The cover story is an exclusive interview with Fieldale Farms veterinarian John Smith, who reflects on his four decades in veterinary medicine, the state of the US poultry industry and, most importantly, what it needs to do to ensure a healthier, more sustainable future.

There’s also a special report on an industry roundtable, “Poultry health: New challenges for a new era,” which brought together nine industry experts — including veterinarians from three major poultry companies — to discuss the growing demand for poultry raised without antibiotics and the pressures on veterinarians to find alternative yet dependable disease-control options.

In addition, there’s a report on antibiotic-free field trials in Canada and a study on vaccines for infectious bursal disease.

People attending this week’s International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta can pick up printed copies of the magazine at the Zoetis exhibit (A-1739) and also visit the magazine’s news desk, where the editor will be interviewing more than 20 industry specialists on Tuesday and Wednesday.