OAKWOOD, OHIO — Turkey, egg and deli producer Cooper Farms released its full 2024 Impact Report, detailing data on the company’s commitments to water quality and conservation, land stewardship, animal housing, and team member safety.

The full, 50-page report follows a preliminary report that was released in June during the International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) 2024 conference.

Throughout the company’s 86-year history, Cooper Farms has valued raising animals humanely, respecting the environment and investing in its community, according to Gary Cooper, chief operating officer and third-generation family farmer.

Through its Impact Report, Cooper Farms showcases its improvements in response to increased consumer demand for transparency and sustainability.

“We understand this information is important to our private-label customers and end-consumers of our protein products, and we want to be transparent about our efforts to continuously improve,” Gary Cooper said. “As a vertically integrated company, we can control each aspect of production — from breeding to distribution. This provides a strategic advantage to ensure continuous improvement and advancement toward our environmental, ethical and community commitments.”

In the 2023 fiscal year, Cooper Farms harvested 335 million lbs of turkeys. The company also harvested 250 million lbs of pork and produced 32.4 million lbs of liquid eggs. 

In February, the company announced an expansion of its pet food offerings to include human-grade turkey ingredients. According to Cooper Farms, the company currently offers several turkey ingredients, including mechanically separated turkey (MST), giblets (hearts and livers), thigh trim, boneless and skinless wing meat, skin, neck meat, breast meat, and tendon straps. The company typically ships 2,000 lbs at a time fresh, and will occasionally send product to a third-party partner to have it frozen before shipping, if needed.

The company’s production team is made up of approximately 2,500 employees, of which 61% are male and 39% female. Nearly half of its team members have been with the company for five or more years.

Since 2016, Cooper Farms has partnered with Marathon Health to provide free primary health care clinics to all team members and their families covered by the company insurance program. Currently, Cooper Farms has eight healthcare center locations, which saves approximately $2.1 million in total a year for its employees. Since the beginning of its partnership with Marathon Health, Cooper Farms has provided $31.9 million in free medical care to team members and their families.

For the past seven years, Cooper Farms has strived to decrease waste and leave the land better for future generations. With over 98% of the company’s waste diverted from the landfill in 2023, Cooper Farms is inching closer to its goal of becoming a zero-waste company. Part of the company’s farm conservation efforts include reduced tillage, wooded acres, filter strips, composting and tree planting.

Cooper Farms is also making progress on its goal to reduce water usage at the company’s St. Henry Harvest plant by 50 million gallons by 2028.

With animal welfare being a top priority at Cooper Farms, the company reported it is progressing toward its goal of 70% cage-free laying hen housing by the end of 2024.

On top of its business operations, Cooper Farms looks for ways to give back to the community. In 2023, the company donated more than 78,000 lbs of meat and 13,000 lbs of eggs. The Cooper Family Foundation donated a total of $1.1 million between 2021-2023 and was awarded $54,200 through V.H. Cooper Scholarships.

“Every day, we work to still be the company my parents started in our small town,” Gary Cooper said. “We’ve made great strides toward excellence in sustainability, and we are proud to demonstrate the investment we have in our farms, plants and communities. As we move forward, our commitment to transparency, sustainability and community engagement will continue to drive innovation in how we produce quality food for our customers.”

Read more about sustainability efforts across the pet food and treat industry.