https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/4642bb5f-44a6-4848-8d80-095de161bac5 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com “Americans at Work - Poultry Workers” is one of a series of films created by the National Trade Union Center of the AFL-CIO between 1958-60. The series shows the value of the industry worker in various fields during a period revolutionized by mechanized production. During the mid-1950’s the poultry industry was evolving, with the feed mills, hatcheries, farms and processors evolving into the commercial broiler industry. (The commercial broiler industry is a highly technical agricultural sector that involves raising and processing chickens for meat consumption). This film begins with the importance of food in modern life and shows how food production played a crucial role in the development of human civilization. It traces the path from hunting and gathering to mass production. It also looks at the specifics of poultry plants and the bird’s journey from farm to processing plants and various inspections, to the dinner plate. It features the Rockingham Poultry Market which opened in Rockingham, West Virginia in 1927. The modern turkey and chicken industry can be traced to Rockingham County due to this plant. 00:00 The film opens with swinging holiday tunes (:10) and a roasted chicken breast awaiting a chef with sharpened cutlery. The opening segment ties in how food and family are the heart of society. Kids tear into meat bones (:44). Food gathering and storage changed from an as needed basis to developing the ability to store food in advance for future appetites. Poultry processors in a chicken factory begin to defeather an incoming crop of chickens (:48). Aerial shots pass over a local domesticated poultry farm (1:21). Chickens peck at seeds on the ground (1:48). Turkeys wander (1:55) as the narrator explains the growth of the poultry industry. Birds are taken to the Rockingham Poultry Marketing Co. Op. Cold Storage Division (2:18). A Rockingham distribution truck gets unloaded (2:34) at the poultry processing plant; a new yet essential part of the poultry industry. Chickens are taken from cages at 6am to be ready for local markets at 6am the following day (2:53). The next segment begins the rapid processing procedure (3:07). Birds are de-feathered by machinery (3:16). Human hands pluck off remaining feathers (3:32). Chickens pass through inspection (3:59) for singeing (4:06). Female plant workers slit throats (4:14) for easy disposal of the animal’s final meal. A processor sharpens his knives as various dangers posed to workers are discussed (4:23). Footless birds are flipped upside down (4:51). Benefits of the overhead conveyor (4:50) are relayed. Birds are readied for the eviscerating department (5:19). Female plant workers remove guts (5:23). A segment details various inspections implemented following a campaign spearheaded by the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America; US Department of Agriculture officials perform inspections (6:11) followed by a company inspector (7:01). Machinery sorts and chops parts of the chicken for various uses (7:17). The benefits and process of chilling the chickens is discussed (7:25). Temperature and shipment of poultry is explained (8:14). How chickens were separated in order to better serve homes consumers is discussed; workers pack portions of chickens for distribution and easy home cooking (8:56). Scales check total weights (10:04). The process of blast freezing was introduced and packaging is discussed (10:19). Whole birds (11:03) get wrapped in plastic using a vacuum pump. Other uses for other portions of the birds are discussed (11:21). Frying, rotisserie and chicken gizzards pass down the line (11:36). An American shopper passes through the meat section at the grocery store (12:09). Local sourcing is promoted. The final section honors the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North American (12:54). AFL-CIO seal (13:19). Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff7GQqmPHT0 Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:25:25 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/4642bb5f-44a6-4848-8d80-095de161bac5 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.