U.S. total broiler slaughter data for the week ending October 3, 2026, is estimated by USDA’s Poultry Market News Service to be 170,627,000 broilers, a 2-percent decrease from the same week a year earlier.
The 2-percent decrease in slaughter compares with a 2-percent increase in eggs set in the United States 10 weeks earlier, and a 2-percent increase in chicks placed 7 weeks earlier in the United States. USDA’s latest Broiler Hatchery report can be viewed here.
| U.S. Eggs Set, Chicks Placed, Broiler Slaughter Report | ||||||||||
| Week ending | Eggs set | Chicks placed | Eggs set | Chicks placed | Broilers slaughtered | |||||
| change from | change from | 10 weeks previous | 7 weeks previous | |||||||
| 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | ||||||
| -000- | % | -000- | % | -000- | % | -000- | % | -000- | % | |
| Aug | ||||||||||
| 29 | 250,272 | 101 | 194,483 | 101 |
252,943 | 101 | 195,611 | 100 | 171,708 | 97 |
| Sep | ||||||||||
| 5 * | 248,652 | 99 | 193,443 | 100 |
252,451 | 101 | 195,455 | 101 | 174,775 | 108 |
| 12 | 244,637 | 99 | 195,128 | 100 |
251,737 | 100 | 194,607 | 100 | 158,906 | 91 |
| 19 | 247,304 | 103 | 194,508 | 100 |
251,893 | 102 | 194,575 | 101 | 168,013 | 96 |
| 26 | 249,606 | 103 | 193,321 | 99 |
252,493 | 101 | 195,784 | 101 | 172,874 | 99 |
| Oct | ||||||||||
| 3 | 246,428 | 101 | 189,689 | 98 |
253,586 | 102 | 196,464 | 102 | 170,627 | 98 |
| 10 | — | — | — | — |
252,434 | 101 | 195,176 | 101 | — | — |
*Labor Day Holiday Weekend
A panel discussion during a meeting of the Greater New York Association of Meat & Poultry Dealers, sometime in the mid-late 80’s at the now defunct Ramada Plaza/Travelodge Hotel at JFK Airport in New York City. From L-R: Harry Kassel, Consultant, at the podium; Ron Koenig, affiliation unknown; George Watts, NCC President; Bill Fielding, President of Excel (Cargill); Burt Eller, National Cattlemen’s Association; J. Dawson Ahalt, USDA Ag Economist; Philip Nathanson, Market Analyst, Bankers Trust Co.
WHAT HAPPENED: The Senate on Wednesday night confirmed Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor, in its last vote before leaving Washington until after the midterm elections. The 47-41 vote was along party lines, with all Republicans present voting yes and all Democrats voting no.
ABOUT KEITH SONDERLING: Sonderling has led the department since April, when former Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned. The Senate confirmed him as her deputy in March 2025. He worked at the Labor Department throughout President Trump’s first term and served on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission until 2024. He previously practiced labor and employment law at a Florida firm.
WHY IT MATTERS: The Labor Department controls several issues that affect the poultry workforce, including guest worker programs, wage rules and workplace safety enforcement. Sonderling’s confirmation keeps the department’s current leadership in place. The department is pursuing business-friendly regulations while also stepping up enforcement of foreign worker program rules.
WHAT’S NEXT: Sonderling immediately assumes the cabinet position. The Senate returns for legislative business on November 9.
Sonderling at his confirmation hearing, July 30, 2026. The Senate HELP Committee advanced his nomination in a 12–11 party-line vote at the time.
WHAT HAPPENED: NCC announced that Trey Gowdy, former Congressman, federal prosecutor, and current Fox News host, will speak on October 29 at the National Chicken Council’s 71st Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
ABOUT TREY GOWDY: Gowdy currently serves as a host on Fox News, anchoring the weekend primetime program Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy. He grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After law school he clerked for a judge on the South Carolina Court of Appeals and then for a U.S. District Court trial judge.
From 1994-2000, as a federal prosecutor, Gowdy prosecuted the full range of federal crimes including narcotics trafficking, bank robbery, car jacking, kidnapping, child pornography cases, and the murder of a federal witness. In 2000, he left the U.S. Attorney’s office to run for 7th Circuit Solicitor (District Attorney) in Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties.
In 2010, he ran for congress to represent the 4th Congressional District (Greenville and Spartanburg Counties). While in congress he served on the Judiciary Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Intelligence Committee, Education and the Workforce Committee and Ethics Committee. After four terms in congress, he announced he would not seek re-election in 2018 and would leave public service for good.
In January of 2019, he returned to his beloved South Carolina to practice law, teach classes with his close friend Senator Tim Scott, and speak on legal issues he considers important to our country.
Special thanks to BMO for sponsoring Gowdy’s presentation.
HOW TO REGISTER: Join NCC October 28–29, 2026, in Washington, D.C., to gain insights into the legislative, regulatory, political, business, and economic issues shaping the chicken industry’s future — and connect with industry leaders driving that future forward. The conference is open to NCC members, state association representatives, press, government officials, academia, and other interested parties. For more information, questions, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please contact Polina Burko at [email protected].
THANKING OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE SPONSORS:
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