US Poultry and the US Poultry Foundation have approved $350,000 for five new research grants at four institutions through the comprehensive research programme. The research funding was approved by the boards of directors of both organisations, 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 comprehensive research programme dates back to the early 1960s when funds were first approved for poultry disease research. It gradually grew into an all-inclusive programme incorporating all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. Since the inception of the research programme, US Poultry has reinvested more than $33 million dollars into the industry in the form of research grants. More than 50 universities and federal and state facilities have received grants over the years.

“Research is, and continues to be, a critical component of US Poultry's and the Foundation’s service to the poultry industry. The Foundation Research Advisory Committee members volunteer many hours to review and evaluate research proposals before making recommendations for funding. We sincerely value and appreciate their work,” said Greg Hinton, Rose Acre Farms, and US Poultry chairman.

The research grants for each institution include:

Role of early incubation temperature variation in the development of the wooden breast myopathy in broiler chickens

Auburn University (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Koch Foods)

Assessing the impact of feed supplements on selection of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC)

University of Georgia (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Mar-Jac Poultry)

Role of ratios of limestone particle size and phytase to support late lay in single cycled laying hens – focus on eggshell quality

Mississippi State University (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Centurion Poultry)

Enhancing immunogenicity and protective efficacy of recombinant infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) vaccines in broiler chickens

North Carolina State University (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Mountaire Corporation)

High-resolution salmonella serotyping to improve surveillance in turkeys

University of Georgia (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Cargill)