Rats and mice accelerate the spread of at least 35 diseases that plague animal production
Left unchecked, rodent populations will expand rapidly, spreading disease to areas and animals
Rodents cause damage to facilities, increase energy costs and contaminate feed
Titan bait stations are ready-to-go and require no additional securing thanks to a pre-installed custom brick, eliminating the fear of the station blowing away
Weighted stations are less likely to be disturbed by livestock and non-target animals
Removable tray for faster bait replacement: saves time and labor costs
Remember to rotate your bait to prevent resistance to a specific formula
Meet Titan, the Weighted Bait Station from Tomcat designed to make implementing your Rodent Control program simple, fast and effective, without the fear of the station blowing away.
Can use chunks, soft bait, place pacs in bait stations.
News Features
9 | Ga. Ag Commissioner gives support to effort seeking WOAH change ‘poultry’ definition
12 | Rabobank reviews global meat prices
14 | The surprising impact of sunlight on food safety
16 | Study shows few products responsible for most poultry salmonella illnesses
Calendar
JULY
JUL 29-31 — CHICKEN MARKETING SUMMIT, Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, Birmingham, Ala. Contact: Nation Chicken Council, 1152 15th Street NW, Suite 430, Washington, D.C. 20005; Ph: 202-296-2622; E-mail: pburko@chickenusa. org; www.nationalchickencouncil.org.
JUL 29-31 — 64TH ANNUAL USGC BOARD OF
DELEGATES MEETING, Salt Lake City, Utah. Contact: U.S. Grains Council, 20 F St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20001; Ph: 202-7890789; https://grains.org.
AUGUST
AUG 6 — AFIA /KSU-500, Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing. Online course runs through Sept. 10, 2024. Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 810, Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703-524-0810; www. afia.org.
Viewpoints
“To reduce salmonella levels at the processing level, poultry companies must be allowed time and flexibility to examine their processes.”
— Rafael Rivera | 10
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
POULTRY TIMES PO Box 1338 Gainesville, GA 30503 PH | 770-718-3443 FAX | 770-532-4894
POULTRY TIMES STAFF
CINDY WELLBORN
General Manager, Poultry Times/PoultryTimes.com 770-718-3443 cwellborn@poultrytimes.com
DAVID B. STRICKLAND Editor, Poultry Times 770-718-3442 dstrickland@poultrytimes.com
ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN
Content Writer, Poultry Times 770-209-3335 ebobenhausen@poultrytimes.com
RACHEL DANFORD Digital Manager, PoultryTimes.com 770-831-8631 rdanford@poultrytimes.com
Be sure to pay a visit to these esteemed sponsors of the Poultry Times, recognizing them as vital contributors to the industry who greatly appreciate your support.
Agralarm | 4 888-968-2802; www.agralarm.com
Big Dutchman | insert 616-582-4000; www.bigdutchmanusa.com
Eagan Mfg. | 12 870-878-6805; www.eaganmfg.com
Farmer Boy Ag | 18 717-866-7565; www.farmerboyag.com
Kelley Mfg. | 17 800-444-5449; www.kelleymfg.com
Kunafin (The Insectary) | 21 800-832-1113; www.kunafin.com
L.B. White | 19 608-783-5691; www.lbwhite.com
Motomco | 2 800-237-6843;
www.motomco.com
National Incinerator | 14 205-589-6720; www.nationalincinerator.com
Poultry Times (USPS 217480) ISSN 0885-3371 is published biweekly, 345 Green Street, N.W., Gainesville, GA 30501. Telephone 770-536-2476; Fax 770532-4894. Postage paid at Gainesville, Georgia 30501. Poultry Times assumes responsibility for error in first run of an in-house designed ad only. Advertisers have ten (10) days from publication date to dispute such an advertisement. After ten (10) days, ad will be deemed correct and advertiser will be
charged accordingly. Proofs approved by advertiser will always be regarded as correct. Subscriptions: Surface mail in U.S., $25.00 for one year, $45 for two years and $65 for three years. Business or occupation information must accompany each subscription order.
Change of Address: Postmaster, report change of address to Poultry Times, P.O. Box 1338, Gainesville, GA 30503.
Companion Poultry Publications: A Guide to Poultry As-
DAVID B. STRICKLAND Poultry Times Editor dstrickland@poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — How do you say goodbye to someone who has been described by words such as “legend” and “icon”?
Through stories, joy and friendship was the answer given at the celebration of life memorial for Abit Massey on July 8 in Gainesville, Ga. Family, friends and dignitaries alike all shared their memories for the late “dean of the poultry industry,” at the pavilion of Gainesville High School which was packed with hundreds paying respect.
Massey, 96, president emeritus of the Georgia Poultry Federation, a much-respected figure in several industries, passed away on June 14 following a brief illness.
“We (everyone) want to thank the Massey family for giving us the opportunity to gather and remember and share and celebrate Abit’s life,” Mike Giles, Georgia Poultry Federation president, said. “This is a wonderful gathering.”
“And especially from the poultry family … Kayanne, we want to thank you for sharing Abit with us,” Giles added. “He had such a positive impact on our industry, on the state of Georgia and on all of our lives, and we will forever be grateful for that.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp noted during the event that, “Abit was a beloved father, grandfather, a man of service, character, and certainly as you can see by the crowd today, a friend of countless people who call this state home.”
“Everyone knows the impact he had on the poultry industry,” Kemp said. “I was thinking this morning of the age-old question of which came first the chicken or the egg? In many ways I think that it was Abit that came before both of those in a lot of ways as he certainly made that industry impactful here in our state and around the country, and also around the world.”
“Many things can be said about Abit and his influence on our great state, but to me none will be more important than the influence and the love he had for his family,” Kemp added. “While we are heartbroken for Kayanne, Lewis, Camille, and the rest of the Massey family today, we know that Abit’s love, and influence will endure through them for decades to come. This state has been blessed by this man and so has the Kemp family.”
Massey devoted a lot of his efforts toward university research and advancements, and his love of the University of Georgia is well-known.
Dr. Jere W. Morehead, president of the University of Georgia, speaks with Kayanne and Camille Massey during a celebration of life memorial event for Abit Massey on July 8 in Gainesville, Ga.
Dr. Jere W. Morehead, president of the University of Georgia, said, “I want to thank the Massey family for giving me the opportunity to remember and celebrate on behalf of the entire ‘Bulldog Nation’ a truly legendary and devoted alumnus.”
“His involvement with the University of Georgia spanned more than 75 years, and he gave back to his alma mater in countless ways over and over again,” Morehead noted. “Since graduating from UGA in 1949, he was consistently one of our institution’s most accomplished alumni and certainly one of its most loyal supporters. As I begin my 12th year as president, this fall will be the first time that I will convene our UGA Research Foundation
without Abit Massey sitting at my side. He ably served as a trustee of the foundation, but more importantly, he was the wise elder statesman in the room who possessed the respect and admiration of everyone around the table. When Abit spoke, everyone listened.”
Morehead added that last year he asked a then 95-year-old Massey if he wanted to extend his service to the Research Foundation
(Continued on next page)
Photo by David B. Strickland
(Continued from previous page)
for another three-year-term. “And the answer I received was an enthusiastic yes. He still had so much to give his alma mater and was eager to do so,” he said.
“He gave of himself fully to every leadership role he undertook,” Morehead said. “He played a central role in the University of Georgia’s special relationship with the poultry industry for over 60 years, serving as a tireless advocate for both. From helping us obtain funding for facilities, research, teaching and Extension to raising thousands of dollars in scholarship support for students pursuing degrees in poultry science. It would be impossible to list everything Abit contributed to the relationship between the poultry industry and our university.”
Morehead also mentioned that during the dedication last October of the university’s new Poultry Science Building, the largest student classroom was named in Abit Massey’s honor.
“Seeing that smile on Abit’s face as he entered that classroom is the memory I will always have of Abit Massey,” he said.
“Abit Massey was a thoughtful, humble and decent man who demonstrated his love of God and country with every person he met and with every word that he uttered,” Morehead added. “I will miss one of my greatest mentors and friends. I will miss having his sound advice or for having someone who could make me smile listening to his wonderful stories.”
‘A Ph.D. in joy’
“Wow would dad have loved this event! It’s really amazing,” Lewis Massey, Abit Massey’s son, said. “When I think about dad I think about a couple of things. One is he did live a wonderful life, and that was his favorite movie, by the way. He made us watch it every Christmas eve, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ He knew that he was fortunate, he knew that he had a lot of good luck in his life.”
“Dad was also a collector,” he added. “And what I mean by that is he was a collector of friendships, of memories, of books, he was an avid reader, of joyful moments. He had an undergraduate degree and a law degree, but I think that he had a Ph.D. in joy.”
Massey’s daughter, Camille Massey, said that “when I think about my dad, and while he was an extraordinary person with many accolades, he was a down-to-earth dad.”
“One of the pleasures of being with my father, any time, was telling stories (in his lighthearted way),” she added. “I am so grateful for his light heart, but also his deep, old soul. He has a magical combination of wisdom and compassion. I saw that in my own life. I think of him as having enough love that he has given us to last throughout our lifetime.”
During this family portion of the memorial, Massey’s grandchildren Chandler, Cameryn, Christian and Lucia Massey, all shared stories of special moments that they shared with their “Papa.”
Abit Massey’s love of Gainesville High School was, almost, as strong as his love for the
University of Georgia. It was very fitting that this celebration occurred on the GHS campus.
Josh Niblett, GHS head football coach, provided the concluding comments and, also, provided the hundreds in attendance a “closing charge.”
“Every part of life has a past, has a present and a future,” Niblett said. “The past is growth, meaning what did we do with what we learned. Then you have the present, meaning where your feet are. Which basically means how did we live when we were on this earth? And then you have the future, which is leaving a legacy. Which is, what did I leave behind to those who came after me? When you touch other people’s lives, am I making an impression, being an influence, or having an impact?”
“Abit loved people, he knew his purpose,
The beloved “rock” at Gainesville (Ga.) High School was painted in remembrance of poultry industry icon Abit Massey, president emeritus of the Georgia Poultry Federation, who passed away on June 14, and urging everyone to #LiveLikeAbit.
and he lived his life with passion,” he added. “The foundations of connection are built and sustained off of three things: being around people you believe in, at a place you believe in and doing something you believe in.”
“What we all should want as we look at life everyday is to live a life of significance,” Niblett said. “What is that? It’s when I wake up every day, I live to glorify God, to seek his purpose and his will for my life, so that he gets the glory and those around me get the impact. That was Abit Massey.”
“Do you know the greatest, most special thing about Abit Massey?” he concluded. “Not that he lived to be 96 years old. But that he lived one year, 96 times. I pray that your legacy lives on.”
Photos by David B. Strickland
Among the Massey family sharing memories during the celebration of life on July 8 for Abit Massey included son Lewis Massey, and his wife, Amy; daughter, Camille Massey; and grandchildren, Chandler, Cameryn, Christian and Lucia Massey.
Ga. Ag Commissioner gives support to effort seeking WOAH change ‘poultry’ definition
DAVID B. STRICKLAND Poultry Times Editor dstrickland@poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper on July 10 issued his support to a recent federal, bipartisan Congressional effort that seeks to urge USDA to petition the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) to issue a revision to the definition of “poultry.”
With this year’s outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza affecting wild birds, non-commercial birds, commercial birds, dairy cattle, and at least four people, this effort notes that the current definition does not work for all the segments and so that infections do not affect international trade a new definition is needed. For example, if a backyard flock, or birds not intended for international trade were infected, it should not have negative trade impacts.
Harper referenced confirmation of the virus in November 2023 in a raised-for-release waterfowl flock for hunting preserves that he notes has cost the state’s poultry producers an estimated $300 million in exports.
“As the nation’s leading poultry producing state, WOAH’s overly broad definition of poultry has negatively impacted Georgia poultry producers and the thousands of Georgians who make their living in our poultry industry for too long,” Harper said in his statement. “Simply put, WOAH’s current position that an HPAI detection in birds raised-for-release on hunting preserves or a backyard poultry flock should trigger the same response as a detection in a commercial operation defies logic, and I’m proud to join this bipartisan group of lawmakers across the country pushing for commonsense reforms to support American agriculture, empower American farmers, and protect American jobs.”
Georgia’s State Veterinarian Janemarie Hennebelle added that, “In Georgia and across the country, backyard flocks and birds raised-forrelease commonly interact with wild birds potentially carrying the HPAI virus, putting them at greater risk of exposure to HPAI than poultry raised by commercial operators who follow strict biosecurity protocols to protect their flocks.”
“The effectiveness of strict biosecurity protocols speaks for itself as only 30,000 birds in Georgia have been affected by the ongoing H5N1 outbreak that has affected more than 90 million birds across the country,” Hennebelle noted. “I firmly believe that Georgia poultry exports can and should proceed unimpeded in the event of a detection in a backyard flock or birds raised-for-release and fully support this effort.”
In a letter co-signed in May by 58 senators
Tyler Harper, Georgia agriculture commissioner, seen in this Poultry Times file photo speaking at the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network, recently issued his support of the bipartisan effort seeking for the World Organization for Animal Health to change its definition of “poultry.”
and representatives, led by U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.); U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr. (DGa.); U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa); and U.S. Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.), to Dr. Michael Watson, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service administrator, it states, “The current WOAH definition fails to appropriately distinguish commercial poultry involved in international trade from backyard or wild birds posing miniscule trade transmission risk … It would also exclude birds that are raised to be released at hunting preserves from being considered poultry for international trade purposes.”
“There are countless examples across nu-
merous states of isolated cases of HPAI detections in backyard or wild birds prompting unnecessary trade bans, even though they pose miniscule threat of infecting commercial flocks,” the letter added. “This past year alone, multiple states across the U.S. suffered nearly $900 million in disrupted overseas chicken, turkey, and egg sales.”
The letter also noted, “Because WOAH is not taking prompt action on this important matter, APHIS, as our country’s representative to the international body, must elevate this issue as an urgent priority for the sake of our farmers’ livelihoods and in order to maintain the value of American agriculture.”
Photo by David B. Strickland
VIEWPOINT
Salmonella reduction in poultry products can be achieved through collaboration
COMMENTARY BY
RAFAEL RIVERA
U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
Rafael Rivera is director, Food Safety & Production Programs, with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association based in Tucker, Ga. He can be reached at rrivera@uspoultry.org.
TUCKER, Ga. — Poultry accounts for approximately 24 percent (18 percent from chicken and 6 percent from turkeys) of foodborne illnesses, as reported in the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC).
The IFSAC is a cooperation between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), that combined interagency data to analyze trends in foodborne illnesses.
Per the CDC, salmonella caused approximately 16.3 illnesses per 100,000 in 2022 — a rate that has remained largely unchanged since 1996. The last few months have brought salmonella in poultry and its effect on public health to the forefront once again.
FSIS developed salmonella performance standards for poultry processors to reduce the incidence of the pathogen in poultry products. The agency has historically relied on its effort to reduce salmonella prevalence, with the goal that as the bacteria becomes rare in poultry products then illnesses attributed to poultry also become scarce. However, this is not the case. Since a positive sample can mean that the product only has one cell of 1 million cells, the results do not provide all the information needed to improve public health outcomes.
Evaluations through quantitative microbial risk assessments point to addressing salmonella concentration in products to reduce illnesses. People get sick by exposure to salmonella through ingesting the pathogen, regardless of if it is 1 percent or 100 percent of the product. Prevalence may only indicate the likelihood of someone being exposed to salmonella by contacting or consuming poultry. A recent risk assessment, funded by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, discussed the factors that influence the risk of salmonella exposure.
“To reduce salmonella levels at the processing level, poultry companies must be allowed time and flexibility to examine their processes.”
The risk assessment indicated that salmonella concentration in poultry parts posed a higher risk than occurrence. Additional factors that should be considered are salmonella serotypes. A serotype is a way to group variations within an organism, such as bacteria, based on specific molecules found on the surfaces of these.
The Salmonella enterica bacterium has more than 2,600 identified serotypes. It is common to find Salmonella Enteritidis, Typhimurium and Kentucky serotypes in poultry products. Salmonella Enteritidis and Typhimurium are commonly associated with illness, whereas Kentucky is not.
The prevalence of stereotypes changes over time and new serotypes
may emerge as some of the common ones lose ground. Salmonella Reading and Infantis are two examples of serotypes that were rarely reported to cause illness and have increased their presence in recent years. Changes such as these are being studied to understand why this happens.
Additionally, another factor to consider is variations within serotypes, such as virulence, which is described as the ability of an organism to infect the host and cause a disease. The severity of illness may be affected by variations within certain genetic and molecular characteristics and the human body’s immune system.
Furthermore, the assessment evaluated the potential public health impact when specific serotypes were targeted based on concentration and virulence factors. Monitoring these characteristics and developing approaches to remove the high-priority serotypes, especially the highly virulent ones, has the potential to significantly reduce the illness rate caused by consuming poultry products. The next step is to develop a plan to ensure these outcomes.
FSIS recently proposed new strategies to target salmonella and reduce its concentration in poultry products, with the first step declaring salmonella as an adulterant in raw, stuffed, ready-to-eat chicken products. The second step is implementing a finished product standard for raw poultry, creating a framework for performance improvements. While these actions have a positive goal in mind, they have negative consequences as well.
For example, despite the lack of evidence of a product causing widespread illness, the regulatory action on raw stuffed chicken products requires that specific products can only go to market if Salmonella concentration sampling results fall below 1 CFU/mL.
This regulation has the potential to negatively affect this line of products by increasing waste due to the lack of options to divert into other product lines or rework. The regulation raises the potential of increasing condemned products or eliminating an entire line of products with minimal improvements in public health. The regulation creates a false sense of
security among consumers who may think that the product is safe to consume without following the proper cooking and handling practices.
Implementing a finished product standard must require additional investments in detection methods, testing of current and future interventions, and storage capacity. There is much to learn and understand about how salmonella behaves in a production and processing environment, how certain serotypes survive inter-
ventions, and what interventions effectively target the serotypes of interest.
To identify incompliant products, there must be specific protocols that allow the processing plant to remove or divert the affected product and minimize waste. Attribution data must be reevaluated to ensure accurate information is collected for adequate assessment as well as additional customer education to promote following proper handling and cooking procedures.
To reduce salmonella levels at the processing level, poultry companies must be allowed time and flexibility to examine their processes. Investments are required to achieve results proposed by recent risk assessments; improvements cannot be achieved overnight. The goal of salmonella reduction to maintain a sustainable and safe poultry supply can only be achieved through a collaborative government, industry and consumer approach.
Rabobank reviews global meat prices
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN Poultry Times staff ebobenhausen@poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — In the global market, according to Rabobank, the price of cuts of chicken have increased by 2 percent. The prices of pork and beef have risen 4 and 5 percent. Producers of poultry have been struggling with their operations and that remains a focus point.
Feed prices have been decreasing the past two years and this year they hit their lowest point. Although Brazil and Europe have seen an increase in prices of feed for the last two years because of inadequate harvest predictions.
Nan-Dirk Mulder, senior analyst with animal protein at Rabobank explains that countries must have a “strong emphasis on procuring feed ingredients and optimizing feed formulations will be necessary, particularly considering the risk of a La Niña season on global crop harvests, which could affect major grain producers.”
“Most of this global growth has been driven by strong local market conditions rather than trade,” Mulder said. “This is particularly true for emerging markets in Southeast and South Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Lower feed
prices have made chicken more affordable, supporting demand recovery.”
The European Union and the United States are doing good in 2024 due to “relatively strong demand, controlled production growth and rising prices,” he added.
China and Japan are experiencing a strong market environment. The industry rates have reached growth rates of 3 percent. The has negatively affected local businesses. Brazil has been having an issue with overstock. While the market has not hit overstock levels yet, relief will be coming soon because of production cuts. In the first quarter of 2024, the trade of
Introducing EAGAN FAST TRACK
Wall Vents
poultry meat has been reduced by 5 percent. China has seen a 40 percent cut in imports. This is the cause of a drop in the global market.
“The weak and oversupplied domestic chicken market in China was the primary driver behind this significant drop in trade,” Mulder noted. “Key exporters to China, Brazil, the U.S., and Russia have all felt this decline. We expect that these countries will seek alternative markets to offset the impact of reduced Chinese trade, particularly affecting chicken feet and leg markets.”
Also, the new import quota from the EU to Ukraine will have an effect on global trade in breast meat and whole chickens, the Rabobank report adds. Ukraine will be progressively searching for alternative markets. There are growing fears around avian influenza, or bird flu, in the Southern Hemisphere.
“Avian influenza remains a critical concern for the poultry industry globally, requiring an ongoing strong focus on biosecurity practices to mitigate risks,” Rabobank says. “Risks are currently shifting back into the Southern Hemisphere, with recent outbreaks in Australia and ongoing cases in South Africa and Latin America. These outbreaks could lead to sudden shifts in trade flows, both for imports and exports.”
FAST TRACK Wall Vents
Our new Fast Track Wall Vent (U.S. Patent No. 11,33,392) takes the concept of a wall vent to the next level. It comes fully assembled right out of the box, goes up very quickly and is very competitively priced.
Δ Available with an Aluminum or UV stabilized PVC frame
Superior performance Δ Integrated track cord tensioner/locator Δ Integrated winter latching system
Δ Cord guide included along with installation jig to speed up installation
Δ Available in 8”,10’, 12”, 14” heights with custom lengths available
Δ Perfect for retrofit applications-the wall vent is surface mounted to compensate for framing irregularities and can be ordered to fit virtually any opening
Δ Orders come bulk-packed in palletized gaylords to make it easier and faster on installation crews
The surprising impact of sunlight on food safety
BY JENNIFER L. REYNOLDS University of Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. — The World Health Organization estimates that there are 600 million cases of foodborne illness every year. One way harmful pathogens can enter the food supply is through irrigation water, but researchers are using precision agriculture to create a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to combat the bacteria that makes us sick.
And the tool they are using is available to everyone — the sun.
In recent years, researchers have begun to examine the effects of light on microorganisms. Antimicrobial blue light is used in hospital settings to reduce pathogens, and current research is underway at the University of Georgia to determine the viability of its use in food production.
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Professor Govindaraj Dev Kumar and his team researched how factors such as sunlight, water temperature and UV radiation affect populations of salmonella and E. coli in irrigation water.
UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Professor Govindaraj Dev Kumar, who has been involved with those studies, is also the lead researcher on a recent study to determine sunlight’s ability to affect the survival of certain bacteria in water.
Knowing that high levels of
light affect bacteria, Dev Kumar and fellow UGA Professor Abhinav Mishra wanted to determine the ideal sunlight conditions for reducing bacteria, specifically salmonella and Escherichia coli in water.
“Sunlight affects not only plants but also microorganisms present in the environment, including foodborne pathogens capable of causing human illnesses,” Dev Kumar said. “Sunlight can be used as a costeffective and environmentally healthy means of reducing bacterial counts in agricultural water. This is important because leafy greens and vegetables grown using irrigation water that is contaminated with bacteria can potentially pass those bacteria on to human consumers, leading to illness.”
Dev Kumar’s team researched how factors such as sunlight, water temperature and the amount of UV radiation affect salmonella and E. coli. Conducted during the pandemic when most campus personnel worked remotely, his team was granted permission to work with the bacteria outside, allowing them to conduct their experiments in real-world conditions.
Using the data they collected, the team performed a correlation analysis using artificial neural network modeling to predict the
most likely outcomes of various scenarios, Dev Kumar said. The model determined that bacterial populations declined more in cooler water than in warmer water when exposed to sunlight. This observation could help scientists understand why bacterial counts tend to be higher in water during summer.
“My theory is that free radicals are more stable in cold water than warm water. In winter, the sunlight causes more reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in the water, but in summer there is less ROS in the water,” Dev Kumar said. “Therefore, sunlight in winter months might be more antimicrobial than sunlight in the summer months, and that could be why we tend to have more bacteria in water during summer.”
His team hopes that, with enough research, they can create an app that will allow farmers to determine when water supplies will contain the least bacteria, but more research is needed. Next, they plan to conduct their research across the U.S. to determine how various regions are affected.
Jennifer L. Reynolds is the communications professional for the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety.
Photo by
Jennifer Reynolds/ UGA
ASM: pasteurization inactivates highly infectious avian flu in milk
WASHINGTON — In March 2024, dairy cows in Texas were found to be infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1 bird flu, in the first known case of the virus spreading to cattle. Since then, H5N1 has been found in about 200 animals — and 4 people — across 12 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The virus was soon detected in raw milk, leading researchers to investigate whether dairy products pose a risk to consumers. Their results were reported recently in the Journal of Virology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
“How far is the virus getting through?”
asked Dr. Erica Spackman, a virologist at the USDA in Athens, Ga. To find out, she and her collaborators tested nearly 300 milk products from 132 processors. The researchers found no infectious virus in the samples.
“Milk is safe,” Spackman said. “Just like bacterial pathogens that occur in milk, or other viruses that could occur in milk, the sanitation processes that are in place are getting rid of the pathogens.”
The milk processing pipeline includes
multiple layers of protection, Spackman said. Microbiological surveillance of milk products can identify pathogens, and milk from cows with mastitis or other disease conditions does not enter the food supply. Finally, heating during the pasteurization process can destroy H5N1 and other, more common bacterial pathogens.
Bird flu primarily infects and spreads among migratory birds and can be transmitted to domestic poultry, but the virus has been detected in other animals as well. Recently, those have included cats, dogs and juvenile goats, as well as a polar bear in Alaska and elephant and fur seals in the Antarctic. However, the discovery of H5N1 on dairy
farms in March was a surprise — the virus had never been found in dairy cattle before.
Soon after the discovery, diagnostic testing revealed that an infectious form of the virus was present in raw milk, suggesting the virus passes from cow to milk. That finding led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA to investigate whether pasteurization effectively eliminated risks posed to consumers. Between April 18 and April 22, 2024, researchers used real-time PCR to analyze 297 samples of pasteurized retail milk products, including 23 types of products, collected from 17 states.
“We did a viability assay to detect live virus and went as sensitive as we could to get even the least little bit of virus, but couldn’t detect anything,” Spackman said.
Using PCR, the researchers did identify viral genetic material in 20 percent of samples.
“It looks like the virus is just totally inactivated,” she said.
Spackman said the new findings “give us reassurance that what we have been doing — pasteurization — is keeping us safe from what we don’t know about.”
Looking For Increased Airspeed ?
The Mach 57
Exterior Mount Fan is Your Solution
The Mach 57 Fan is the latest fan from VAL-CO® –a large 57” exterior mount fan that produces increased airspeed in your house and provides fantastic performance. The interior is black to help with light control. The dampers help keep drafts out when not in use. The blade is
Or email us:
galvanized with a lot of the interior components made from corrosive resistant materials. Constructed of durable poly and fiberglass materials, you can get many years of operation from this fan. The Mach 57 uses a lot of the same components as our 54” fans, which helps with keeping repair parts on the shelf. And by using a common rough opening, the Mach 57 is ideal for retrofits! Move a lot of air with the Mach 57!
The Mach 57
Study shows few products responsible for most poultry salmonella illnesses
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
URBANA, Ill. — Raw poultry is one of the main causes of salmonella poisoning, which affects thousands of people in the U.S. every year. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows that few products with high levels of very virulent salmonella strains are responsible for most of the illnesses from raw chicken parts. The researchers suggest regulation efforts should focus on detecting and preventing those types of high-risk contamination.
“Over the last 20 years, the poultry industry has done a really good job of lowering the frequency of salmonella in poultry. However, the number of people who are getting sick from these pathogens hasn’t declined. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering changes to how they regulate salmonella based on level and serotype, and our research supports those efforts,” said study co-author Matt Stasiewicz, an associate professor in the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at Illinois.
There are more than 2,600 serotypes, or sub-groups, of salmonella bacteria and they differ in their capacity to make people sick. Salmonella Kentucky is one of the most common serotypes in U.S. chicken, but it is less likely to cause human illnesses compared with three more virulent strains linked to multiple outbreaks of salmonellosis.
The researchers wanted to assess the public health risk from
salmonella contamination of chicken parts, comparing the impact of high- and low-virulence serotypes at different levels.
“We applied a mathematical method called Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment, using datasets on contamination from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service as input. We set different levels and serotype thresholds to estimate the risk of getting ill from each of them,” said lead author Minho Kim. He conducted the study as a doctoral student in FSHN, and now works as a postdoctoral research fellow with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
The baseline calculations yielded an estimate of about two salmonellosis cases per 1 million servings of chicken consumed. In all the scenarios, risk was concentrated in a few products with high levels of highly virulent
serotypes. Less than 1 percent of illnesses were attributed to Salmonella Kentucky, while 69 percent to 83 percent of illnesses were attributed to products with high levels of Enteritidis, Infantis, or Typhimurium serotypes. These findings are consistent with what seems likely to be the proposed changes in regulations, the researchers stated.
The next step is to figure out how to specifically target those virulent strains. Kim and Stasiewicz suggest possible approaches such as using statistical processing control to monitor Salmonella, a test-and-hold procedure for batches of products, or vaccinating chickens against the highvirulence serotypes.
However, they emphasize that their research focuses on estimating the risk, and it is up to the poultry industry — which knows best how to improve its processes
Serving the Meat, Poultry and Seafood Industries
— to find strategies to manage it.
“Our research helps to align regulations with public health, and then the industry will figure out the right way to do it,” Stasiewicz said. “These findings support the USDA’s initiative to shift regulation towards highlevel, high-risk contamination events rather than frequency of detection. I hope this will help consumers understand it’s a good strategy that’s designed to protect public health. The layperson could think the new regulations are letting the industry off the hook, because they only target specific pathogens and allow contaminated chicken to get through production. But it makes sense to focus on the strains that are actually making people sick.”
Stasiewicz said you can think of it as a three-step process: the science shows where the risk is, the government sets the regulatory policy, and the industry figures out how to manage risk reduction.
The researchers stressed that consumers should still follow food safety guidelines when preparing poultry, such as washing their hands, avoiding cross-
contamination, and ensuring the meat is properly cooked.
The paper, “Risk Assessment Predicts Most of the Salmonel-
losis Risk in Raw Chicken Parts is Concentrated in Those Few Products with High Levels of HighVirulence Serotypes of Salmo-
nella,” is published in the Journal of Food Protection. This study was supported by a U.S. Poultry and Egg Association grant.
University of Illinois
A new study from researchers with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at raw chicken and virulent strains of salmonella.
Thomas Isaf elected USAPEEC chairman
TUCKER, Ga. — Thomas Isaf, president of Interra International, was elected chairman of the board of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) for 2024-2025 during this year’s USAPEEC Annual Meeting recently held in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Isaf served as first vice chairman for the previous year. He will head the board, which sets policy and provides direction to USAPEEC, an organization whose mission is to promote and increase exports of U.S. chicken, turkey, duck, and egg products worldwide. He succeeds John Patchoski, Koch Foods, who now becomes immediate past chair.
“It is a great honor to be elected chairman of USAPEEC,” Isaf said. “As Interra’s representative board member for nearly a decade, I have seen firsthand how critical this organization’s efforts are to maintaining and growing U.S. poultry and egg exports
around the world. Given the many challenges our industry now faces, it is our responsibility to continue this work, and I very much look forward to it.”
Martin Piffaretti of FoodLink Group was elected to serve as first vice chairman for the 2024-2025 term; and Jianlin Si of Tyson Foods was elected second vice chairman. Ryan Downes, Farbest, was elected secretary/treasurer.
Also elected to the USAPEEC Executive Committee were: Oleg Kovalev, Mountaire; Andrew Szymanski, Wayne-Sanderson Farms; and Haden Slain, Poseidon Forwarding as members-atlarge. Christine McCracken, Rabobank as associate member-at-large. Scot Gaffner, Illinois Soybean Association as commodity member-at-large. Thierry Murad of AJC International will serve as chairman of the USAPEEC Market Advisory Panel and will have a seat on the Executive Committee.
USAPEEC photo
Thomas Isaf, Interra International, received the gavel as new chairman of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council from John Patchoski, Koch Foods, immediate past chair, during the group’s recent Annual Meeting in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Butterball introducing bold packaging redesign
PT
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN Poultry Times staff ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
GARNER, N.C. — Butterball LLC has announced that the company will be introducing a new, modernized packaging design. The last time Butterball updated their portfolio was in 2018. The redesign includes easy to read labeling, a bright blue design and an interactive QR code to aid consumers with their shopping experience.
“Butterball is always striving to provide a consistent shopping experience for consumers across our different product categories, so achieving that was top of mind for this redesign,” Rebecca Welch, Butterball’s director of retail and international brand management, said. “We also wanted the packaging to connect to Butterball’s core beliefs that everyone should feel great about what they eat, and that food connects people and gives
them an opportunity to show they care. Our research found that we were able to convey these beliefs through the new design, as consumers reported they believe Butterball is a brand that cares and brings people together around high quality, good-foryou food.”
Along with this restructure, there will be hand-drawn illustrations and quotes such as “you got this” on the packaging. The
company said that this expresses its commitment to their customers. Research demonstrated that the new design was favored among families with children. The packaging will now have 10 percent more visibility so consumers can feel confident in their purchase. The QR code is for consumers, so they have more information about the product they are buying.
Welch added that, “Our rede-
signed packaging is modern and ownable. When shoppers see our products, they’ll immediately know it’s Butterball.”
Valerie Saint Sing, Butterball’s consumer packaged goods brand manager, said, “The connected food packaging works harder for us on the shelf than traditional packaging. When the QR code is scanned, consumers will land on the specific product’s page at Butterball.com to view recipes, nutritional information, storage instructions and additional product varieties. However, because the QR code is dynamic, we can change the user journey instantly to create a different brand experience based on seasonality, active marketing campaigns and more.”
The new packaging will first be seen on the frozen turkey packaging starting in August. Products like turkey bacon, fully cooked breakfast sausage and raw ground turkey will follow suit. Their seasonal products such as whole turkeys will receive the new look in 2025.
Smithfield Foods to close a plant in Iowa
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN Poultry Times staff
ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Smithfield Foods announced July 1 that it will be closing its doors to a ham boning plant in Altoona, Iowa. The company plans to merge production between other plants in Monmouth, Ill., Sioux Falls, S.D., and Crete, Neb., to maximize the effectiveness of the manufacturing program.
The 314 Smithfield employ-
ees at this Iowa location will receive help from the company as the plant closes. Executives will meet with the employees individually to provide them with a transition plan, severance
and financial incentives to encourage the employees to work elsewhere within the company, Smithfield noted.
“We appreciate the good work our Altoona employees have
done over the years and are committed to supporting every employee through this transition,” Doug Sutton, chief manufacturing officer for Smithfield Foods, said. “We have been successful in retaining many of our people in positions with Smithfield during previous consolidations and will provide information about opportunities at other Smithfield locations.”
The company employs 4,000 people in locations in Carroll, Denison, Des Moines, Mason City, Orange City, Sioux Center and Sioux City.
Tyson to sell Ga. poultry complex to House of Raeford
SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Tyson Foods Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell its Vienna, Ga., poultry complex to House of Raeford Farms, the company announced on July 9. Tyson Foods’ decision to
sell the complex is part of its continued efforts to optimize its plant network, and the company will continue to service customer orders from other production locations, the company stated. House of Raeford Farms
intends to continue poultry processing at the complex utilizing the existing workforce and grower network. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including approval by U.S. regulators.
It’s time to look at what’s controlling your light bulbs.
LED by Innovation
Face greater lumen depreciation than you
Have shortened life hours?
Flickering at different lighting
Face greater lumen depreciation than you expected?
Flickering at different lighting levels especially low light levels?
6/10/15W
Directional
- Directional Beam Angled LED's - designed with the exact beam angle to offer even FC lighting on the floor based on poultry house spacings/specs.
- Directional beam angle lamps offer 100% dimming while Omni lamps typically wont dim below 25%.
*Energy Star Approved for rebates
*Constant Current Driver delivers full current/wattage with minimal lumen loss at low voltages.
*CONSTANT CURRENT DRIVERS ARE A FEATURE THAT OVERDRIVE COMPETITORS DO NOT OFFER!
TAMU: Tips to avoid heat exhaustion, heatstroke
BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG Texas A&M University
COLLEGE STATION,
Texas
— As summer temperatures increase, so does the threat of a heat-related illness. To help reduce this risk, Texas A&M University’s AgriLife Extension Service experts offer tips on how to keep your cool and stay safe in the heat.
“Heat exhaustion can occur when the body heats up faster than its ability to cool down,” said Dr. Mike Lopez, AgriLife Extension specialist in family and community health, BryanCollege Station. “It is the body’s response to excessive loss of water and salt, which can cause symptoms like heavy sweating, faintness, dizziness, fatigue, rapid pulse, headache and nausea.”
• Heat exhaustion, heatstroke can be serious
Without prompt treatment, Lopez said heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke, a life-threatening condition. Heatstroke occurs when the body reaches a temperature of 104 degrees F or higher.
“Some symptoms of heatstroke are confusion, altered speech, nausea or vomiting, rapid breathing, and a racing heartbeat,” he said. “We recommend everyone, especially if they are at a high-risk for heatrelated illness, be aware of the symptoms of heat stress, especially heat exhaustion and heatstroke.”
Heatstroke requires emergency treatment. Left untreated, it can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys and muscles. The damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing your risk of serious complications or death.
“The body naturally heats up during outdoor activity but normally keeps itself cool by sweating,” said Dr. Debra Kellstedt, AgriLife Extension specialist, Bryan-College Station. “But sometimes the body is not able
to cool itself off adequately and this greatly increases the risk of heat-related illness. However, there are some actions you can take to stave off the most dangerous and debilitating effects of prolonged heat exposure.”
Here are some precautions these and other experts offer for anyone headed outside during the hottest months of the year:
• Pace yourself and reduce activity during the hottest parts of the day
Avoid strenuous activity in hot weather. Drink plenty of fluids and rest frequently in a shady or cool spot. Be mindful of the heat index and schedule more intense physical activities for the morning or evening.
• Get acclimated to the heat
Limit the amount of time spent working or being active in the heat until you’re conditioned to it. This is especially important for people not used to hot weather.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing
Your body doesn’t cool prop-
• Take extra precautions with certain medications
If you take medications, ask your doctor or a health care professional if their side effects might affect your ability to stay hydrated and/or dissipate heat.
• Never leave children, impaired adults or pets unattended in hot vehicles
About 40 children under the age of 15 die annually from being left unattended in a vehicle. Never leave a person or pet in a parked car in warm or hot weather, even if the windows are cracked or the car is in the shade. Keep your car locked and the keys in a secure location to prevent children from getting inside when it is parked
• Be extra cautious if you’re at increased risk for heatstroke
erly when wearing excess clothing or clothing that fits tightly. Quickly cool down by drenching clothing with cool water.
• Protect against sunburn
Protect yourself outdoors with a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen because sunburn can reduce the body’s ability to cool. Protect your skin using an SPF 30 or greater sunscreen applied generously. Reapply every few hours afterward, especially if you are swimming or sweating a lot.
• Drink plenty of fluids
Stay hydrated to help your body sweat and maintain body temperature. During outdoor activity or work, keep a drink with electrolytes handy to help replenish fluids, salt and other substances lost through sweating.
If you have a condition that increases your risk of heat-related problems, avoid the heat as much as possible and act quickly if you notice symptoms of overheating. Those engaged in a sport or other strenuous activity in hot weather should be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and be sure medical services are readily available in case of a heatrelated emergency.
“Summer should be a time for having outdoor fun and enjoying the warmer weather,” Kellstedt said. “But you need to listen to your body when it tells you it’s too hot and take the necessary precautions to reduce the risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke.”
Paul Schattenberg, based in San Antonio, Texas, is a communications and media relations specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Communications.
FLY PROBLEMS?
Got Manure? We have the cure! Entomologist on Staff. Free Phone Consultation.
Raising Cane’s opens Nashville spot
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN Poultry Times staff ebobenhausen@poultrytimes.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville, Tenn., is already home to country music. Now it will be home to a new location for Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. According to the company, Rasing Cane’s has locations in Manhattan, South Beach, Chicago, and Las Vegas. The restaurant opened a Flagship Restaurant on Broadway in Nashville on June 26. It opened exactly one year after the Global Flagship opened in Times Square in New York City.
This new site will be in the historic Baxter Building in Nashville and will pay tribute to country legends. It will also pay homage to local talent like Hatch Show Print Shop, Ranger Stitch and James Willis. The building was originally built in 1891; long before Nashville became noted for country music. Throughout the decades the Baxter building was home to many businesses.
“The restaurant boasts a feature wall with a colorful horse-riding cowboy made with an impressive 1.2 million rhinestones; a Johnny and June Cash tribute booth for the perfect Nashville photo-moment; a Loretta Lynn signed sequin top and one of her prized guitars; and exclusive Nashville Cane’s merch,” the company said in a release. “When walking through the doors, Customers will be greeted
by a 5-foot-6 tall statue of Cane III, Raising Cane’s yellow Labrador mascot and namesake, wearing her best flashy red Nudie style suit.”
Diners will also be able to enjoy an art piece created by an international artist, Micheal Murphy. He used 75 different pieces of steel to create a three-dimensional “one” and a “heart” in admiration of Cane’s “ONE LOVE” initiatives. More than 250 disco balls were hung from the ceiling to honor the first
restaurant. Owner and founder, Todd Graves hung a disco ball to disguise a skylight.
Raising Cane’s adds that, “the restaurant joins the company of other iconic hotspot eateries and venues like the legendary Tootsies Orchid Lounge, the classic Robert’s Western World, and even the newer celebrity-owned spots like Blake Shelton’s Ole Red, Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa and Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar.”
