The California Poultry Federation

Bill Mattos / President

The California Poultry Federation (CPF) represents the state’s turkey and chicken producers and marketers, some egg producers, the largest squab processor in the world right here in Modesto, game birds and Peking and Muscovy Ducks.

A trade association formed in 1990, the CPF represents all segments of the industry including growers, hatchers, breeders and processors. The CPF’s major members are Foster Farms (largest poultry company in the West), Pitman Family Farms, Petaluma Poultry Processors, New Stockton Poultry, and may state of California ethnic processors in Los Angeles and Northern California.

CPF President Bill Mattos was hired and moved from his family newspaper business (Mattos Newspapers, Inc.) to lead the new trade association. He had just served on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors as well. Key staff includes Monica Della Maggiore, Vice Present of Health and Welfare and Art Razo, Vice President of Member Relations and Communications. The CPF is represented by the lobby firm West Coast Advisors in Sacramento.

Mission Statement

“Through united work and action, promote the California Poultry Industry and its ability to responsiblyproduceandmarketthehighestquality poultry food products in a competitive manner.”

Government Affairs

CPF is actively involved in educating local, state, and federal government about the issues that are of concern to the California poultry industry. CPF members travel to Sacramento for an Annual CPF Legislative Day each March, to personally meet with state legislators and inform them about issues of concern.

On an ongoing basis, CPF members communicate with members of the Legislature on legislation affecting the poultry industry. Industry members are constantly educating legislators about the many complex and far-reaching issues that affect their industry. In past years, successful legislative efforts have been waged on elimination of the sales tax on poultry litter, elimination of the sales tax on medication applied through water, and the sales taxes on new poultry barns.

One of its biggest successes was when the USDA changed the definition of poultry to 26 degrees or higher, when the law allowed chicken to be frozen at 1 degree and labeled fresh. Chef Wolfgang Puck traveled to Washington, DC with Mattos and the California Secretary of Agriculture in the mid-90s to testify. In the end, California won the battle, led by CPF, Foster Farms and Zacky Farms.

Health Board/National Poultry Improvement Plan

CPF is also the official headquarters for the California Poultry Health Board, the state agency which administers the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). The NPIP is a testing program for turkey, chicken, game bird breeders and hatcheries that ship throughout the nation and the world.

The California Poultry Health Board works closely with the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.