The USPOULTRY Foundation awarded student recruiting grants totaling $306,366 to six U.S. universities with poultry science departments and 22 other institutions with industry-related programs. The foundation provides annual recruiting and retention funds to colleges and universities to attract or connect students to their poultry programs or the industry. The grants were made possible in part by gifts to the USPOULTRY Foundation from companies, individuals and families, in addition to funds earned over the years from the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo.

The six poultry science departments receiving the grants are:

University

Grant amount

Grant made possible in part by:

Auburn University

$33,230

Ingram Farms

Mississippi State University

$30,336

Sanderson Farms

North Carolina State University

$30,491

Stanley & Dorothy Frank Family Foundation

Texas A&M

$49,457

Tyson Foods

University of Arkansas

$31,163

Monty and Margot Henderson Student Recruiting Fund

University of Georgia

$25,323

Leland Bagwell Education and Innovation Fund

The 22 other institutions with industry-related programs receiving recruiting and retention grants under the Foundation’s Industry Education Recruitment Funding Program are:

Institution

Grant amount

Grant made possible in part by:

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Ga.

$1,175

Don Dalton Student Recruiting Fund

California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University

$6,660

AJC International

California State University– Fresno

$7,000

Agri Stats, Inc.

Clemson University

$2,875

Leland Bagwell Education and Innovation Fund

Cleveland Community College, N.C.

$2,310

Prestage Farms

Iowa State University

$4,620

West Liberty Foods

Louisiana State University

$4,620

Sanderson Farms

Middle Tennessee State University

$6,600

Pilgrim’s

Modesto Junior College, Calif.

$7,000

USPOULTRY Staff

North Carolina A&T State University

$5,800

Stanley & Dorothy Frank Family Foundation

Prairie View A&M University, Texas

$2,310

Pilgrim’s

Sam Houston State University, Texas

$7,000

Jerry and Cherie Moye

Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas

$4,600

Frost PLLC

Tennessee State University

$4,620

Tyson Foods

Tennessee Technological University

$4,620

Hubbard Farms Charitable Foundation

University of Florida

$2,600

Claxton Poultry

University of Mount Olive, N.C.

$4,148

Perdue Farms

University of North Georgia

$7,000

Leland Bagwell Education and Innovation Fund

University of Tennessee

$4,620

Centurion Poultry

University of Wisconsin–River Falls

$2,310

 

Wallace State University

$6,938

Peco Foods

Wilkes Community College, N.C.

$7,000

Case Farms

“It['s] critical that we interest bright young people to study careers in the poultry industry. We need astute, young individuals to join our companies, as they will be the future leaders of our industry. USPOULTRY Foundation recruiting grants are essential in helping colleges and universities encourage students to enroll in industry-related studies,” said Greg Hinton, Rose Acre Farms, and USPOULTRY Foundation chairman.

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association established the USPOULTRY Foundation in 1994 to provide student recruiting funds to universities with poultry science departments. In 2004, the Industry Education Recruitment Funding Program was added to the foundation’s umbrella so other colleges and universities that offer industry-related studies are eligible to apply for recruiting grants.