TUCKER, GA. – The US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) continues its celebration of 75 years of working in the poultry and egg industry.
Originally known as the Southeastern Poultry & Egg Association in 1947, the trade group changed its name in 1996 to USPOULTRY as it grew nationally.
Currently, the association membership includes producers and processors of broilers, turkeys, ducks, eggs and breeding stock along with allied firms.
“Seventy-five years of service is quite a milestone, and we are certainly proud of our legacy,” said John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY. “However, we remain focused on assisting the industry in meeting the challenges of today. To that end, we are grateful for the advice and counsel of our volunteer leadership on our board and industry committees.”
USPOULTRY also pointed to its partnerships with the International Poultry Expo, which is part of the International Production & Processing Expo. IPPE will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2023. During that event, USPOULTRY hosts its oldest running seminar, the Poultry Processor Workshop, which was established in 1958.
The USPOULTRY Foundation allocates funds to more than 30 schools, including six schools with poultry science degrees, to recruit students into poultry-related courses or degree programs.
The college student career program, held in conjunction with the International Poultry Expo, was established in 1967 and brought hundreds of students together with industry and allied firms to interview for full-time and internship opportunities.
Another continuing aspect of USPOULTRY is its investment in competitive research grants. The research by industry experts is mainly conducted at universities around the nation to provide a comprehensive look at all areas of poultry and egg production and processing.
The association said current funding levels for research are more than $1 million per year.