Federal investigation launched into Perdue Farms, Tyson following allegations of child labor

DELMARVA – A federal investigation is underway against Perdue Farms and Tyson plants over accusations of alleged child labor.

The New York Times is reporting that a Perdue chicken processing plant on the Eastern Shore of Virginia hires teens as young as 14 who interact with dangerous machines and handle hazardous chemicals, both of which are illegal for minors to do.

47 ABC reached out to Perdue Farms, who sent the following statement:

“We take the legal employment and safety of each individual working in our facilities very seriously and have strict, longstanding policies in place for Perdue associates to prevent minors from working hazardous jobs in violation of the law. We hold our contract sanitation partners to the same high standards, and we were appalled by these recent allegations.  In May 2023, we started conducting comprehensive third-party audits of child labor prevention and protection procedures including a compliance audit of sanitation contractors. We plan to cooperate fully with any government inquiry on this matter. As a 103-year-old, family-owned, value-based organization, we hold our core values of quality, integrity, teamwork, and stewardship in the highest regard. These recent allegations are not representative of who we are as a company and what we stand for.”