framework that is both practical and reflective of the industry’s diverse perspectives.
In 2021, the framework underwent rigorous testing through pilots encompassing broilers, eggs, and turkeys.
Leading companies such as Butterball, Cal-Maine Foods, Cargill, Darling Ingredients, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, Kreher’s Family Farms, McDonald’s Corporation, Peco Foods, Sanderson Farms, Tyson Foods, and West Liberty Foods participated in these pilots.
Their involvement was crucial in reviewing the framework’s metrics and ensuring its applicability across various operational contexts.
Key Components of the Sustainability Framework
The US-RSPE Sustainability Framework is a voluntary assessment whose indicators encompass a broad spectrum of sustainability aspects, including environmental impact, animal welfare, and social responsibility.
The fra...
