November 9, 2007

New York chicken company develops online source verification for poultry

New York-based Murray's Chicken made it possible for customers to track down the farm sources of their chicken through the first-ever online farm source verification system.

Murray Bresky, CEO and president of Murray's Chicken said that consumers will now be able to access information about the farm where their all-natural poultry was raised, and if it is indeed free of antibiotics and hormones.

An August 2007 consumer poll by Zogby International indicated that 85 percent of US consumers want to know where their food comes from. Seventy percent of the consumers also indicated that they are willing to pay more for produce, poultry, meat and seafood if they know they were from the US.

The Farm Source Verification System uses Google Maps and Google Earth to give shoppers a clear idea on how the Murray's Chicken worked that day. The system will include 40 area farmers to tell their stories and to educate the consumers on how the chickens were raised.