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6 | New policy to reduce salmonella in raw poultry proposed by USDA
9 | CDC investigates listeria outbreak across US
15 | GTRI: Envisioning future of poultry production
19 | Unraveling the decay kinetics of peracetic acid in poultry chillers
Business 12 | Wicker receives PSA Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award
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AUG 26 -29 — NUTRITION CONFERENCE, Rogers Convention Center, Rogers, Ark. Contact: The Poultry Federation, 321 South Victory Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72201; Ph: 501-375-8131; info@thepoultryfederation. com; www.thepoultryfederaiton.com.
New policy to reduce salmonella in raw poultry proposed by USDA
ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN
Poultry Times staff
ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
WASHINGTON — The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announces it is rolling out new proposals to prevent salmonella bacteria from defiling raw poultry foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the bacteria cause more than 1 million infections per year, with food products being the primary cause of these infections. The FSIS indicates that chicken products cause 125,000 illnesses and turkey causes 43,000 illnesses per year.
FSIS says that the corruption of poultry from salmonella has decreased, however the number of infections has not.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “far too many consumers become sick from poultry contaminated with salmonella, and today’s announcement marks a historic step forward to combat this threat. This proposed framework is a systematic approach to addressing salmonella contamination at poultry slaughter and processing, which includes enforceable standards that will result in safer food for consumers and fewer illnesses.”
The new policy would give new standards for poultry products. The standards include the prevention of “raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, ground chicken, and ground turkey products that contain any type of salmonella at or above 10 colony forming units (CFU) per gram/ml and any detectable level of at least one of the salmonella serotypes of public health significance from entering commerce,” USDA noted.
The alerted serotypes that the proposed rule recognizes in chicken are Enteritidis and Typhimurium, and the turkey serotypes are Hadar, Typhimurium, and Muenchen.
“The proposed salmonella framework is grounded in data and rigorous scientific evaluation, and it reflects feedback from extensive stakeholder engagement,” USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban said.
“We encourage all interested stakeholders to submit comments and relevant data on the proposal as we work to finalize data-driven, science-based regulatory policies to address salmonella in poultry.”
Comments for the proposal must be submitted within 60 days of publication in the Federal Register.
“We support changes in food safety regulations that are based on sound science, robust data, and are demonstrated to positively impact public health,” Dr. Ashley Peterson, the
National Chicken Council’s senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, said.
“We are concerned this proposal is not based on any of those. It also has the potential to significantly raise the price of chicken at a time when Americans are dealing with inflation in every part of their lives. We remain committed to further reducing salmonella and look forward to reviewing the full proposal and providing comment on this significant, potential shift in regulatory policy.”
The National Turkey Federation responded to the proposal saying, “regarding the Salmonella Framework, while NTF believes that FSIS already possesses the authority and regulatory
The importance of cybersecurity in ag.
PT
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN
Poultry Times staff ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Cybersecurity is important to many critical infrastructure sectors within the United States.
tools necessary to drive improvements in food safety without implementing a final product standard for salmonella in turkey products, we will diligently review and provide meaningful comment on the proposal. NTF believes any standard should be science-based and should not impose unnecessary costs and product destruction for members of the U.S. turkey industry. As we delve deeper into the Salmonella Framework, NTF is committed to continuing our engagement with FSIS to develop comprehensive strategies that will advance this crucial priority while reflecting the concerns of NTF members expressed throughout this policy progression.”
There are some 16 sectors which includes the chemical sector, commercial facilities sector, communications sector, critical manufacturing sector, dams sector, defense industrial base sector, emergency services sector, energy sector, financial services sector, food and agriculture sector, government services and facilities sector, healthcare and public health sector, information technology sector, nuclear reactors, materials, and waste sector, transportation systems sector and water and wastewater sector.
Cyber threats can pop up at any given time, for example, the CrowdStrike security software. One vulnerable zone is the food and agriculture sector.
In 2015, the Department of Homeland Security, the USDA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the Food and Agriculture Sector Specific
Plan. It stated, “protecting the Nation’s food and agricultural critical infrastructure is an important responsibility shared by Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial governments and private sector partners. Interruption of operations within the sector could have a potentially devastating impact on the Nation’s public health and economy.”
In 2022, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a proposed rule regarding cyber case reporting. The National Chicken Council said in response to the proposed rule,
“The NCC shares CISA’s commitment to protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure against cyber threats, and we recognize that sharing information regarding cyber incidents is an integral part of protecting the U.S. national security, economy, and public health and safety.”
Back in 2022, the NCC shared some concerns about the proposed rule with the appropriate parties. One concern was that the definition of “covered entity” may overburden small businesses. In response the CISA said, it “believes that given the scale of this sector and the general substitutability of the products that entities within
the sector produce, the Food and Agriculture Sector entities with the greatest potential to experience a cyber incident resulting in significant consequences are the largest entities in this sector.” The organization was troubled by the definition of “substantial cyber incident.” The NCC said it should be revised to “require that there be some impact to a critical portion of a covered entity’s systems or operations, and with respect to the definition, require that incidents triggering only on impact to data involve data of a certain sensitivity level or that relates to a certain number of individuals.”
The CISA replied with an example stating, “For example, a cyber incident that impacted only a covered entity’s marketing/advertising operations or systems could be a reportable incident, even if the incident presented no risk of harm or disruption to the critical services that the covered entity provides, and therefore presented no risk to the U.S. national security, economy, or public health and safety.”
The NCC expressed distaste for the timeline of 72 hours. They believed that determination should be made of a cyber issue, not just
reasonable belief. CISA explained, “requiring covered entities to report covered cyber incidents within 72 hours ager the entity “reasonably believes” that it has experienced such an incident will likely lead many entities to report incidents that, upon further investigation, ultimately do not result in any of the four impact triggers set out in the definition of “substantial cyber incident.”
This over-reporting of incidents will further contribute to CISA receiving vast amounts of reports and information that ultimately are not useful to CISA in its goal of protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, but instead serve only to drown out signal with noise.”
The NCC said that there should be more flexibility when an organization requests information.
The CISA said, “under the Proposed Rule, the Director of CISA may issue an RFI to a covered entity, ““if there is reason to believe that the entity experienced a covered cyber incident or made a ransom payment but failed to report the incident or payment in accordance with § 226.3,”” and a covered entity must by the deadline specified by the Director.”
Darkling beetles are problematic and costly pests to poultry health
BY DAVID B. STRICKLAND Poultry Times editor dstrickland@poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Not just a pesky pest, but a potential costly one, is the darkling beetle. These insects can affect bird health, spread diseases, and cause many problems for producers.
Noted frequently around poultry feed and in house litter, the darkling beetle can migrate during litter clean-out, as well as night flights from fields where they are present and into poultry houses.
The darkling beetle, “originated in the tropics and is well suited for warm humid conditions making the broiler house the perfect habitat for it,” notes Dr. Claudia Dunkley, an Extension poultry scientist with the University of Georgia, in a report. “Inside the houses, beetles can be found under feed pans and feed lines where spilled feed is mixed with litter. The life cycle of darkling beetles takes 40 to 100 days depending on the temperature, as they tend to multiply more quickly as the temperature increases. The adult beetle can live for more than 12 months, with the female beetle laying up to 2,000 eggs during its lifetime.”
A great concern for poultry health is if birds were to consume beetles that are contaminated with diseases. A result of a bird’s inclination to eat insects in the litter and feed.
“Young birds can consume large numbers of beetles which can interfere with feed consumption and can result in pathogen transmission,” Dunkley said. “It has been shown that darkling beetles act as vectors for a number of poultry diseases such as fowl pox and Newcastle and act as a host for E. coli and salmonella. They also act as intermediate hosts for roundworms and tapeworms.”
Beyond the farm, if litter that has a high concentration of darkling beetles is placed on fields near to residential areas and the insects spread, this could lead to neighbor nuisance complaints.
“Another important problem that can arise from high beetle populations is that of neighbor relations,” Dunkley added. “Litter that has been spread in fields and contains high beetle numbers have resulted in nuisance complaints because these displaced beetles tend to seek refuge in nearby homes.”
In addition to the detrimental effects to poultry, darkling beetles can also cause structural damage to poultry houses.
“While darkling beetles act as vectors that can transmit disease causing organisms to chicken, the most serious impact that these beetles can have on the broiler farm is the structural damage that they can cause to the houses,” Dunkley said. “The migration of the
PPQ, Bugwood.org
CDC investigates listeria outbreak across US
NEW YORK — As U.S. health officials investigate a fatal outbreak of listeria food poisoning, they’re advising people who are pregnant, elderly or have compromised immune systems to avoid eating sliced deli meat unless it’s recooked at home to be steaming hot.
get sick — seven — were in New York, according to the CDC. The people who died were from Illinois and New Jersey.
What investigators have learned
Darkling beetle, or lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus.
beetle larvae (the lesser mealworm stage) into the insulation for pupation results in extensive damage. Application of insecticides to structure, including the floor, after cleaning can assist in lowering the beetle survival.”
Control of darkling beetles, as well as other pests such as rodents, flies and waterfowl, should involve a good biosecurity plan and the use of integrated pest management (IPM) procedures.
“An IPM program for a broiler facility must be implemented on a farm-by-farm basis as no set program will fit all situations on all farms,” she added. “Each farm will have to design a program to suit their facility based on a thorough inspection of the facility and the problems that are identified.”
A rotation of chemical types may be needed to prevent an infestation of beetles that have acquired a resistance to the pesticide being used.
“Over the years the beetles have developed resistance to some insecticides. Effective control of these pests requires rotation of chemicals to reduce the potential development of resistance to active ingredients in the insecticides,” Dunkley said. “Other management practices such as time and mode of application, and monitoring the changes in the beetle population can also help in controlling darkling beetles and reducing their negative impact on the industry.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t mandate a food recall as of July 20, because it remains unclear what specific products have been contaminated with the bacteria now blamed for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states. This means the contaminated food may still be in circulation, and consumers should consider their personal risk level when consuming deli meats.
Federal health officials warned on July 19 that the number of illnesses is likely an undercount, because people who recover at home aren’t likely to be tested. For the same reason, the outbreak may have spread wider than the states where listeria infections have been reported, mostly in the Midwest and along the U.S. eastern coast.
The largest number known to
Of the people investigators have been able to interview, “89 percent reported eating meats sliced at a deli, most commonly deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst, and ham. Meats were sliced at a variety of supermarket and grocery store delis,” the CDC said.
And samples collected from victims from May 29 to July 5 show the bacteria is closely related genetically.
“This information suggests that meats sliced at the deli are a likely source of this outbreak. However, at this time CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of this outbreak,” the agency said in a statement published on its website.
What to expect if you’re infected
Listeria infections typically
cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. It can be diagnosed by testing bodily fluids, usually blood, and sometimes urine or spinal fluid, according to the Mayo Clinic. Listeria infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Victims of this outbreak ranged in age from 32 to 94, with a median age of 75.
For pregnant people, listeria can increase the risk of miscarriages. One of the victims of the current outbreak was pregnant, but did not have a miscarriage, officials said.
Infections confined to the gut — intestinal listeriosis — can often be treated without antibiotics according to the CDC. For example, people might need extra fluids while experiencing diarrhea. But when the infection spreads beyond the gut — invasive listeriosis — it’s extremely dangerous, and is often treated with antibiotics to mitigate the risk
of blood infections and brain inflammation, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What about the meat in your fridge
So far there’s no sign that people are getting sick from prepackaged deli meats. And for at-risk people who already have deli slices in their refrigerator, they can be sanitized by being recooked.
“Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats,” the CDC says. This isn’t new advice: The CDC says it always recommends that people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli, or heat them to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) or until it’s steaming hot before eating.
Some of the products involved in past listeria outbreaks cannot be reheated, of course: Over the decades, listeria has provoked voluntary or mandated recalls of cheeses, bean dips, milk, mushrooms, packaged salads, and ice cream.
Patrick Marquez, USDA APHIS
The Associated Press
Wicker receives PSA Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award
TUCKER, Ga. — Dr. David
Wicker, vice president of live operations at Fieldale Farms Corp., was honored with the 2024 Poultry Science Association Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
The award recognizes outstanding contributions by an industry leader. In addition to sponsoring the award, USPOULTRY also makes an annual contribution to the PSA Foundation on behalf of the recipient.
“USPOULTRY is delighted to honor industry leaders embodied by David,” Nath Morris, USPOULTRY president, said. “He has devoted numerous years of his career to finding solutions for poultry and egg industry issues, including improving broiler production sustainability. We believe that David’s work has truly helped to grow and improve our industry.”
Wicker earned his bachelor’s degree in science and doctoral degree from Clemson University. He served as a biochemist in the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1975, then worked as a technical service nutritionist at International Minerals and Chemicals Corp. until 1978. From 1978 to 1980, Wicker was the director of nutrition, ingredient purchasing, research and feed production at Bayshore Foods. Before Bayshore Foods, he was a breeder hatchery manager at Country Pride Foods until 1982. From 1982 to 1995, Wicker worked at Degussa Corp., where he was manager of animal research and technical services from 1982 to 1988 and director of applied technology from 1988 to 1995. He joined Fieldale Farms in 1995 as director of nutrition and technical services, a position he held until 2007. He then served as director of live operations for
Dr. David Wicker, left, vice president of live operations at Fieldale Farms, was presented with the 2024 Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award by Dr. Michael Kidd, University of Arkansas professor, poultry nutrition and past president of the Poultry Science Association, at this year’s recent PSA Annual Meeting.
three years before becoming vice president of live production in 2010, a role he still holds.
Wicker initiated a graduate program at Degussa Corp. that allowed students to tour amino acid, vitamin and mineral plants, enhancing their industry knowledge and interactions. At Fieldale Farms, he established a successful grower program known for its low turnover and effective growers. From 1982 to 1994, Wicker sponsored up to five amino acid research trials annually, organized two technical symposiums each year, and delivered 10 to 15 customer presentations.
These efforts, which included offering free amino acid analysis, advanced the use and knowledge of amino acids in the poultry industry. His work contributed to many nutritionists formulating diets based on amino acids by the late 1980s. Wicker continues to collaborate with amino acid experts to improve broiler production sustainability and reduce feed costs. Wicker has also been on the South Carolina Poultry Federation Board of Directors since 2006, serving as chairman from 2012 to 2013. He is also a member of the National Chicken Coun-
Registration
open for
IFAN ’24 conference
ATLANTA — The International Food Automation Networking Conference (IFAN), Sept. 9-10, focuses on robotics and automation in the food industry and examines new technology trends, industry challenges and evolving research, organizers note, adding that the conference brings together industry leaders from across the globe for two days of education sessions and networking opportunities.
The conference is organized by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Fan Limited and BMC UK. It is targeted toward corporate food manufacturing engineering leaders, equipment suppliers and end customers of such technologies.
The organizers add that the conference seeks to provide meaningful networking opportunities, highlight tangible research and development activities, and provide a broader context for automation deployment in the food manufacturing sector.
port, which highlights Cal-Maine Foods’ progress on the company’s key sustainability initiatives. As in previous reports, the company is providing updated information utilizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework.
“We are pleased to present our Fiscal 2023 sustainability report, marking the fifth year to share our progress and honor our commitment to be more transparent about our operations,” Sherman Miller, president and CEO of CalMaine Foods, said. “Based on the feedback we have received, we have made important changes to improve our reporting format and provide more data-focused, concise disclosures.”
“We are proud of the work we have done with respect to our key sustainability initiatives, which align with our values, our people, the communities we serve, the environment and the animals under our care,” Miller added. “Above all, we strive to be true to our mission to be the most sustainable producer and reliable supplier of consistent high-quality fresh eggs and egg products in the country, demonstrating a ‘Culture of Sustainability’ in everything we do.”
streamline and sharpen our focus on AGCO’s portfolio of awardwinning agricultural machinery and precision ag technology products, which underpins a long-term focus on high growth, high margin and high free cash flow generating businesses.”
“AIP has extensive experience in the industrial sector and vast carve-out expertise, which we believe will unlock new potential for the Grain & Protein business,” Hansotia added. “We believe the move will help ensure its brands continue to lead the market in grain, seed and protein production equipment and remain wellpositioned to deliver for farmers.”
AGCO noted that it expects to use the net proceeds from the transaction consistent with its stated capital allocation priorities, including debt repayment, disciplined investment in technology and organic growth initiatives and return of capital to shareholders.
The transaction perimeter to be sold includes the five primary Grain & Protein brands: GSI®, Automated Production® (AP), Cumberland®, Cimbria® and Tecno®. The transaction perimeter to be sold excludes AGCO’s Grain & Protein business in China.
cil, where he participates in the Grow-Out Committee; the Animal Welfare Guidelines Revision Committee; and the National Animal Health Monitoring System Committee.
Additionally, he has served as an adjunct assistant professor at Clemson University and has been involved in review and advisory committees for the University of Georgia’s Department of Poultry Science. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the South Carolina Department of Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship Competitive Grant Program.
IFAN 2024 will be Monday, Sept. 9, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Tuesday, Sept. 10, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.Among the topics scheduled will be “importance of Automation in Meat Processing,” “Intelligent Cutting Robotics for Poultry,” “Proven Innovative Automation for Deboning,” “VR Technologies for Cone Loading of Poultry,”“Robotic Trimming,”“Robotics for Sanitation Validation in Food Processing,” “Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Automation and Processing,” and more. For more information, email Kristi Campbell at kristi.campbell@gtri.gatech.edu; or visit https://ifan.gtri.gatech.edu.
Cal-Maine Foods releases its annual Sustainability Report
RIDGELAND, Miss. — CalMaine Foods Inc. has released the company’s updated Fiscal 2023
Sustainability Re-
To see the complete report, visit the company’s website at www. calmainefoods.com.
AGCO announces agreement to sell grain and protein business
DULUTH, Ga. — AGCO Corp. announces it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the majority of its Grain & Protein business to American Industrial Partners (AIP) in an all-cash transaction valued at $700 million, subject to working capital and other customary closing adjustments.
“The divestiture of Grain & Protein supports AGCO’s strategic transformation, recently accelerated by the PTx Trimble joint venture, which closed in April 2024,” Eric Hansotia, AGCO’s chairman, president and CEO, said. “Divesting this business allows us to
AGCO will begin reporting Grain & Protein as held for sale in the company’s consolidated financial statements for the second quarter of 2024 through the closing date. The company expects to incur a loss on the sale of the business in the range of $450 million to $475 million.
The companies expect the transaction to close before the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Keck joins USPOULTRY as director, communications
TUCKER, Ga. — The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association announces the appointment of Hannah Keck as director, communications. She will be responsible for the planning and coordination of communication activities for USPOULTRY and its family of organizations, including the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). She will report to Gwen Venable, executive vice president – expo & communication services. Keck had previous industry ex-
perience with Anpario Inc. and Phytobiotics North America LLC. Her experience also includes serving as departmental journalist for the North Carolina State University Prestage Department of Poultry Science, contributing editor of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service Industry Newsletter, and contributing writer for Chicken Whisperer Magazine.
Keck holds a bachelor of science in poultry science and a minor in journalism from NCSU. Her professional training includes certifications in Technical and Regulatory Writing for FDA-Regulated Industry, 4DX Training and Execution, HAACP, ISO 9001-2015, and Quality Manager of Excellence.
“I am thrilled about the opportunity to join the USPOULTRY team, engaging with an organization deeply intertwined with the entire poultry industry. Combining my passions for poultry science and journalism in this role, I look forward to learning from my knowledgeable colleagues and am excited to see what the future holds,” Keck said.
“We are very pleased that Hannah will be joining our team at USPOULTRY,” Nath Morris, USPOULTRY president, said. “Her background, knowledge and experience in the poultry industry will help broaden and enhance our communication services to our members and IPPE.”
Mullenix named Auburn animal sciences dept. head AUBURN, Ala. — Kim Mullenix will serve as the next head of the Auburn University Department of Animal Sciences, effective as of Aug. 19. She has been a member of the department’s faculty since 2014, currently serving as an associ-
Poultry Science Association photo
Keck
Mullenix
ate professor, Extension beef systems specialist and program team coordinator for the Alabama Extension Animal Science and Forages Team.
“Throughout each of her roles over the past decade, Dr. Mullenix has shown exceptional leadership qualities and commitment to excellence,” said Paul Patterson, dean of the Auburn University College of Agriculture.
“She knows our animal sciences department deeply and is well equipped to serve it through this leadership role.”
In addition to her roles at Auburn, Mullenix has served as president of the American Society of Animal Science Southern Section, board member for the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association, life member of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and active member of the Alabama Farmers Federation. She also is a 2024 graduate of LEAD21, a leadership development program for faculty and staff of landgrant institutions.
“I look forward to working with our faculty, staff, students and stakeholders to cultivate leaders, drive innovations and support our state’s vibrant animal agriculture industries,” Mullenix said. “Together, we will build upon the department’s strong foundation to foster partnerships and enhance our impacts on agricultural communities.”
Mullenix said her goals for the department include seeing it become a regional leader in animal agriculture research and a premier information source for animal science practices. She also plans to work with the department to foster a dynamic learning environment for students while engaging alumni, stakeholders and students throughout the department, the College of Agriculture and the university.
Mullenix earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal sciences from Auburn and a Ph.D. in agronomy from the University of Florida.
As department head, she will succeed Wayne Greene, who has served in the role since 2005 and is returning to a research and teaching position in the department.
“Dr. Greene has provided steady leadership for the Department of Animal Sciences for 19 years,” Patterson said. “During his ten-
ure, he has built a vibrant and productive group of faculty and staff. We look forward to the future contributions he will offer to the department.”
2024 College Aggies Online
scholarship program starts Sept. 9
ARLINGTON, Va. — College students, clubs, and classes are invited to sign up to participate in the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2024 College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship program. The nineweek program kicks off on Sept. 9 and brings together college students from across the country to equip them with the skills needed to become confident communicators for agriculture.
Throughout the program, students will have the opportunity to network and receive guidance from social media-savvy farmers and industry professionals while enhancing their communication and consumer engagement skills.
Previous mentors include Tara Vander Dussen, also known as New Mexico Milkmaid; Michelle Miller, known online as The Farm Babe; Brandi Buzzard of Buzzard’s Beat; and Emily Shaw, owner of Dairy Girl Fitness.
In the individual division, students earn points by completing weekly challenges, including writing blog posts, designing infographics, publishing social media content, and creating TikTokstyle videos.
In the student organization division, collegiate clubs and classes will have the opportunity to host events on their campus to engage with peers about agriculture. Club events include hosting a campus event, food drive, farm tour, and much more.
“The College Aggies Online program equips college students with the tools needed to confidently and effectively share animal agriculture’s story with their peers and general public,” said Emily
Ellis, manager, communications and content, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Participants will walk away with the resume-buildingskills and real-world experience needed to have impactful conversations about food and farming, thanks to real-world experience and guidance from mentors.”
Last year, 344 individuals and 14 collegiate clubs/classes participated, representing 42 states and 63 universities. Students shared more than 1,380 posts about agriculture online and reached more than 10,000 people in-person via campus events. The Alliance awarded $20,000 in scholarships.
To see more insights from the 2023 program, view the 2023 College Aggies Online Impact Report at https://animalagalliance.org/ resource/2023-college-aggiesonline-impact-report/.
Students interested in becoming confident and effective communicators for agriculture are invited to sign up today. Registered participants can refer a friend to sign up for the program for the chance to win a $100 gift card.
Banaszak joins NOVUS as global channel management director
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Adam
Banaszak has joined NOVUS as director of global channel management. In this new role, he will be responsible for solidifying the leader in intelligent nutrition as the top choice for distributors of animal nutrition solutions.
“For the past few years, the NOVUS team has done an amazing job of refocusing the business and setting a trajectory for growth,”
Banaszak said. “My goal is to enable that growth in markets where we work through channel partners, i.e. distributors.”
Banaszak comes to NOVUS from Trouw Nutrition where he served as general manager responsible for all aspects of the company’s export business across major markets in Asia Pacific from South Korea to New Zealand. He is based in Thailand.
NOVUS Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Ed Galo says Banaszak’s expertise in
commercial leadership and business development made him a perfect fit for this new role.
“Our long-term strategy involves both growing our direct business and significantly enhancing the way we work with distribution partners to optimize our market coverage across all important animal protein-producing regions of the world, ensuring our customers have access to our intelligent nutrition solutions,” Galo said. “Our global team and channel partners allow us to achieve maximum leverage of our current asset base, intellectual property, and application expertise, and bring exceptional service to our customers. Adam’s expertise in bringing people and plans together will be critical towards the realization of our goals.”
Banaszak says managing distributors has been a critical element of his most recent experience and, having done that across many markets and cultures, he feels confident he can add value to “the already amazing NOVUS team, not by myself, but rather by becoming a part of the global NOVUS team.”
NPFDA
topics will be:
A presentation by FBI on Cargo Theft presented by Scott Dunn, supervisory special agent, and Logan Johnston, intelligence analyst. Dunn and Johnston will offer an FBI perspective on cargo theft, exploring its economic impact, threats to the retail supply chain, and potential health and safety implications. They will highlight the FBI’s proactive strategies to combat criminal enterprises engaged in systematic cargo thefts.
Motivational speaker Larry Long Jr., CEO of LLJR Enterprises, will deliver his transformative message, “JOLT! Rediscover and Believe in Your Inner Greatness.”
Attendees will learn powerful strategies to overcome obstacles and tap into their full potential.
“We’re excited to offer our members this unique opportunity to gain insights from law enforcement experts and experience a powerful motivational session,” Cece Corbin, NPFDA president, said. “This meeting will provide valuable knowledge and inspiration to help our members navigate industry challenges while making valuable connections.”
For more information about the
NPFDA Fall Meeting, visit www. npfda.org.
Perdue $10K grant to support youth mental health in Ind.
SALISBURY, Md. — The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation continues to invest in the health and well-being of youth and families in Daviess and Martin counties in Indiana. A grant award of $10,000 was recently presented to Youth First Inc. in Washington, Ind., to provide mental health support and substance misuse prevention through their school-based student assistance program.
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving partner of Perdue Farms, awards grants to nonprofit organizations that benefit communities where large numbers of their associates live and work and
focuses on strengthening communities in the following areas: agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety.
The grant is part of Perdue Farms’ Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors® outreach focused on improving quality of life and building strong communities.
“At Perdue, we are committed to enhancing the communities where our associates live and work,” said Sara Norfolk, complex human resource manager for Perdue Farms in Washington. “We are proud to continue to invest in Youth First’s program to make sure no child falls through the cracks when it comes to mental health care.”
The grant to Youth First will allow for continued mental health support for approximately 4,350 students in 11 schools in Daviess and Martin counties. Youth First partners with 125 schools across 14 Indiana counties to embed prevention programs and over 90 skilled mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), bilingual support personnel, and parent engagement
coordinators in school buildings, where they provide extra mental health support for students and prevention coaching for parents and teachers.
Youth First Founder Dr. Bill Wooten was present at the check presentation and shared why he started the organization.
“It was important to me that all children receive this type of support, so they remain healthy, hopeful and focused on school,” Wooten said.
Martin joins Jarrett Foods as plant manager
CANON, Ga. — Jarrett Foods announces the appointment of Neil Martin as its plant manager.
Martin has nearly 30 years of experience in overseeing production at multiple plants for two
(Continued on page 15)
meeting
announces speakers for its 2024 fall
ST. MARYS, Ga. — The National Protein and Food Distributors Association announces the speaker lineup for its 2024 Fall Meeting, scheduled for Sept. 1518, 2024, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Ariz.
The Fall Meeting, one of NPFDA’s signature events and a member favorite, offers a comprehensive program featuring roundtable discussions, expert speakers, engaging activities, and ample networking opportunities. This gathering provides a unique blend of learning, relationshipbuilding, and reconnecting with industry peers, the association added.
This year’s event boasts a roster of speakers addressing critical industry issues and personal development. Among the speakers and
Martin
national poultry processing companies.
As a Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Martin has a proven track record of ensuring the highest standards of quality and efficiency in poultry processing, the company notes. He has also received extensive training in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and animal welfare, further enhancing his ability to uphold the industry’s best practices.
“With his extensive industry background, training and proven track record, Neil will play a key role as our company grows,” Terry Willis, Jarrett Foods president, said.
The company adds that Martin’s knowledge of project management will be invaluable in his new position at Jarrett Foods. He has successfully led various projects throughout his career, demonstrating his ability to effectively coordinate resources and meet deadlines. Additionally, his expertise in developing strong relationships with suppliers and customers will contribute to the company’s continued growth and success.
Jarrett Foods offers whole bird cut-up, custom breast and thigh deboning, breast and tender hand portioning, marination, and repacking services.
Zaxbys brings its signature sauces to retail customers
ATLANTA — For the first time, Zaxbys® is bringing its sauces to retail customers nationwide.
Known for its famous Chicken Fingerz and signature sauces, Zaxbys’ announced that its new product line meets the demand of flavor-craving consumers with three bottled fan-favorite sauces including: Zax Sauce®, Spicy Zax Sauce® and Tongue Torch® Sauce.
Zaxbys has always encouraged fans to be bold and original, a dedication that has fueled its growth and defined its restaurant heritage for more than 30 years, the company said, adding that, now, consumers can experience Zaxbys’ iconic sauces on the go or at home nationwide. Even longtime fans who may no longer live near a Zaxbys restaurant can now
savor the same irresistible taste from afar, ensuring they never have to be bland again.
“Sauce has been woven into the fabric of Zaxbys since 1990, and just like our delicious chicken, customers can’t get enough of our signature sauces,” said Patrick Schwing, chief marketing and strategy officer at Zaxbys.
“Our partnership with Litehouse for the retail development of our acclaimed saucefolio will help us reach a new group of consumers, and our current fans, in grocery store aisles and online retailers.
Zaxbys fans will soon have a new way to enjoy our famous sauces at home to upgrade their everyday meals and spice things up.”
Just in time for summer, Zaxbys’ new sauces are hitting shelves at Southeast grocery stores, including Walmart, Kroger, Winn Dixie, and online via Amazon. The product lineup will include 16-oz plastic bottles of:
• Zax Sauce: A recipe so secret, it’s locked in a vault (literally). The legendary Zax Sauce is a creamy, tangy sauce with a blend of signature spices.
• Spicy Zax Sauce: Spicy Zax Sauce is a twist on the famous Zax Sauce with some added heat.
• Tongue Torch Sauce: With aged peppers, garlic and mustard seeds, Tongue Torch Sauce has become an instant fan favorite.
Beginning in July, the sauces will be available regionally across the United States in the South and Southeast in the shelf-stable sauce aisle in grocery stores, Walmart, Kroger, Winn Dixie, and on Amazon.com for a suggested retail price of $4.48 to $4.98. For more information, visit www.zaxbys.com.
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Calendar of events
AUGUST
AUG 19-21 — NATIONAL SAFETY CONFERENCE FOR THE POULTRY INDUSTRY, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Destin, Fla.
AUG 26-29 — NUTRITION CONFERENCE, Rogers Convention Center, Rogers, Ark. Contact: The Poultry Federation, 321 South Victory Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72201; Ph: 501-375-8131; info@thepoultryfederation.com; www. thepoultryfederaiton.com.
SEPTEMBER
SEPT 5-6 — MEAT INDUSTRY FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE,
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis, Ind. Contact: North American Meat Institute, 1150 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036; Ph: 202-587-4200; www.meatinstitute.org.
SEPT 9 -10 — INTERNATIONAL FOOD AUTOMATION NETWORKING CONFERENCE 2024 (IFAN), Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, Atlanta, Ga. Contact: Georgia Tech Research Institute, Ph: 404-894-2000; Email: kristi. campbell@gtri.gatech.edu; https://ifan.gtri.gatech.edu.
SEPT 10-12 — AFIA LIQUID FEED SYMPOSIUM, Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown, Salt Lake City, Utah. Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 810, Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703-524-0810; www.afia.org.
SEPT 15-18 — NPFDA FALL MEETING, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Ariz. Contact: National Protein & Food Distributors Association, 2014 Osborne Road, Saint Marys, Ga. 31558; Ph: 912439-3603; www.npfda.org.
SEPT 16-18 — NTF 2024
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE,
AC Hotel by Marriott Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill Navy Yard. Contact: National Turkey Federation, 1225 New York Ave. NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005; Ph: 202-8980100; info@turkeyfed.org; www.eatturkey.com.
OCT 7-10 — POULTRY SYMPOSIUM, Rogers Convention Center, Rogers, Ark. Contact: The Poultry Federation, 321 South Victory Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72201; Ph: 501375-8131; info@thepoultryfederation.com; www.thepoultryfederaiton.com.
OCT 9-11 — PROTEIN PACT SUMMIT, JW Marriott, Austin, Texas. Contact: North American Meat Institute, 1150 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
20036; Ph: 202-587-4200; www.meatinstitute.org.
OCT 10 — AFIA/KSU-500, Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing. Online course runs through Nov. 5, 2024. Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 810, Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703-524-0810; www.afia.org. OCT 16-17 — POULTRY PROTEIN & FAT SEMINAR, Embassy Suites Downtown, Nashville, Tenn. Contact: USPOULTRY, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084; Ph: 770-493-9401; seminar@uspoultry.org; www.uspoultry.org.
OCT 17 — NCC ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Washington, D.C. 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.
ATLANTA — Each year the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) funds a number of small-scale research projects. These “exploratory” projects investigate unconventional ideas that, if successful, could lead to significant improvements over current systems and/or processes.
As such, the projects seek to tackle the challenge of envisioning the future of poultry production. The following briefs highlight research results of four recent projects, which ended in 2023.
Ammonia capture and recovery
Researchers are exploring ways to reduce ammonia levels inside poultry growout houses. A low-cost gas adsorbent to capture the ammonia was de veloped, with preliminary stud ies indicating the adsorbent has similar removal efficiency com pared to current commercially available products.
Researchers further plan to develop a method to produce a concentrated ammonia stream that can be used as a valueadded fertilizer.
Canonical manipulation
Researchers are exploring the use of advanced image sensing and high degree-of-freedom ro botic path planning to create a generalized pipeline for single and multi-arm autonomous ro botic manipulation in poultry processing operations.
During FY 2023, both the manipulation and perception experienced significant im provements over previous years’ efforts. The manipulation strat egy was improved to be signifi cantly faster and more robust, completing the rehang task in approximately 65 percent of the time needed previously (con cluding in about 20 seconds rather than 30 seconds).
The perception pipeline was also greatly improved, with a new methodology for scanning and training the canonical model. Notably, performance in perception deteriorated during final testing on real WOG (whole bird without giblets) images due to noisy canonical mapping estimations, partially arising from the difficulty in associating distinct scans to live data. These challenges, however, could be overcome by a more robust training set.
Overall, results showed that autonomous rehang using machine vision and robotic labor is possible, but it will take the efforts of future work to make the system feasible for industrial use.
the compounds and conditions that are responsible for poultry house odors. Litter and soil samples were collected from poultry houses and analyzed using twodimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCxGCMS). Results revealed numerous compounds that make up the overall odor associated with poultry production. While ammonia is a component of that odor profile, given its volatility compared to many of the other compounds found, it seems to be of little concern to neighboring areas. Compounds of particular importance belonged to the fatty acid class as well as several nitrogen and sulfur containing classes as well.
crucial it is to maintain drinker lines in a state of good repair as areas that were damp from leaking drinker lines showed high levels of odorous compounds, particularly fatty acids, compared to drier areas under wellmaintained drinkers and feeder lines. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that you can better control the odor, including ammonia, if you can control the moisture.
This baseline study of the sources and makeup of poultry production odor can serve as a basis for mitigation efforts and future house improvements in moisture management.
Reprinted from PoultryTech, a publication of the Agricultural Technology Research Program of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, a program conducted in cooperation with the Georgia Poultry Federation with funding from
GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Agricultural Technology Research Program
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN
Poultry
ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
TIRED
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The United States has struggled with cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or bird flu this year. The first cases were extraordinary due to the virus being found amongst cattle.
Most of the time avian influenza is found in poultry. While it is possible for the virus to jump from one species to another, it is rare. Nevertheless, four cases of HPAI have been confirmed in poultry employees in Colorado, with a suspected fifth case. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the farm employees worked at a commercial egg layer company that needed to be depopulated because of an avian
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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment stated in a press release, “three of these five cases confirmed by CDC are from the samples that CDPHE’s State Public Health Laboratory sent CDC on Friday, July 12 for confirmatory testing. The fourth case was an additional presumptive detected by the State Lab … and has been confirmed by CDC. Samples for a fifth worker were presumptive positive at the State Lab on (July 13) and will be sent to CDC for confirmation. No
additional test results are pending at this time.”
The CDC said the risk for an outbreak to the public remains low. There have been no increased cases of human influenza from cattle and poultry in Colorado or any other state.
Some symptoms of bird flu include conjunctivitis, otherwise known as pink eye and eye tearing. Other symptoms include fever, chills, coughing and sore throat/ runny nose.
The CDC said “these are the first cases of H5 virus infection in poultry workers (as opposed to dairy workers) since 2022. The first ever U.S. case of H5 in a poultry worker was reported in Colorado during April 2022. On July 3, 2024, Colorado also reported a case of H5 in a dairy worker on an affected farm, so that state is experiencing ongoing H5N1 outbreaks on dairy and poultry farms.”
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ATLANTA — Peracetic acid (PAA) is used as a food safety measure for microbial control in poultry carcass chilling operations. While it is an effective antimicrobial, it suffers one drawback — its decay kinetics that lead to varying concentration levels throughout the processing day. This variation has both food safety and cost implications as lower than expected PAA levels could mean less pathogen elimination, while dosage overcompensation can increase discharge costs.
The exact contributors of PAA decay have not been fully docu mented, and poultry processors have expressed an interest in un derstanding the decay kinetics. In response, researchers with the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s (GTRI) Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) have been conducting studies to quan tify factors that primarily lead to the accelerated decay of PAA in chiller water under a variety of conditions.
Justification and objectives
Key results
Austen Monteith, an undergraduate student research assistant with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, measures peracetic acid concentration using a colorimetic kit to provide data for decay calculations. GTRI photo
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The team, led by Dr. Daniel Sabo, GTRI senior research scientist, recently released results of studies that explored the impacts of chemical formulations and incoming water quality on PAA decomposition. The following is a summary of those studies.
Background
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Peracetic acid is a strong oxidizer and serves as an antimicrobial agent in poultry processing. PAA stock comes chemically stabilized. Once PAA is diluted with water or dosed into chillers, the chemical begins to decompose into acetic acid and water. PAA decomposition rates are reported in terms of chemical half-life and measured in minutes. The chemical half-life is the time required for a quantity of PAA to reduce to half of its starting value.
PAA decays rapidly in the presence of high organic loading common in immersion chillers. Organics in the chiller are found in the form of Total Suspended Solids (TSS); Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG); and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), such as proteins, lipids, cations, and blood.
The justification for the study was based on food safety concerns and cost implications. On the food safety side, lower than expected PAA levels in the chiller could mean less pathogen elimination, resulting in higher pathogen loads on carcasses. Additionally, increases in organic loads in the chiller, typical during a processing shift, result in PAA drop-off and fluctuations that can cause variability in pathogen loads throughout the day.
Cost implications come into play as processors use more PAA than necessary due to TDS from incoming potable water degrading PAA faster under typical chiller conditions. If starting potable water is treated first, the total amount of required PAA will be lower throughout a typical processing day. This reduces the treatment stress of the wastewater stream and could reduce discharge costs. During the study period, researchers focused on two objectives: determine the decomposition of different stock PAA formulations, which vary in the percentage of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide; and examine incoming potable water quality effects on the stability of PAA within immersion chillers.
The formulation of the stock PAA was shown to have an effect on overall stability. Specifically, when high levels of hydrogen peroxide (≥20 percent) are present, PAA lasts longer under chiller conditions. In addition, Sabo says one of the largest takeaways from the research is the fact that the starting water quality has a large impact on PAA stability down the line in the pre- and main immersion chillers.
He explains that by having TDS in the starting water, even as low as 25-50 ppm, the stability of PAA can decrease by almost 50 percent. Therefore, pretreating the potable water to a lower TDS can have a meaningful impact on PAA levels down the line in the chillers.
These initial studies are providing much needed information to plant managers about what is causing PAA to decay in the processing plant.
“With this knowledge, we are looking to resolve the PAA concentration variability, allowing for better control over pathogen reductions as well as reducing the treatment stress of the wastewater stream,” Sabo said. “Both of these could reduce overall operating costs while maintaining target pathogen levels.”
Reprinted from PoultryTech, a publication of the Agricultural Technology Research Program of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, a program conducted in cooperation with the Georgia Poultry Federation with funding from the Georgia Legislature.
IFEEDER adds new items to its ‘Sustainability Toolkit’
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN
Poultry Times staff
ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The Institute for Feed Education and Research has added additional items to their Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit.
“As the animal food industry continues to navigate the complex landscape of sustainability, the need for well-defined, actionable guidance has never been more important,” Lara Moody, IFEEDER executive director, said. “This new
resource addresses that need by describing the scope of each issue in conjunction with real-world examples underway within the industry.”
During the first phase of IFEEDER’s sustainability road map, the organization found 16 new materials that are important to the animal food industry and their stakeholders. These issues fall under three groups: people, planet and
governance. The resource poses explanations of each subject, the possible assets to the industry and symbolic models to demonstrate the benefits for addressing these issues.
These subjects will be added to the toolkit and can be found on the IFEEDER’s web page, https:// www.ifeeder.org.
“IFEEDER’s Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit, initially launched in 2023, aims to provide business leaders within the animal feed and pet food industry with practical resources for developing their internal sustainability programs, responding to stakehold-
ers’ requests and communicating their sustainability stories,” the group said in a release. “The complete toolkit is available for free to American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) members and IFEEDER donors on IFEEDER’s website and available for purchase to nonmembers in AFIA’s Online Store.”
This project was completed by members in the animal food industry and students at Iowa State University. These students were instructed by Dr. Kurt Rosentrater, professor in the Department of Agriculture Biosystems and Engineering.
GAINESVILLE,
Ga.
— Poultry Times has launched a free email newsletter, The Poultry Report.
We have learned that relevant, actionable news and information are absolutely critical to every as-
pect of the poultry industry as we all navigate very challenging times. With a focus on current industry trends and concise content delivery, The Poultry Report is designed to provide you a single source of industry insight in an
easy-to-digest format. Delivered free to your email inbox Monday through Friday.
To subscribe, visit https://www.poultrytimes.com/thepoultryreport.
UC study finds lice causing significant harm to poultry
BY JULES BERNSTEIN University of California-Riverside
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Lice have been found feeding on the skin and blood of free-range chickens, which are infected at much higher rates than caged flocks. This finding could have implications for states like California, where all egg production is cage-free. Previously, lice were not known to be significant poultry pests. However, a University of California-Riverside study published in the journal Parasites & Vectors shows for the first time that they are.
“We didn’t expect to find skin lesions associated with chicken body lice, but we did. This has not, to my knowledge, been documented before,” said UCR entomologist and lead study author Amy Murillo.
Murillo studies pests of poultry and other livestock. To help detect mite infestations in chickens, Murillo previously led a team of entomologists, computer scientists, and poultry scientists in creating a new insect detection sensor. These sensors, worn on the birds’ backs, have been dubbed “Fitbits for chickens.”
The Fitbits translate the birds’ behaviors into algorithms that can be recognized by computers. For this study, the sensors were used to monitor activity at three points in time — during a period where cage-free chickens were not infested with lice, during a growing infestation, and during a fullblown infestation.
The clearest signal of a lice infestation was an increase in preening behaviors, as the birds clean their feathers with their beaks. While preening is generally considered positive, too much of it could disrupt other healthy chicken behaviors.
“We found such a significant increase in infected flocks it makes us think they’re spending time preening when they might have been doing other things, like resting, eating, sleeping, or laying eggs,” Murillo said.
A major increase in preening
was detected even when the lice infestation was relatively small.
“Just a few lice and you see a dramatic change in what the chicken is doing,” Murillo said. “I don’t know if you can measure itchiness or irritation, but they’re spending significant amounts of time trying to get the lice off.”
Lice tend to live in places on the body, both in humans and in chickens, that make it harder for hosts to remove them. Chicken body lice tend to go under the wings, a place with a warmer than average skin temperature that is harder for birds to reach. The lesions the researchers found there were actively bleeding. At this time, there are not many strategies for mitigating chicken lice. Few insecticides are allowed to be used on poultry, and it is difficult to apply pesticides to cagefree birds. However, Murillo and her colleagues have gotten promising results with food-grade dia-
“When chickens get it into their feathers, it disrupts the waxy exoskeleton of the lice,” Murillo said. “In other words, the diatomaceous earth makes it so the insects can’t prevent water loss. Then they dry out and die.”
Given the possibility that excessive preening may interfere with egg laying, Murillo would like to conduct a follow-up study. “Lice were not previously looked at as serious pests. Now that there’s evidence the lice impact the birds, I’d like to measure the economic impact of infestations,” she said.
California’s Proposition 12, passed by voters in 2018, bans the sale of eggs from hens kept in cages. The law aims to reduce animal suffering by setting minimum space requirements for farm animals. However, the absence of cages alone does not guarantee chicken health and happiness. Murillo is not sure why birds with open air access are infested with lice at higher rates than caged chickens. As there is a gap in the literature regarding the origins of chicken lice infestations, she would also like to make this the focus of future research.
“From an animal behavior and wholistic standpoint, the birds definitely benefit from being cage free. They have more space and get to perform more natural behaviors,” Murillo said. “But from a disease standpoint, it is worse.”
tomaceous earth, a powdery substance made from the fossilized remains of aquatic organisms.
Jules Bernstein is a senior public information officer with the University of California-Riverside.
Amy Murillo / UCR Chicken body louse, which can cause skin lesions.
TAMU: From moon ‘dust’ to moon ‘soil’
BY KAY LEDBETTER Texas A&M University
COLLEGE STATION, Texas —
A love for space exploration led Jessica Atkin, a Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences graduate student in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, to produce the first-ever moondust-grown chickpeas.
Using simulated moondust, because there’s not enough lunar regolith on Earth for experimentation, Atkin and her colleagues grew chickpeas to seed in mixtures of up to 75 percent moondust — a groundbreaking endeavor in several aspects.
As a result of her study, future moon-bound astronauts may have the opportunity to substitute a portion of their prepackaged foods with protein derived from crops grown on the lunar surface.
“The Moon doesn’t have soil like Earth does,” Atkin said. “On Earth, the soil has organic material filled with nutrients and microorganisms, which support plant growth. Those are missing on the moon. This adds to other challenges, such as reduced gravity, radiation and toxic elements.”
To help address some of those challenges, Atkin has been developing a soil amendment to improve the structure and nutrient composition of lunar dust, making it suitable for growing crops.
Atkin collaborated on the project with Sara Oliveira Santos, a doctoral candidate at Brown University, who contributed expertise in addressing hydrological issues arising from the small particle size of the moondust.
Moondust research
Atkin has been working on this research under the guidance of her advisors, Dr. Terry Gentry, soil and water microbiologist in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and Dr. Betsy Pierson, an expert in plant-microbe interactions in the Department of Horticultural Sciences. Also contributing to the research is Dr. George Vandemark, a USDA legume breeder and faculty member at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash.
Using soil regeneration mechanisms from Earth, Atkin leveraged
Jessica Atkin / Texas A&M AgriLife photo
Texas A&M University Department of Soil and Crop
Sciences graduate student Jessica Atkin was able to produce the first chickpea seeds in a 75 percent mixture of simulated moondust.
the interaction between beneficial soil fungi and vermicompost, or worm manure, to create a fertile moondust. These amendments help sequester toxic contaminants from the dust, change the soil structure for better hydraulic properties, and increase plant tolerance to stressors and toxins.
Three primary actions help fungi address elemental contamination. First, toxins are sequestered and bound in the soil mixture, making them less available for plant uptake. This prevents contaminants from being taken up by plant roots. If some toxin gets by, the fungus traps it in its own biomass and that of the plant root, limiting the amount of toxins taken into the vegetation and seeds.
Vermicompost is used to provide nutrients and change the physical properties of the lunar dust composition. Atkin said red wiggler worms can be taken to the moon, where they can decompose biowaste such as clothing, hygiene items and food scraps created by astronauts.
Atkin said she chose chickpeas because they are legumes that form beneficial relationships with fungi.
“They are a great protein source and use less water and nitrogen than other food crops,” she said.
“We used a desi chickpea variety to deal with the space limitations
although chickpeas typically take about 100 days to produce on Earth, in lunar mixtures, they required 120 days to mature, and all plants showed symptoms of stress.
Sustainability in space
Atkin said she will continue studying the multigenerational effects and believes that once the soil matrix is transformed, it could lead to the ability to grow other crops.
While Atkin said there are many variables, this could be a solution for long-term waste reduction, and sustainability of lunar travel and exploration.
inside a habitat.”
Using these techniques, Atkin successfully grew chickpeas to seed in up to 75 percent lunar regolith simulant, a documented first. However, she noted a caveat:
“The novelty about using vermiculture is that it can all be done in space, whether in a space station or on the moon, reducing the need for resupply missions,” she said.
Kay Ledbetter is a communications coordinator for Texas A&M AgriLife.
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AEB updating assessments remittance and collection guide
BY ELIZABETH BOBENHAUSEN Poultry Times staff
ebobenhausen@ poultrytimes.com
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — As of July 17, the American Egg Board has revised their assessments remittance and collection guide. This comes 50 years after having the original assessment payment process called the Egg Act and Order. According to a statement released from AEB, the new assessments remittance and collection guide “better reflects the business operations of today’s egg farmers and will help ensure assessments are captured fairly, consistently and in a timely manner.”
The group added that, “initiatives of the AEB are centered around the business interest of America’s egg farmers and grounded in the organizational mission: to drive demand for U.S. eggs and egg products. From groundbreaking nutrition research emphasizing the dietary importance of eggs, to promo-
tional efforts to ensure Americans eat more eggs, more often, to driving category-level innovation to bring new egg products and menu items to market, AEB is committed to moving the needle on demand for eggs.”
Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board said, “AEB was created in 1976 by visionary farmers and their desire to collectively work, through AEB, to build demand for eggs and egg products. As AEB continues to prioritize fiscal responsibility and the egg industry continues to evolve, our board of directors prioritized the effort to publish our assessment remittance and collection guidance to ensure that AEB is fully funded so we can continue the important work that fulfills the original vision for this organization.”
The new expense system demonstrates who will make an assessment payment, how to make assessment payments and assembly of delinquent payments. The new system will go into effect Sept. 1, 2024.
TAMU: Hurricane Beryl winds damage some crops, while rain benefits others
BY KAY LEDBETTER
Texas A&M University
COLLEGE STATION, Texas
— When Hurricane Beryl barreled into Texas, extreme winds caused the most damage to crops rather than the flooding often associated with a hurricane. In fact, the downgraded storm brought beneficial moisture to many counties, according to post-storm reports from Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Service county agents.
Dr. Ben McKnight, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension statewide cotton specialist, Bryan-College Station, said croplands sustained varying levels of damage and that many acres will require more time to assess the storm’s impact on yields and quality. While up to 10-15 inches of rain and high winds battered Harris County and neighboring counties, farms
on the hurricane’s outskirts received beneficial rain that helped boost dryland cotton.
“We are so far along in the cropping season for those folks in the upper Gulf Coast, so how it fared may depend on when the cotton was planted – some was more mature, and some was younger after being replanted,” McKnight said. “The latest planted cotton has enough growing season left to compensate for any damage and regain yield potentially. The older cotton we will have to wait until it is harvested to determine how much damage was done.” Aside from the cotton damaged by wind, the overall rainfall was beneficial, he said. Much of the cotton acres in the Upper Gulf Coast are dryland and have been very dry the past two years, he said. This year, the region received good rain and looked
very good before the storm. The storm delivered needed moisture in areas where soil moisture levels were declining. In College Station, producers were getting ready to start irrigating, but the rain allowed irrigation to be delayed.
“Anytime you get in one of these situations with tropical weather, you can get extreme flooding, and we don’t have that,” McKnight said. “The wind damage can be overcome, but with flooding, the plants have to just sit there and endure until the water recedes and then start growing again.”
All the crops still in the field
Two of the hardest-hit counties, crop-wise, were Matagorda and Wharton counties, which saw significant damage to crops.
Michael Miller / Texas A&M AgriLife Flattened corn stalks in Texas were found in many fields in the path of Hurricane Beryl on July 8.
(Continued
Wendy’s announces new European brand expansion
DUBLIN, Ohio — Wendy’s® announces the signing of two new development agreements with franchisees in the Republic of Ireland and Romania. These franchisees plan to support Wendy’s expansion goals to develop hundreds of restaurants across Europe over the next decade, beginning in 2025, the company said, adding that it’s also actively recruiting well-established franchisee candidates in European markets to help expand its restaurant footprint across the continent. Wendy’s is looking for franchisees with strong operations experience, local development expertise, and a proven track record of growing brands at an accelerated pace.
Wendy’s re-entered the United Kingdom in 2021, which serves as the foothold for growth across Europe, the company said. It expects to see up to 50 restaurants in the market by year-end and is in a great position to continue growing the brand in the U.K. to 400 restaurants over time.
Wendy’s continues to expand its brand presence across the United Kingdom, alongside its franchisees, including in the north,
(Continued from previous page)
It will take time to determine how much damage will impact crop results, especially since the rains continued to fall after Hurricane Beryl passed, AgriLife Extension agents serving those counties said.
Corrie Bowen, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Wharton County, said 3-8 inches of moisture fell as the hurricane passed over the county with winds over 86 mph.
“We have extensive crop damage and ongoing damage,” Bowen said. “Nobody can remember a time when all 235,000 acres of crops were still in the field and susceptible to a hurricane or tropical storm. This was an early storm. Corn harvest had barely begun, and only about 30 percent of the grain sorghum had been harvested. And all our rice was still out there, along with soybeans and cotton.”
He said it is still too early to tell the extent of the damage, but most producers are estimating 20 percent to 30 percent losses in corn. Some fields have plants leaning 45 degrees that might still be harvestable, but in other fields, the corn is lying flat.
Producers estimated that 50 percent of the sorghum crop in those
with a restaurant opening in Liverpool this summer. The company has significantly invested in local resources to support its growth across Europe, including a robust supply chain, regional operations teams, and world-class marketing and creative agency partners.
“We are continuing our journey to become
counties is damaged.
The growth stage of corn during the storm is a concern, Bowen said. When the corn ears drop and are pointed down, the crop can withstand rain. But most fields were not that far along, and the ears were still standing up, which could lead to decreased quality and disease under continued moisture.
“Only time will tell,” Bowen said. “We’ve had a week of rain, another 4 to 5 inches after the hurricane, which continues to degrade the quality of grain crops that need to be harvested.”
Unsure about crop losses
The cotton is a twisted-up mess right now, Bowen said, with the row delineations no longer visible because the plants were so entangled by the winds.
“We were expecting a record crop the day before the storm,” he said. “Now, our cotton is laid down and twisted with the upper squares twisted off and the leaves flipped up and tattered. The bolls, however, had not opened when the storm came in, so we hope the crop will have time to grow out of it. So, with cotton, we are just not sure.”
a brand of increased global significance, and Europe is a high-priority, strategic growth market to expand Wendy’s presence internationally,” E.J. Wunch, president, international for The Wendy’s Co., said. “To accelerate our momentum, we are focused on building relationships with franchisees who share our ambition to grow and scale Wendy’s restaurant footprint across the continent.”
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and natural resources agent in Matagorda County, had a similar report, with 8-10 inches of rain during the storm and another 5 inches since it passed.
“The corn is blown over, and the producers are not sure about losses,” Baker said. “Some are expecting at least 30 percent to 40 percent loss. We were lucky most of the grain sorghum was out, but even the remaining fields seemed to fare well. And our cotton is twisted and blown together, so producers are still unsure.”
Not all was a loss
On a brighter note, Bowen said, soybean fields are at pod fill, and the rainfall will be extremely helpful as the crop matures. Cotton should also benefit from the moisture — producers were just about to start irrigating before the storm.
Most of the rice was still in the flood stage and green and was not damaged. He said some rice fields drained for harvest before the storm were laid over, so harvest will be slower. Also, there was extensive levee damage that rice producers had to repair to retain water.
But in many other counties along the storm path, Beryl provided a reprieve from the heat
and some much-needed moisture. For many areas, producers could return to the field late in the week to continue harvesting. Hay production stalled for a couple of days but was back in full swing.
Other agricultural damages
Bowen said Wharton County also lost some capacity to store crops once the harvests resumed. Three empty grain bins at two different storage facilities suffered damage from the high winds.
While no livestock losses had been reported in the counties, there were reports of producers having to get out and clear downed trees from fencerows as well as hay fields.
“There were a lot of trees down,” Bowen said. “Ranchers with timberland have trees on fences, which is keeping them busy trying to keep their livestock in. Also, with all the power down, many ranchers had to haul or pump water with generators. Livestock must have access to quality water, especially after a stressful event like this.”
Kay Ledbetter is communications coordinator for Texas A&M AgriLife.
