Jessica Nixon is a first year Poultry Science graduate student at North Carolina State University – passionate about the poultry industry and the contribution farmers make to the world. She helped represent the small school/big opportunity focus of NC State with attendees of the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta.
NC State grad student shares passion at IPE
January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Tyson Foods “engaged in sustainability”
January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Tyson Foods’ Senior Vice President/Chief Environmental Health & Safety officer shared the company’s outlook on sustainability. Kevin Igli took part in a sustainability session at the 2011 IPE in Atlanta then talked with Brownfield about the company’s sustainability philisophy and practices.
Ohio company features probiotic for poultry
January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Ohio company Ganeden Biotech featured its patented probiotic strain at the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta that it’s marketing now for poultry and livestock. Matt Schrage says GanPro improves overall gut health of poultry and livestock. It’s marketed through the newest division of this company founded in 1997 that began by marketing its patented probiotic strain for consumer use in supplements and other products.
I found out about the company and GanPro from Julia Boyd who I had the pleasure of sharing a taxi ride with to the Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center. She introduced me to Matt for the interview below. Julia is Ganeden’s Business Development Coordinator. The company is based in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.
Massman displays case packer for eggs
January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Massman Automation Designs of Minnesota displayed their dual-lane case packing machine for shell egg production at the Poultry Expo in Atlanta. Sales Manager Brad Hanke had the machine in operation at his exhibit and said international visitors were interested in automating packaging equipment in their operations.
The “Incredible Edible Egg” still is
January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A great protein value for the diet and extremely versatile in cooking is the “incredible edible egg.” The American Egg Board‘s Ashley Richardson talked with me about the attributes of eggs and how the board works to create and maintain markets for farmers to help feed a growing world population. She says it’s important to have a variety of consumer choice when it comes to eggs and says their ”Good Egg” project is how the board is getting the good word about eggs out there.
NPPC president says ‘corn contingency plan’ deserves consideration
January 28, 2011 By 1 Comment
The head of the National Pork Producers Council says a call for a “corn contingency plan” by Iowa pork producers deserves serious consideration.
The Iowa group is concerned about a possible shortage of corn in 2012 should the 2011 crop fall short of expectations. They suggest that, if the corn stocks-to-use ratio falls below five percent, a plan for rationing corn among the major end users—livestock, biofuels and exports—should be in place.
NPPC president Sam Carney of Adair, Iowa says he understands those concerns.
“You can’t starve the animals,” Carney says. “We can shut other things down—do something different—we’ve just got to make sure we have enough feed to feed the livestock so we have an adequate food supply here in the U.S. until we get the next crop in.”
Carney says he would hope that the end users could come up with their own plan, before getting the federal government involved.
“We’re just going to have to see if we can get all the producers to sit at the table and work something out,” he says. “I’m hoping we can do it and try not to have any other involvement from outside parties.”
Carney says one of his concerns is that, if corn supplies become too tight, there could be a “knee-jerk” reaction from the feds, such as a limit or ban on corn exports. He says that is something pork producers do not want to see happen.
The contingency plan resolution will be discussed at the National Pork Forum in early March.
Vilsack announces another CRP signup
January 28, 2011 By 1 Comment
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced another general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program.
Vilsack made the announcement Friday during an appearance at Pheasant Fest 2011 in Omaha. He said the 30-day CRP signup will begin March 14th, running for 30 days. The goal is to bring an additional four-million acres into the program this fall, basically replacing the roughly four-million coming out of CRP this year.
Vilsack’s announcement comes as some sectors of agriculture—particularly livestock producers—are expressing concern over tightening feed grain stocks. However, Vilsack stressed that the CRP signup will not affect plantings in 2011.
“I don’t want markets to get confused here,” Vilsack said, “so it’s very important that people understand we’re talking about a signup now, but an impact that begins in October of this year.”
As for those supply concerns, Vilsack said “at this point, we’re not convinced that there’s going to be quite the problem that some folks think there may be.” Vilsack said he’s confident in the productivity of U.S. farmers to meet the needs of all users.
Japanese firm features cage washing machine
January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Japanese company Kohshin Engineering which processes livestock manure into fertilizer featured its new automatic cage washing machine at the IPE.
Kohshin President Yuzo Sumiya, through his translator Teruaki Yosida, told me poultry is very big in Japan where there are as many chickens as there are people. That said, Kohshin was here to drum up business with European and Central and South American customers. Sumiya says they have no U.S. customers because the rules and regulations here are too strict.
AUDIO: Interview with Yuzo Sumiya through translator Teruaki Yosida (5 min. MP3)
Pelbo egg pasteurizer featured at IPE
January 28, 2011 By 1 Comment
A customizable egg pastuerizing machine was featured at IPE by Pelbo. Rob Maglio with Nether Industries of Seattle, which is the US Distributor for Pelbo egg processing equipment – explained the features of this machine for liquid egg products and its importance to food safety.
Industry changes and the Expo’s evolution
January 28, 2011 By 1 Comment
Consolidation and technology are the biggest changes in the poultry and egg industry over the years. US Poultry & Egg Association veterans Don Dalton and Larry Brown talked with Brownfield about those changes at the International Poultry Expo (& International Feed Expo) in Atlanta and about how the Expo has evolved. The Expo was held at the Civic Center in Atlanta 25 years ago – and is now held in the Georgia World Congress Center where they utilize both of the show floors. Dalton, a past president of US Poultry & Egg says although there are international poultry shows in Europe and Asia, exhibit-wise, this is the largest poultry show in the world.
On both the industry side and allied suppliers side of the industry, Brown says, consolidation is the biggest change since the beginning of the Poultry Expo in the 1970s. He says it’s been a challenge to maintain the size of the show but they have. “On the broiler chicken side, we probably have half the companies we had 30-40 years ago,” Brown says.
Brown says computer technology and automation – all the moving parts on the trade show floor – represent the transformation of poultry and egg production.
While domestic production is solid – Brown says it’s the international markets where the U.S. will see the most growth. “The potential in the future is exports,” says Brown, “And, chicken still remains the most inexpensive protein.”
Former US Poultry & Egg Association president Don Dalton says, “There are a lot of developing countries that have chicken production but it’s on-farm production. It’s not production like we have.” He says, “There’s a lot of potential to build more of that and to provide more protein to those countries.”
China, Russia and Mexico are the leading buyers of US poultry and eggs. Brown mentioned that there have been some quota issues with Russia.
This 64th Annual International Poultry and Feed Expo has had more attendees than past years – over 20-thousand industry leaders from all over the world. Gwen Venable, communications director for the US Poultry & Egg Association, tells Brownfield they had more than 900 exhibitors this year representing a 12 percent increase over last year.
Latest: 
