Source:  PRESS RELEASE, 12/4/14

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have approved a total of $285,468 for five new research grants at four institutions. The research funding was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations, based on recommendations from the Foundation Research Advisory Committee. The committee evaluates research proposals to determine their value to the industry and then makes recommendations to the boards for funding. Committee members are professional specialists from different segments of the poultry and egg industry who represent a variety of disciplines.   The Association’s research program dates back to the early 1960s, when funds were first approved for poultry disease research. It gradually grew into a comprehensive program incorporating all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. Since the inception of the research program, USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have reinvested more than $25 million dollars into the industry in the form of research grants, with the International Poultry Expo as the primary source for the funding. More than 50 universities and federal and state facilities have received grants over the years.  “Research is a crucial component of USPOULTRY's and the USPOULTRY Foundation’s service to the industry,” said Elton Maddox, Wayne Farms, and USPOULTRY chairman. “The Foundation Research Advisory Committee is the heart of the research program with committee members investing numerous hours reviewing and assessing research proposals before making recommendations for funding. We sincerely appreciate and value their insight and commitment and would also like to give recognition to Dr. John Smith, Fieldale Farms, for his continued dedication in chairing the research committee.”  

The latest research grants from each institution include:
Combined Heat Recovery and Ammonia Control System for Broiler Brooding North Carolina State University (research grant made possible by a gift from Case Farms)  

Factors Contributing to Superficial Pectoral Myodegeneration and Sclerosis (Wooden Breast) in Broilers North Carolina State University (research grant made possible by a gift from Ozark Mountain  Poultry)  

Branched-chain Amino Acid Requirement and Their Role in Protein Synthesis and Growth Performance in Female Broiler Chickens University of Arkansas (research grant made possible by a gift from Simmons Foods)  

Identifying Amino Acids in the Spike Protein Critical for Arkansas-DPI Vaccine Binding
University of Georgia (research grant made possible by a gift from the Luther and Susie Harrison Foundation)  

Generation of the Bivalent Vaccine against Newcastle Disease (ND) and Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) USDA ARS Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory (research grant made possible by a gift from Claxton Poultry)