The Meat Institute has taken proactive steps to address concerns regarding child labor and identity fraud in the meat and poultry industry by releasing a comprehensive best practices document titled “Meat and Poultry Industry Best Practices: Workforce Age Verification”.
Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the Meat Institute, emphasized the industry’s stance that meat and poultry production facilities are not suitable environments for children. She highlighted the importance of these best practices in light of the increasing influx of undocumented minors and the rising prevalence of identity theft and fraud.
The document, shared with the Department of Labor and the Department of Agriculture, aims to complement existing government programs by providing practical guidelines for industry members to prevent underage labor. Potts emphasized the Meat Institute’s readiness to collaborate with the federal government to develop effective solutions and penalties where necessary.
With a surge in migrants entering the country illegally, including unaccompanied minors, many industries, including the meat and poultry sector, face the risk of inadvertently hiring exploited minors manipulated by human traffickers using identity fraud techniques. To combat this, the Meat Institute has engaged in educational programs for member companies, offering insights from external experts on false identification, trafficking, and lessons learned from companies charged with violating child labor laws. These efforts also include introducing new programs and technologies to detect identity fraud.
Drawing from these initiatives and input from member companies, the Meat Institute has compiled field-tested best practices, providing the industry with a robust framework to develop their own programs. The best practices document covers legal authorities, corporate codes of conduct, expectations for third-party contractors, protocols for immediate responses to suspicions of child labor, enhanced training, audits, and technological solutions.
By implementing these guidelines, the meat and poultry industry aims to strengthen its commitment to ethical labor practices and safeguard against the exploitation of minors.
