National Chicken Council

What National Chicken Council does

The National Chicken Council (NCC), founded in 1954 in Richmond, Virginia and relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1965, is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that represents companies producing approximately 95% of the chickens raised and processed for meat in the United States. The organization functions as the unified federal advocacy voice of the U.S. broiler chicken industry, engaging Congress, USDA, and federal regulators on legislative and policy matters spanning food safety and inspection, animal welfare, worker safety, immigration, international trade, ethanol policy, and competition from cell-cultured and plant-based protein alternatives. Members fall into three categories: vertically integrated broiler producer/processors (which slaughter, eviscerate, and process young chickens under USDA inspection and handle operations from hatchery through marketing and distribution), fowl processors, and 100+ allied industry firms spanning genetics (Aviagen, Cobb-Vantress), feed (Cargill), animal health (Boehringer Ingelheim, Zoetis), agricultural finance (CoBank, Rabobank), and foodservice (Chick-fil-A).

NCC's portfolio consists of advocacy services, industry standards, and informational resources rather than commercial products or proprietary technology. Key deliverables include the weekly members-only Washington Report newsletter, consumer-facing education platforms (the Chicken Check In website featuring virtual reality farm tours and the Chicken Roost recipe site), industry promotion campaigns (National Chicken Month, established September 1989), and standards programs — most notably the PAACO-certified NCC Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit Checklist, adopted industry-wide. The organization also convenes industry events including the annual Chicken Marketing Summit, seasonal Board meetings, and supports the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in partnership with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. The 2020 U.S. Broiler Chicken Industry Sustainability Report, built on a broiler life cycle assessment covering environmental metrics from 2010-2020, serves as the organization's primary data-driven industry resource.

The revenue model is subscription-based membership dues with no product pricing. Producer/Processor members pay a flat fee plus a variable production-based charge; Allied Industry members are segmented by tier (Allied Leaders, Allied Members). Dues pricing is not publicly disclosed. NCC is governed by a Board of Directors composed of member-company representatives and operates with a small, lean staff (~6+ documented positions including the President, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice President, Director, and Assistant to the President/Staff Accountant) located at 1152 Fifteenth Street NW, Suite 430, Washington, D.C.

Name

National Chicken Council

Legal name

National Chicken Council

Website

https://nationalchickencouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Chicken Council is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1954 that represents U.S. broiler chicken producer/processors, fowl processors, and 100+ allied industry firms, advocating on federal policy, food safety, animal welfare, worker safety, and trade.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association / Poultry Industry Advocacy

NAICS

Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (112320), Poultry Processing (311615)

SIC

Poultry Slaughtering And Processing (2015)

akta.pro primary industry

Broiler Chicken Production (Meat Birds) (AFAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Poultry Processing & Packing (AFAKALAC), Primary Poultry Processing (Slaughtering, Evisceration & Chilling) (AFANACAA)

Keywords

• Poultry industry advocacy
• Trade association services
• Broiler industry representation
• Food safety policy
• Animal welfare standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NCC is a non-profit trade association funded by membership dues. Producer/Processor members pay dues based on a flat fee plus a charge based on production. Allied Industry members pay tiered dues (Allied Leaders and Allied Members).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Chicken Council is the U.S. trade association that advocates on behalf of companies that raise and process broiler chickens. NCC provides legislative and regulatory representation in Washington D.C., publishes industry statistics and consumer education resources (Chicken Check In, Chicken Roost), maintains industry standards such as the PAACO-certified Animal Welfare Guidelines, coordinates industry events and meetings, and runs the annual National Chicken Month promotion.

Product overview

The National Chicken Council (NCC) is a trade association, not a technology product company. It provides advocacy services, industry coordination, and consumer/industry education resources. The NCC's 'products' consist of informational services including the weekly Washington Report newsletter for members, consumer education resources (Chicken Check In website, Chicken Roost recipe site), industry promotion programs (National Chicken Month), and industry standards programs (NCC Animal Welfare Guidelines). These are advocacy and informational services supporting the U.S. broiler chicken industry rather than commercial technology products or software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chicken Check In: Consumer education website explaining how chickens are raised and produced in the U.S.
• Chicken Roost

Products and services

• Chicken Check In Consumer-facing website operated by NCC educating Americans on how chickens are raised and produced in the U.S., featuring sustainability information and virtual reality farm tours of hatcheries, farms, and processing plants.
• Chicken Roost Recipe and cooking tips website operated by NCC providing chicken recipes and cooking guidance for consumers.
• Washington Report Weekly members-only newsletter providing current statistics, economic updates, regulatory and legislative news, and industry issue reports to NCC member companies.
• National Chicken Month Annual marketing campaign established in September 1989 to extend the grilling season and promote greater chicken consumption into the fall.
• NCC Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit Checklist Science-based guidelines covering every phase of a chicken's life for proper treatment and humane care of broiler chickens, certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO).
• Chicken Marketing Summit Annual conference held in July for industry marketing and communications professionals, providing networking and education for the broiler industry's marketing function.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in occupational injuries and illnesses over 30 years - from 22.7 per 100 workers in 1994 to 2.4 per 100 workers in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AviagencoreTechnology or IntegrationAllied Industry member and genetics company supplying broiler breeding stock to producer/processors. Provides elite poultry genetics essential for broiler production.
• Cobb-VantresscoreTechnology or IntegrationAllied Industry member and genetics company supplying broiler breeding stock to producer/processors. Provides poultry genetics essential for broiler production.
• CargillcoreTechnology or IntegrationAllied Industry member providing feed ingredients and meat/poultry solutions to the broiler industry.
• Boehringer Ingelheim Animal HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationAllied Industry member providing animal health products and vaccines to poultry producers.
• ZoetiscoreTechnology or IntegrationAllied Industry member providing animal health products and pharmaceuticals to poultry producers.
• Chick-fil-AcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAllied Industry member and major foodservice customer purchasing chicken products from NCC member companies.
• U.S. Poultry & Egg AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in chicken promotion programs including National Chicken Month and the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE).
• Poultry Science AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic organization collaborating with NCC, National Turkey Federation, and United Egg Producers to identify research priorities for the U.S. poultry industry at annual meetings.
• Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertifying organization that certified NCC's broiler and broiler breeder welfare guidelines after a significant review process, providing consumer confidence in animal welfare auditing.
• National Turkey FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner trade association representing turkey producers; collaborated on PIFSCo (Poultry Industry Food Safety Council) and research priorities.
• Poultry Industry Food Safety Council (PIFSCo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew collaborative initiative launched to advance food safety practices across the poultry industry, representing breeder, broiler, duck, layer, and turkey sectors. Brings together major industry organizations including NCC, Meat Institute, National Turkey Federation, and 50+ poultry companies to identify research priorities, share practical solutions, and develop food safety guidelines.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FMI - The Food Industry Association: Food-retail trade association serving as the downstream customer-facing counterpart to NCC; indirectly comparable via the broiler supply chain into grocery and foodservice.
• National Cattlemen's Beef Association: Larger incumbent U.S. beef-producer trade association; competes with NCC for protein-share narrative and Congressional influence but operates at much larger scale.
• Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA): Adjacent trade association representing packaged-food and consumer-products manufacturers; comparable as a Washington-based advocacy organization funded by member dues.
• American Farm Bureau Federation: Broad incumbent general agriculture trade association with substantially larger membership base; overlaps NCC on labor, immigration, trade, and environmental policy.

Direct peers

• National Pork Producers Council: Companion protein trade association jointly engaged with NCC on USDA line-speed rule advocacy and broader livestock/poultry producer policy coordination.
• National Turkey Federation: Companion poultry trade association for turkey producers; partners with NCC on PIFSCo and shares research-priorities coordination with Poultry Science Association.
• U.S. Poultry & Egg Association: Closest peer - poultry-industry trade association co-hosting the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) and the Frank Cruice safety award alongside NCC.
• United Egg Producers: Egg-producer trade association; Dr. Ashley Peterson (NCC SVP) previously served as VP of Government Relations there, evidencing the personnel and policy overlap between NCC and UEP.
• Animal Agriculture Alliance: Animal-agriculture advocacy trade association working on sustainability, welfare, and reputational issues similar to NCC's Chicken Check In and Roost programs.
• Meat Institute (formerly American Meat Institute): Direct peer trade association representing U.S. meat and poultry processors; collaborates with NCC on PIFSCo food-safety initiative and joint line-speed comments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chickencouncil
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpcuAdqFRmrdUy_-Qjn0kRA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChickenRoost
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-chicken-council

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Chicken Council