USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have approved $330,000 for five new research grants at four institutions through the comprehensive research program. The research funding was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations, based on recommendations from the Foundation Research Advisory Committee. The committee evaluates research proposals to determine their value to the industry and then makes recommendations to the boards for funding. Committee members are professional specialists from different segments of the poultry and egg industry who represent a variety of disciplines.

The association’s comprehensive research program dates to the early 1960s when funds were first approved for poultry disease research. It gradually grew into an all-inclusive program incorporating all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. Since the inception of the research program, USPOULTRY has reinvested more than $35,700,000 into the industry in the form of research grants. More than 50 universities and federal and state facilities have received grants over the years.

“Providing funding for research in areas of critical need to the industry remains a vital role in USPOULTRY's and the Foundation’s service to the poultry industry. The Foundation Research Advisory Committee members volunteer numerous hours to review and evaluate research proposals before making recommendations for funding. We sincerely appreciate their work,” said Jarod Morrison, Farbest Foods Inc., and USPOULTRY chairman.

The research grants for each institution include:

• Virus Isolation, Serological Surveillance and Mechanical Transmission of Egg Drop Syndrome (University of Georgia)
• Identifying Virulent Avian Enterococcus Faecalis Isolates by Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization – Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectroscopy (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
• Development of a Web-Based Artificial Intelligence System for Analyzing Broiler Activity Index (University of Georgia)
• Effects of Combined Sprinkler and Cool Cell Systems on Cooling Water Usage, Water and Feed Consumption Rates, Bird Performance and Inhouse Environment of Commercial Broiler Barns (Mississippi State University)
• Can Colony Nests Also Function as Floor Space for Cage-free Layers? Assessing Animal Welfare and Egg Quality Outcomes (North Carolina State University)

Source: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association