Alabama Poultry, March/April 2009

March/April 2009 – VOL. 5 NO. 2

Board of Directors Officers Ken Taylor, President, Anniston* Fred Cespedes, Vice President, Hanceville* Wendell Shelton, Treasurer, Boaz* John Pittard, Secretary, Guntersville* Jack Sherwood, Immediate Past President, Troy* Directors Johnny Adcock, Woodland* Ronnie Adrian, Collinsville George Attwood, Anniston Roger Chappell, Cullman Billy Conquest, Cullman Melissa Durbin, Birmingham Randall Ennis, Huntsville Tim Esslinger, Eufaula Dale Gambrill, Snead Billy Gilley, Cullman Harold Hunt, Gadsden Spence Jarnagin, Huntsville* Ted Lankford, Athens Heath Loyd, Decatur David Massey, Montgomery Dennis Maze, Horton Joe McGlamery, Enterprise Todd McMahen, Dothan John Roberts, Cullman Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge Roddy Sanders, Gordo Taylor Steele, Albertville Phyllis Thomas, Russellville David Thompson, Ashland Stanley Usery, Athens Ricky Walker, Snead Advisors Dr. Don Conner, Auburn University James Donald, Auburn University Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University Mickey Humphries, Montgomery Dr. Tony Frazier, Montgomery Perry Oakes, Auburn

*Executive Committee Members

AP&EA STAFF Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Huck Carroll – Communications Director/Editor Jennifer Shell – Support Director

Alabama Poultry is published by the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association 465 South Bainbridge Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: 334-265-2732 Fax: 334-265-0008 Send editorial and advertising correspondence to: Alabama Poultry Editor P.O. Box 240 Montgomery, AL 36101 Advertising rates and closing dates available upon request.

Editorial matter from sources outside AP&EA is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may or may not coincide with official AP&EA policy. Publication does not necessarily imply endorsement by AP&EA.

w w w. a l a b a m a p o u l t r y. o r g

President’s MESSAGE

The future of American, and especially Alabama, poultry farming is always a concern. Farmers live with a combination of fear and faith. Fear of natural disasters; fear of market uncertainties and, perhaps, the most pernicious fear of government meddling.

To some degree, each of these fears is justified.

But, the Alabama farmer, cantankerous and complaining as he can sometimes be, retains, at heart, a deep and abiding faith. Faith in the providence of an almighty and loving God; faith in the knowledge that his product is needed (people will always have to eat); and faith that, given enough time and cajoling, government will do the right thing.

Farmers, independent as they are, have a long history of banding together to redress a wrong or protect themselves and their neighbors. Remember, it wasn’t the politicians, or the industrialists, or retailers, or even service industry personnel who blocked that tiny bridge at Concord, Mass. in 1775 and fired “the shot heard round the world” against the Redcoats.

It was farmers, called Minutemen, who took a stand for their family farms, freedom and, eventually, a new nation.

In the coming years Alabama farmers and particularly those of us involved in animal agriculture will face continued attacks on our way of life.

Attacks will come in devious ways from animal rights groups such as HSUS and PETA. They will come from environmental groups over water and air quality issues and from land developers seeking to turn rural Alabama into a vast suburban bedroom community. Then there is the government, and only the Lord knows what new, well meaning, foolishness they will foster.

That’s why the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association is so very important to every poultry farmer in Alabama. Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” AP&EA is our vigilance and our Minutemen on the bridge.

Their success is our success. However, without our help, they cannot be there for us. That’s why the “Evening of Fun” is so important. The proceeds from the “Evening of Fun” go a long way to ensure us an effective and unified voice in Montgomery with the Legislature.

So, order your tickets today.

FEATURING

Governmental Affairs Evening of Fun 2009 Association News Grower Profile: Dennis Maze Recipes Membership News: Educational News Faculty Profiles Practical Applications Coming Events

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THIS MONTH

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G over nment al Affairs This memorandum was sent to all members of the Alabama Legislature on behalf of a coalition of Alabama animal agriculture organizations and friends of Alabama animal agriculture.

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G over nment al Affairs

HSUS Strongarms McDonald's and Denny’s Fast food giant McDonald’s shareholders will soon be receiving emotion driven proxies pleading with them to vote on the Humane Society of the United States’ resolution to compel McDonalds to use only “cage-free eggs” in their American restaurants. A representative of HSUS will present the resolution at the company’s May shareholder meeting in Oak Brook, Ill. Denny’s restaurant chain is facing the same misguided zealotry.

Even now they are engaged in counting proxy statements from their shareholders, though an announcement will most likely not come until

August. Their annual meeting on May 20 will also feature a presentation by an HSUS representative.

HSUS has targeted McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant chain, using its latest tactic for attacking animal agriculture, by tacitly blackmailing shareholders with their own brand of emotional intimidation.

McDonald’s own U.S. animal welfare council member Diane Halverson, a senior farm animal program specialist at the Animal Welfare Institute, an animal rights organization associated with HSUS, wrote, “The standard industry practice of confining laying hens in bat-

tery cages is an institutionalized cruelty that must be abolished.”

In McDonald’s 2009 Proxy Statement, urging an affirmative vote on the shareholder proposal, she continues, “our company risks loss of business and reputation by not switching to cage-free eggs; our lack of progress on this issue in the U.S. belies our animal welfare policy.”

Wisely, the McDonald’s board of directors rejected her specious and unscientific argument. Saying, in part, “Our company has long been a strong advocate of good animal Continued on page 30.

C hick e n In dus t ry C ommi tt e d to Fo od S a fe t y, In dus t ry E x pe rt Tel l s Co ng re s s WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 23, 2009 The chicken industry is strongly committed to food safety and has continued to improve its performance, especially in reducing the presence of potentially harmful microorganisms on raw product, an industry expert told Congress Thursday, April 23.

The number of processing plants in the very best category of performance continues to increase, Dr. Elizabeth Krushinskie, speaking for the National Chicken Council, told a subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture. She said the steady improvement is demonstrated by data published by the Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under its food safety program known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

The key to success, she said, has been the industry’s commitment to food safety.

“The poultry industry has done a National Chicken Council

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very good job at producing safe, wholesome, high quality foods,” Dr. Krushinskie said. “The industry is continually developing new interventions and related technologies, and refining its food safety systems, to enhance food safety. FSIS mandates HACCP plans and verifies compliance with the plans, but it is the plants that conduct hazard analyses and adopt and implement controls to address potential food safety hazards,” she noted.

“In reviews of the effectiveness of HACCP and the performance standards, FSIS has reported that nearly all broiler plants are complying with the Salmonella performance standards and that Salmonella prevalence in most product categories is lower since HACCP implementation than in baseline studies conducted before implementation,” said Dr. Krushinskie, who is director of quality assurance and food safety for Mountaire Farms in Millsboro, Delaware.

In 2006, she noted, FSIS began

Alabama Poultry Magazine

posting industry performance categories to highlight how well the industry was doing in meeting the Salmonella standards, listing individual plants according to their success in meeting strict standards.

“These data reveal remarkable improvements,” Dr. Krushinskie said. “Between the first quarter of 2006 and the fourth quarter of 2008, the percent of broiler establishments operating at the category 1 performance level – achieving Salmonella prevalence levels averaging less than 10 percent – increased from 35.5 percent to 82 percent.”

Dr. Krushinkie also urged the committee to steer clear of any proposals to fund the work of food safety agencies, such as FSIS and the Food & Drug Administration, through fees charged to companies regulated by the agencies. “Although adequate funding is crucial to the effectiveness of any regulatory agency, user fees are not the answer,” she said. “Congress should continue to Continued on page 30.

The Tip Tops are a high-energy dance and show band based out of Mobile, Ala. Their musical emphasis is ‘60s, “Motown” and “Rhythm & Blues.” The Four Tops, Otis Redding, The Temptations and Marvin Gaye are just a sample of the artists The Tip Tops cover. Mix in some ‘50s from Elvis and Sam Cooke and some ‘80s from Kool and The Gang and The Commodores and you have three decades of musical history.

Beautiful, sensuous, and glittering are just a few words to describe “The Toppettes” who are a show in themselves. These young ladies have mesmerized audiences throughout the southeast. The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and The Pointer Sisters are just a few of the artists “The Toppettes” bring to your venue.

The high-energy, fast-stepping brass section (The Dancing Horns) make The Tip Tops a total entertainment package. Five part harmony, choreography, and costume changes will ensure your audience of a most enjoyable evening.

M o r e in f o r m a t io n o n t h e “E v e n i n g o f F u n ” 2 0 0 9 o n p a g e 3 0 .

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A ssoci at i on News

MONTGOMERY – April 16, 2009 Once again, Howard Helmer, of the American Egg Board, proved again why he is the undisputed “Omelet King,” as he entertained onlookers with his eggceptional legerdemain with eggs, pan and spatula at the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association’s annual Legislative and Media Omelet Breakfast.

Supported by a host of other unsung but worthy sous-chefs, from poultry and allied industry companies, faculty and staff from Auburn University poultry science department, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and AP&EA board members and staff, Howard and company served more than 500 omelets. Fastbreakers also feasted on grits, sausage, bacon and biscuits under the large tent on the Capitol’s south lawn.

Although the weather was cool, politicians of both parties, some with their families, were smiling warmly as they rubbed shoulders with capitol staffers, Peach Queens and leaders of Alabama’s number 1 agricultural industry. They know how very important the poultry industry is to Alabama, and AP&EA holds this event to show them our gratitude for their continued support.

This annual event is sponsored by the Heavy Penny-A-Hen Committee and Alabama’s egg producers through state support funding from the American Egg Board.

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Assoc ia ti on News

Tyson’s Blou ntsville Plant Earns “Wastewater Treatme nt” Award At the Alabama’s Water Environment Association’s annual conference at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Ala., Tyson Foods’ Blountsville plant was awarded the Association’s 2008 Excellence in Industrial Wastewater Treatment award in the 4-Biological (Advanced Treatment) category.

Alabama's Water Environment Association (AWEA) is a service organization providing information and education for industrial environmental issues including air, water and solid waste. Members of AWEA include environmental professionals, municipal system operators, industrial operators, environmental engineers, state regulators and other individuals in environmental occupations.

The selection as a winner of this award was based upon the following criteria: impressive track record of compliance, the operations of the fa-

From left to right wastewater operators: Claude Coker, Michael Chesley, Jeramy Brown, Teresa Turner, Tony Bailey. In the center: Supervisor Lisa Beckham.

cility, and the emphasis on performance established by Tyson Foods.

They were nominated by ADEM and asked by AWEA to submit a

written application questionnaire.

An awards selection committee made up of AWEA members chose the final recipients.

Billy and Terri Gilley Rewarded with Tyson Environmenta l Stewardship Award “Environmental stewardship is a core value of Tyson Foods’ business philosophy because we believe protecting natural resources is essential to achieving clean air, water, and land for our world.” — from the Tyson Foods Environmental Policy

Billy and Terri Gilley with the award

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Each year at the annual shareholders' meeting, Tyson presents awards to poultry, beef, and pork producers from around the country who have exhibited excellence in environmental stewardship. The 2008 Tyson Poultry Environmental Stewardship award was presented to Billy and Terri Gilley of Holly Pond.

Meeting CAFO standards can be

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time consuming, but the Gilleys’commitment to following these conservation measures also earned them Tyson’s 2005 environmental stewardship award.

The Gilleys, who began raising broilers with Ingram Farms in 1989 and have been with Tyson Foods since 2004, and were awarded the title of Alabama’s 2007 Farm of Distinction by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

Although there are difficulties, the Gilleys love farming. “God has blessed us with this farm,” says Terri.

Billy is one of AP&EA’s newest board members.

Corey Ellis of Power South talks about saving money.

The Central Alabama Poultry & Egg Association held its quarterly meeting on April 16 at the Tom Harbin Farm Center in Luverne.

Eighty-five poultry growers from Crenshaw, Butler, Montgomery, Lowndes and Conecuh attended the meeting. The meeting provided an opportunity for each grower to earn their required CEUs (continuing education units). These CEUs are required for the larger growers by the CAFO rules.

A delicious chicken finger dinner was provided by the Luverne Chicken Shack and sponsored by Power South Energy Cooperative.

Power South Energy Cooperative provides electricity to South Alabama, Pioneer, Covington and Southern Pine Electric Cooperatives. Corey Ellis of Power South

gave a program on Energy Efficiency in Poultry House Lighting in which he discussed the savings potential in using compact fluorescent bulbs or cold-cathode bulbs over standard incandescent bulbs.

Dr. Sacit (Sarge) F. Bilgili and Dr. John P. Blake of Auburn University spoke on Alternative Litter Sources for Broilers and Litter Treatments to Control Ammonia.

The final speaker, James McAfee of ADEM (Alabama Department of Environmental Management), spoke on air release reporting of ammonia from poultry operations.

The two remaining meetings in 2009 for the CAP&EA will be held July 16 in Greenville and October 15 in Luverne.

B ilgil i

Bl a k e

M cA fee

Have You Se e n This Ma n?

This man has many names and he has appeared in many places as an average guy looking for work.

“Animal rights” is his agenda, and he will do all that is in his power to discredit those who have hired him.

In the spy game, he would be called an agent provocateur.

In a recent Time CNN online interview, he was called an “animalrights investigator.” His claim to fame is that he surreptitiously gets jobs in animal agriculture, then, armed with a concealed video cam-

era, goes to work capturing footage of animals being abused. His videos of an Ohio pig farm in 2006 were the basis for the questionable HBO documentary Death on a Factory Farm.

In the interview, he admits to abusing animals himself, but justifies it purpotedly to expose those around him who are even more guilty, or so he can get them on video doing what he himself has done before to incite them.

A recent alias is “Jason Smith,” although he uses many names. On

Alabama Poultry Magazine

his driver’s license when hired at a farm in Maine it shows his birth date as Feb. 27, 1979, and his social security number as 563-91-0852.

Be watchful, there are others out there. Alabama is a target.

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G row e r Profile Perhaps that early training as his father’s spokesman equipped him to do what he is increasingly called upon to do these days – be a spokesman for the poultry farmers of Alabama.

Certainly, poultry Simply put, Denfarming is in his nis Maze is a force blood. He is the third of nature. He’s big generation poultry and hardly ever farmer in his family. quiet, and things reIt started with his ally move around grandfather, Enoch, him. Of course, he is who, raised white still about as often as leghorn laying hens. he is quiet, so you While his son, Glatis, get the picture. was away during Let me also say World War II, Enoch that he is passionate, took the money that and passionate big Glatis was sending guys can make back home to buy a mighty good friends. truck, and paid off First of all, he is the 40-acre family passionate about his farm on the Locust faith. He is very bold Fork of the Warrior about his faith in River in Blount Christ. Then comes County instead. He his family, with the paid $900 and promfarm coming in a ised one bale of cotProud grandparents: Kay and Dennis hold their first grandchild, Claire. close third. ton a year, for nine Dennis takes a years. When Glatis great deal of satisfaction from what he does. He has a came home, his father handed him the deed to the farm. bumper sticker on his truck that proclaims, “Alabama Glatis didn’t waste any time in improving his inherifarmers feed the world!” Dennis is proud to be an Ala- tance. In 1947, he married Louise Raburn from the Gold bama poultry farmer. But, he hasn’t always felt this Ridge community near Fairview in Cullman County. She way. was the oldest of 10 children and could plow with a mule.

In high school he felt inferior to many of his classIn 1950, he built his first chicken house. It was mates because after school, on the weekends and in the 35’x150’ with 500 laying hens. People came from miles summer he worked with his father cleaning farmers’ around; it was the largest chicken house that anyone had chicken houses. It was hot and dirty work. He also ever seen. They bought their pullets as babies, grew them helped with his father’s egg routes. out and started them laying. Glatis had egg routes in Dennis’s father was almost deaf. He wore hearing Birmingham and Gadsden three days a week. He also aids in both ears and still had problems hearing. When raised cotton, corn, hogs and some row crops. Louise he and Dennis would arrive at a new client farmer’s would wash, grade and candle the eggs in the basement of house, Dennis would be sent to the door to do the talk- their home. ing. It forced him, he says, to become more outgoing.

Dennis was born in 1954, sandwiched in between two

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Alabama Poultry Magazine

older sisters and a baby sister.

Glatis would peddle the eggs door to door. In the 1950s, urban housewives had difficulty in getting fresh eggs from grocery stores so they welcomed his service. As a child, Dennis followed in his father’s footsteps.

In 1964, when the Legislature passed a law requireing that eggs be inspected before sale, Glatis sold his egg routes and went on contract. He had built four laying houses by this time, and Louise was still in charge of processing the eggs, although, by now she had some help. Glatis, with Dennis’s help, continued what he called his “public work” of cleaning out chicken houses for other farmers.

Dennis and Jeff check the status of their eight chicken houses. Dennis is quick to In 1971, with Dennis nearing high point out that his grandfather plowed the land with a mule and now all of his houses school graduation, Louise gave Glatis are computerized. In fact, he says that with a laptop he can manage his farm from an ultimatum, “Give up your ‘public anywhere there is a phone hook-up. He also says that he remembers what Jerrel work’ and come home and take care Smalley always said, “you can never take the ‘man’ out of management.” Dennis makes it a rule to check the houses when he makes a change on the computer. of the chickens,” she said, “or shut the business down.” At her age and not in the best of health, Auburn and do something else.” Instead, after high she could no longer handle, even with help, the rigors school graduation in 1972, he stayed on the farm. In of daily work with the chickens and eggs. Glatis got the time his father transfered the deed to him. message. He sold his laying flocks and went into the That fall he began construction on two 35’x 400’ broiler business. broiler houses. By March of 1973 they were completed Dennis says that his father’s decision is the reason at a cost of $35,000. After several remodels, those that he stayed on the farm. “I was so tired of the egg houses are still producing chickens today. The last rebusiness,” he says, “if Daddy hadn’t gone into the model cost $135,000. broiler business, when I graduated, I was going to In high school he met a young lady from Oneonta, Five generations of Mazes have called the farm in Blount County home, now including Jeff’s daughter, Claire.

(Left) left to right – Glatis, Dennis’ g r a n d m o t h e r, Tessie; and grandfather, Enoch.

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named Kay Cardwell. They began dating and in 1974 they were married. Kay had little experience with farm life, but soon came to love it.

Son, Jeff, was born in 1979 and daughter, Holly, was born in 1983.

When Jeff Jeff, Claire and Hannah graduated from high school in 1997, he told Dennis that he wanted to stay on the farm. Dennis told him that if he came home with a diploma, he would be welcomed.

While Jeff was at Auburn, Dennis suffered major back problems, requiring five surgeries. He also lost a bid for the Alabama House by 1,800 votes. It was a dark time in his life, but his faith carried him through.

Jeff graduated from Auburn in 2001. Tyson, who Dennis grows for, offered him a job as a field rep and he took the job. Dennis was in total agreement.

Two years later, Jeff was ready to come back to the farm. Dennis agreed, with the condition that Jeff come back as a partner, not as an employee. Jeff agreed.

Wisely, Dennis brought in an accountant with experience in transfering ownership in family farms to set up the gradual transfer of the farm to Jeff, while also providing for Holly, who is engaged and working as a dental assistant in Gadsden.

In 2005, Jeff married Hannah Green, the daughter of a former grower for Tyson. They moved into a house on the farm. However, when Hannah became pregnant, Dennis, proud grandaddy to be, started renovations on the old family home, where he had grown up. It should be ready for Jeff, Hannah and baby, Claire, who was born in March, to move in May. The Mazes have eight fully updated and computerized houses, and grow for Tyson Foods. Over the years, they have worked closely with the Auburn University poultry science department on a number of projects.

One of particular significance is a project for composting mortality. Dennis is also an avid advocate for windrowing to extend the life of litter.

Having Jeff on the farm has freed Dennis to pursue his second calling. Over the years, Dennis had become more and more outspoken on issues effecting farmers and their families. He has testified before the United

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States Congress on the high price of propane and on the need to preserve the family farm.

He served on Gov. Don Siegleman’s Agricultural Advisory Commission. He holds a similar post on Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom, Jr.’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture, although it has never met. Dennis rendered outstanding service on Gov. Bob Riley’s Immigration Commission in 2007–2008. He has also lobbied the legislature to pass the Family Farm Protection Bill. Currently, he serves on the ALFA board of directors, as well as the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association’s board.

As an advocate for Alabama farmers, he sometimes goes into classrooms where he challenges the students to guess his occupation. He tells them, “ I am a veterinarian, a chemist, a soil technician, an electrician, a plumber and a computer tech. What am I?” They are usually surprised when he tells them that he is a farmer.

An avid conservationist, he is proud that the river that his farm is on is cleaner that ever before, with fish and wildlife in abundance. He also believes in testing to make sure that his farm is as non-polluting as possible.

He is proud that he can drink the water out of his tap without fear. “Farmers’,” he says, “were the first environmentalists.”

Dennis sees some real difficulties for the poultry industry on the horizon. Urban sprawl is one concern. He has already had to buy additional land to buffer his poultry houses from the complaints of developers building subdivisions nearby. He is also concerned over animal rights groups that would destroy animal agriculture.

These problems, he believes, are a part of the growing disconnect between farm and city. He says, “When I go into schools and ask kids where their food comes from, the answer is most often ‘Wal-Mart.’ They don’t know, and their parents don’t know either.”

With countries like China subsidizing their poultry industry and less stringent environmental regulations elsewhere, he worries that if integrators do not make sufficient profits that they may move their operations to foreign countries.

Despite the worries, he knows that he is blessed.

With the fith generation just born on his farm, he sees a continuity, not just with his legacy, but also with his parents and grandparents. He is pleased with that, but he also realizes that it must be protected.

“We have an obligation,” he says, “to tell our neighbors, friends at church and especially the younger generation, just what we do.” He adds, “How will they know, if we don’t tell them?”

Alabama Poultry Magazine

R eci p e s

Buffalo Chicken Salad Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients: 1 package southwestern style carved chicken breasts, 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery 1/4 cup bottled blue cheese dressing 1/2 -1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Salad greens or sandwich bread Cherry tomatoes for ganish (optional)

Preparation Steps: 1. In bowl, combine chicken and celery.

2. Stir in dressing and hot pepper sauce and toss until evenly coated.

3. Serve, if desired, on your favorite sandwich bread or over salad greens.

Garlic Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Instructions: 1. Stir together 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a glass dish. Cut chicken into strips and Servings: 4 toss with garlic mixture. Cover with plastic and marinate 30 minutes to 12 Ingredients: hours.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2. Cook pasta according to package 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided directions.

3 tablespoons finely minced garlic 3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken 1 teaspoon salt pieces on medium heat until cooked 1 teaspoon pepper through. Remove and add onions; sautĂŠ 2 small or 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped on medium heat 5-8 minutes or until 8 ounces spiral pasta (1/2 of a 1-pound package) translucent and caramelized.

1/3 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, cut into strips 4.

Place chicken, onions, pasta, sun-dried 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, cut into strips tomatoes and basil in a large serving 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar bowl. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and toss. Serve.

Prep/Cook Time: 25 minutes + marinate time

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Alabama Poultry Magazine

Warm Chicken Salad with Sweet Orange Dressing Prep/Cook Time: 15 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients: 1 cup shredded, cooked chicken meat 1 cup bottled honey-mustard salad dressing 4 tablespoons orange juice concentrate 2 packages (8-ounce) ready-to-use mixed salad greens 1 can (15-ounce) apricot halves, drained 4 tablespoons walnuts, toasted (optional)

Preparation Steps: 1. In saucepan over medium-high heat, combine salad dressing and orange juice concentrate.

Bring to a boil.

Grilled Chicken Breasts and Green Onion Sauce

2. Reduce heat to low, add 1 cup shredded, cooked chicken meat. Heat 2 minutes or until chicken is heated through.

3. Remove from heat, strain over a bowl, keeping chicken meat in saucepan.

4. Arrange salad greens on 4 plates, top with chicken and apricots. Drizzle dressing over salads and sprinkle with toasted walnuts, if desired.

Prep/Cook Time: 55 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients: 4 fresh split chicken breasts 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup olive oil 8 Green onions 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon peppercorns

Instructions: 1. Preheat grill to high.

2. In medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Rub mixture all over split breast pieces, being sure to get under the skin; discard any unused rub.

3. Place breasts on grill and cook over mediumhigh, indirect heat.

4. While breasts are cooking, drizzle about 1 table spoon of oil on onions. Grill over direct heat about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.

5. In food processor, combine vinegar, mustard and peppercorns; pulse until beginning to blend. Slowly add remaining oil, pulsing to incorporate. Add grilled onions and pulse until mixture is well blended.

6. Remove breast from grill when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 170°F, 45 to 55 minutes.

7. Serve with Green Onion Sauce.

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30 3 1/3 3/4 2 1

Bacon Onion Quiche Bites Yield: 30 mini quiches

mini fillo shells eggs cup fat-free half and half cup shredded Cheddar cheese tablespoons real bacon bits teaspoon dried minced onion Fresh chives for garnish, optional

Place fillo shells on baking sheet. In a mixing bowl beat together eggs, half and half, cheese, bacon bits and onion. Spoon 2 teaspoons of filling into each fillo shell. Bake at 375ºF until quiches puff and turn slightly brown or about 15-20 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.

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6 1 14

Confetti Sandwiches Yield: 14 party sandwiches

(7-ounce) jar pimento stuffed olives, drained (reserve 14 whole olives and 1 tablespoon olive juice) hard-cooked eggs, chopped (8-ounce) package Neufchatel cheese, softened slices wheat sandwich bread, crusts trimmed

Slice olives in half. In a large bowl, stir together chopped eggs, cheese, sliced olives and reserved olive juice until well blended. Mix completely. Cut each slice of bread in half. Spread ¼ cup of filling on a bread slice and top with remaining bread slice half. Insert toothpick into reserved whole pimento-stuffed olive, then insert into sandwich.

Repeat preparation of remaining sandwiches. `

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Fresh Summer Stacks Yield: 12 canapes

slices of cocktail rye bread (about 2-inch squares) Olive oil cooking spray 4 hard-cooked eggs 2 Roma tomatoes 1/2 cup black olive tapenade (chopped olive spread) 24 small baby leaf lettuce pieces Fresh herb sprigs or black olives halves for garnish, optional

Place bread slices on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake at 450ºF for 5 minutes or until crisp. Cut ½-inch off ends of each egg and discard. Cut each egg into 3 equal slices. Cut ½-inch off ends of Roma tomatoes and discard; slice each tomato into 6 equal slices. Assemble canapés by placing 2 teaspoons of tapenade on each bread slice. Top each

canapé with 2 lettuce leaves, tomato slice and egg slice. For garnish top each canapé with an herb sprig or a black olive half.

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Membe rshi p News

National Poultry Technology Center Holds H ot Weat her Training

Jesse Campbell leads seminar on battery issues.

The National Poultry Technology Center (NPTC), formed within the College of Ag in 2007, recently hosted two Hot Weather Poultry Housing & Equipment Training Seminars in conjuction with Alabama Poultry & Egg Association.

Service technicians and managers of

the nine major integrated poultry companies in Alabama and surrounding states attended the meetings. These seminars were conducted as “stimulus package educational meetings.”

Every effort was made to keep the cost of this continuing education event low. No overnight travel was required for the program attendees.

The seminars focused on assisting growers with preparing their poultry houses and equipment for hot weather production, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and profitability. Faculty from the biosystems engineering and agricultural economic departments made presentations at the meetings.

Two separate seminars were held, one in Cullman, Ala., for the north Alabama region and the other

in Luverne, Ala., for the south Alabama region. Seminars were held on April 7 and 8. Ninety-nine industry representatives attended the north Alabama seminar from Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama. Sixty-three industry representatives attended the south Alabama meeting from Florida, North Carolina and Alabama.

For more information about the NPTC, poultry industry information, or upcoming events please contact Jess Campbell via email: jesscamp@aces.edu, via the website www.poultryhouse.com, or call 334844-3546.

Land Bank Pays $2.75 Million in C ash Patronage to Customers

CULLMAN, Ala. — The Federal Land Bank Association (FLBA) of North Alabama recently mailed patronage checks totaling $2.75 million to customers. The patronage distribution was based on the rural lending cooperative’s solid financial results for 2008.

“We are extremely pleased that we were able to return a portion of last year’s earnings to our customerstockholders in the form of patronage, particularly given the current global financial crisis,” said Ben Gore, FLBA of North Alabama chief executive officer. “As a cooperative, the Land Bank is owned by our customers; therefore, they benefit when we do well.”

The recent $2.75 million patronage payment reduced Land Bank borrowers’ 2008 effective interest

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rate by 0.68 percent.

The FLBA of North Alabama has declared a total of $11.6 million in patronage payments and dividends since 1999. This amount includes $3.6 million in dividends distributed to customers from 1999 through 2005, and more than $8 million in patronage payments distributed since 2006.

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Established in 1917, the FLBA of North Alabama finances farms, recreational property, agribusiness, country homes and other rural real estate throughout northern Alabama.

The $432-million lending co-op is headquartered in Cullman and has branch offices in Albertville, Athens, Cullman, Talladega and Tuscumbia.

It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System.

Me mber shi p News

Per due : Prot e ct ing D el ma r va ’s Wat e rs As a company founded and headquartered on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, we consider the Chesapeake Bay and the waters of the Delmarva Peninsula part of our heritage. That’s why we are proud of the many ways we are helping to protect and restore our waterways.

• Phytase, an enzyme added to our feed formulations, reduces phosphorus in chicken manure by 25 percent.

• Perdue AgriRecycle is the industry’s first large-scale alternative to land application of poultry litter.

The plant, a $13 million investment in protecting the environment, processes surplus poultry litter from Delmarva farms into pasteurized, organic fertilizer products. In 2008, Perdue AgriRecycle relocated an estimated 4 million pounds of nitrogen, 3 million pounds of phosphorus and 3 million pounds of potassium.

• The Perdue Clean Waters Environmental Initiative, an historic and industry-leading partnership between Perdue and the EPA, is helping independent contract producers

growing for Perdue protect our nation’s waters while reducing the environmental impact of our operations. Under the program, Perdue, EPA and other partners provide training, assistance and environmental assessments to farmers raising chickens for Perdue’s processing operations to help them enhance their compliance with environmental regulations.

• The Poultry Integrators’ Nutrient Effort (P.I.N.E.), a successful partnership between Perdue and the Center for the Inland Bays, among others, has worked since 2001 to maintain the quality of Delaware waterways. The P.I.N.E. project assisted with the planning and development of processes aimed at reducing nutrient loads into Delaware’s waterways and the creation of model farms to demonstrate practical practices that are beneficial to water quality and neighbor relations. The P.I.N.E. project is highlighted as a case example in the Global Environmental Management

Initiative and the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Guide to Successful Corporation/NGO Partnerships.”

• Perdue actively participates in Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration organizations, holding volunteer leadership positions with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Nanticoke Watershed Alliance and the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

• Participating for the second year, in April 2009 more than 130 Perdue associates and their families participated in Project Clean Stream, a project of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to clean up six sites in Wicomico County, Md., and Accomack County, Va. Volunteers removed more than 5,400 pounds of debris from area waterways and shorelines.

For more information on Perdue’s Environmental Sustainability initiatives, you can visit http://www.perdue.com/company/co mmitments/stewardship/index.html.

Inland Bays Partnership Featured in GEMI -E DF Guide A successful partnership between Perdue Incorporated and the Center for the Inland Bays (CIB), a private non-profit organization under the US EPA’s National Estuary Program, is highlighted as a case example in the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) and the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Guide to Successful Corporation/NGO Partnerships.”

In 2001, Perdue and CIB joined forces in an effort to maintain the quality of Delaware waterways.

From this effort came a “model watershed” initiative named the Poultry Integrators’ Nutrient Effort

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(P.I.N.E.). The initiative is funded by CIB, Perdue and other poultry integrators, the local Sussex Conservation District and two State of Delaware Programs.

The P.I.N.E. project assisted with the planning and development of processes aimed at reducing nutrient loads into Delaware’s waterways and also the creation of model farms to demonstrate practical practices that are beneficial to water quality and neighbor relations.

“Having a project included in this guide demonstrates Perdue’s commitment to Environmental Sustainability within our company and

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within our supply chain,” said Steve Schwalb, vice president of environmental sustainability for Perdue and GEMI board director of finance.

“Through creative and cooperative efforts from all involved parties, best management practices were and continue to be adopted to reduce the amount of nutrients entering the local watershed.”

The partnership of Perdue, the CIB and other local organizations exemplify the importance of corporate-NGO partnerships in reaping business, social and environmental benefits.

E nvi ronm ent al News

Global Water Watch Receives Grant for Gulf Water-Quality Project

AUBURN, Ala. — Global Water Watch, which coordinates a worldwide network of community-based water monitoring groups through the Auburn University International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments, has been awarded a $300,000 grant to fund a project aimed at reducing the impact that livestock production in Alabama and in Veracruz, Mexico, has on water quality in the Gulf of Mexico.

The grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Program will support a three-year project titled “Fostering Environmental Stewardship of the Gulf of Mexico: A Trans-Boundary Network of Water Education and Monitoring for Animal Producers, Classrooms and Community Volunteers.”

Auburn’s Bill Deutsch, research fellow in the department of fisheries and allied aquacultures, is leading the project. Deutsch co-founded and manages the Alabama Water Watch program and is director of Global Water Watch, both at Auburn and internationally.

Auburn will collaborate with Global Water Watch – Veracruz, Mexico, on the project, the goal of which is to help livestock producers in Alabama and in Veracruz develop management practices that can lower the industry’s impacts on the Gulf of Mexico. Both states border the gulf.

In 2007, Alabama had more than a million head of cattle and produced more than a billion broiler chickens and 2 billion eggs. Veracruz had an estimated 5 million cattle, 1.2 million hogs and 600,000 goats as well as a large number of trout-farming operations.

The Mobile River Basin, which by flow is the nation’s fourth largest basin, drains about 70 percent of Alabama and contributes a million gallons of water per day to the gulf.

Veracruz claims 500 miles of coastline, or 25 percent of Mexico’s entire gulf coast.

“This project will benefit the Gulf of Mexico by reducing the impacts of livestock production related to excess nutrients, pathogens and sediment loads while providing customized management practices for each farm,” Deutsch said.

Workshops and site visits will be held in both Alabama and Veracruz to emphasize the use of water quality best management practices and on-farm water monitoring to ensure those management practices are working.

To aid in water-monitoring efforts, middle- and high-school students and community groups in both Alabama and Veracruz will become certified in water monitoring via several sessions held in both Alabama and Veracruz. At least 20 students will become certified water monitors

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and will learn more about watershed protection and the importance of protecting the Gulf of Mexico.

The certified monitors will be strategically selected to provide coverage for watersheds that drain into the gulf in both states. As an added bonus for Veracruz students, the highly successful “Living Streams” curriculum, designed through the Tallapoosa Watershed Project to enhance aquatic science education, will be translated into Spanish and adapted for Mexican waters.

Bryon Griffith, director of EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program, said the Global Water Watch project and all other top-quality projects selected to receive grants this year represent strong commitment to protecting the gulf environment.

“Whether it is educating our youth about the coastal environment, or decreasing nutrient loading to our estuaries or making better decisions concerning critical habitat, these projects move us closer to the kind of Gulf of Mexico we want our children and grandchildren to inherit,” Griffith said.

The Global Water Watch grant is part of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Regional Partnership Projects and supports the Governors’ Action Plan.

For more information about the Gulf of Mexico Program, visit its website at www.epa.gov/gmpo.

March/April 2009

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Joe Hess and Don Conner Poultry Science Department Auburn University

Times have been tough recently for both poultry integrators and poultry growers in Alabama. During tough times, it can be difficult to see the advantages we have had in life and we often concentrate solely on the negatives. It may be a comfort to some at a time like this to think about how much the poultry industry has meant to farmers in Alabama. As one looking at this industry from a third-party perspective, I have often been struck at how contracting with poultry integrations has been a good fit for small farmers in this area of the country.

Farmers are independent-minded people, and contracting with a large agricultural organization for a portion of their farm’s production may seem a departure from the independent spirit that appealed to farmers in the first place. Despite that, it is our opinion that poultry production in its various forms has been a positive force in supporting family farms and rural economies in Alabama. Many have said that growing broilers, for instance, provides a steady income throughout the year, counterbalancing ups and downs associated with crop agriculture and cow-calf operations. In addition, nutrients associated with poultry manure have been used to supplement the growth of crops and hay. Thus broiler growers have access to byproducts which, when used properly, help make other portions of the agricultural enterprise more productive. Poultry houses have allowed farmers to increase farm income from relatively small tracts of land as well, allowing farmers to make a living from relatively small holdings. This has allowed many farmers to make all or part of their living farming, despite not owning a large farm.

A recent publication by Dan Cunningham, an Extension specialist with the University of Georgia poultry science department, quantifies how broiler production influences farm income in South Georgia.

Fifteen southern Georgia counties with more than 40 broiler houses were compared to 15 counties with less than 10 broiler houses to determine the influence of

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poultry production on farm income. Total farm income, net farm income, net income per farm and net income per acre were all higher in counties that contained a significant poultry component. Total net farm income is almost tripled in counties with broiler operations compared to other counties ($30.4 million vs $11.4 million).

In addition, net income per acre was more than doubled in counties with poultry ($233 vs $107). Net farm income in non-poultry counties was only 60 percent of that in counties containing poultry ($47,824 vs $78,690).

Rural economies also benefit from the economic impact of a poultry operation locating in a community. An average broiler operation distributes $30 million annually in payroll, most of it filtering into the local economy. In addition, the same organization would pay $20 million in payments to farms (in contract payments) which also filter into the local economy. Many small communities must upgrade services in terms of roads, water, etc., incurring expenses associated with a large poultry employer entering the community, but the overall benefit to the community is almost certainly positive. Not mentioned in the above discussion are jobs brought to the community through the construction of infrastructure and many of the allied industries that may be associated with a poultry operation.

Times will eventually improve for poultry farmers in Alabama. Agriculture is a cyclical business, and if expenses do not go through the roof again, we may return to a business environment that provides a good living for poultry producers and poultry companies alike. In the meantime, it may be of some comfort to realize that the strong poultry industry in this state has benefitted both local farmers and our rural communities.

Reference: Cunningham, D.L., 2009. A comparison of farm incomes for poultry and non-poultry producing counties in South Georgia. http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C897.htm

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Fa cul ty Profile

A u b u r n U n iv e r s i t y De p ar tmen t o f Pou ltry S cie n ce

Dr. Ed Moran AP&E A: Where did you grow up?

M ora n : Wall Township in east central New Jersey.

A P& E A : Where did you go to school?

M ora n : Primary and secondary education revolved around rural schools in New Jersey followed by undergraduate study in the College of Agriculture at Rutgers University. My graduate studies continued at the University of CaliforniaDavis and Washington State University.

AP&E A: What is your current scientific discipline?

Moran: It’s a “dog’s breakfast” of nutrition-further processing-meat quality that evolved as the industry progressed from being centralized in live production through to where further-processed products and consumer values became influential.

A P& E A : How did you get interested in poultry?

M ora n : First exposure occurred during vocational agriculture classes in high school. Access to “free” room and wages in association with the poultry husbandry department at Rutgers University solidified my enthusiasm.

A P& E A : When did you join the faculty in the department of poultry science?

P r o f es so r M ora n : In 1985, Claude Moore, who was head of the poultry science department at Auburn, asked if I would be interested in enhancing their research program on broiler nutrition. Excellent facilities, strength of the poultry industry in Alabama, and opportunity for a new direction were all central to my moving after 23 years at the University of Guelph in Canada.

bama poultry industry?

Moran: I consider my students that have completed graduate study at Auburn who have either entered the industry or became teachers the most enduring benefit (and the most satisfying to me). Research benefit at present involves a continuing collection of diverse “pieces of inforAP&E A: What is the focus of your mation” that expands our broiler teaching and research? nutrition base to include breeder inM ora n : Formal teaching is con- fluences through to addressing confined to an understanding of the gas- sumer issues. trointestinal system and nutrient recovery for graduate students in the For m ore i nfor mat i on: animal sciences. Research has been Dr. Ed Moran largely devoted to estimating broiler Auburn University nutrient requirements that optimize Department of Poultry Science economics. While nutrient needs for 201 Poultry Science Building live performance were the initial Auburn, AL 36849-5416 focus, progression of the industry Phone: 334-844-2617 closer to the consumer necessitated Fax: 334-844-2641 imposition of meat yield and quality Email: moranet@auburn.edu into the mix.

Today, food safety, omission of antimicrobials and assurance of welfare have to considered as well.

AP&E A: How is your work at Auburn benefiting the Ala-

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March/April 2009

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AUBURN – April 24, 2009 The department of poultry science hosted the first ever Egg-Stravaganza at Ag Heritage Park. All ag students, faculty, ” staff and family were invited to the oing? d y e event. The purpose was to relax and e th h at ar w , b have a little fellowship and fun before “Bo finals.

Amanda Martin, student recruiter for the poultry science department was the impresario for the fun-filled event.

She had encouraged students, faculty and staff to form teams for the “EggStravaganza Olympics,” which had been done with great gusto.

After a tasty meal of barbecue chicken, cooked by chef Mitchell Pate, with a generous helping of country music, the “Egg-Stravaganza Olympics” kicked off with a marshmallow stuffing contest that was delightfully gross. That was followed by exciting, if not strange, field events like “the blind egg hunt” or the “pink bucket water carry,” an event at which Dr. Ken Macklin excelled.

All in all, it was a fun way to enter into a serious time.

Best wishes to all the students and kudoes to Amanda for a job well done.

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Alabama Poultry Magazine

Pra ct ic al Applications

Ph oto 1. Solid wall house smoke test shows air leak between top of concrete foundation and lumber plate, probably caused by darkling beetle damage. Voids like this at the top of a concrete stemwall are fairly common in poultry houses built with foam sill sealers that have been destroyed by darkling beetles.

Jess Campbell, Jim Donald, and Gene Simpson, National Poultry Technology Center, Auburn University

The Problem

A serious problem with many concrete stemwall and chainwall foundation poultry houses is air leakage at the top of the concrete curb. This allows unwanted air to directly enter the poultry house at bird level. This problem is typically caused in one of two ways. The first is inadequate sealing of the bottom wall plate to the concrete during construction. The second is the destruction of foam-type foundation seals by darkling beetles.

Photo 1 is a picture taken during a smoke test in a typical poultry house which was built using the foam sill seals. The smoke shows outside air leaking into the house.

Photo 2 is a picture taken at the level of the top of the concrete stemwall and shows exterior light shining between the surfaces of the concrete wall foundation and the bottom lumber plate of the side wall. The cause of the leak was damage to the foam sill sealer by darkling beetles over just a short period of time. The problem is that this air leak is likely to be 800 to 1,200 feet long. Leaks like this worsen the condensation problem on the concrete foundation in cold weather, cause litter moisture problems along the sidewall, allow cold-air drafts on the birds and increase heating system run times during winter. Leaks like this also allow outside air to bypass the attic inlets, sidewall or ceiling inlets, and tunnel inlets. It is a serious uncontrolled air leak which allows unconditioned and uncontrolled air to enter the house, and it needs to be repaired.

This particular problem exists in most houses that were constructed with concrete foundations. In the past, a foam sill sealer was used extensively to seal this void during new construction. Many house builders have now stopped using foam sill sealer and are using a variety of caulking materials to seal this void during new construc-

tion. But the problem still exists in houses that were constructed with the foam sill sealer. The gap or void between these two surfaces commonly ranges from 1/8 to 1/2 inch and changes as the building expands and contracts with temperature changes. So whatever we use to seal this void really needs to be resistant to darkling beetles, lend itself to being injected into a crack, and be flexible enough to stretch, yet maintain a good seal.

Pho to 2 . A see-through void like this above the foundation of solid wall house may extend around the entire house and constitute an air leak easily equivalent to leaving a man door wide open. Just walking around in the house, you can’t see a crack like this. A closer inspection might show you where all those dollars have been going.

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Ph oto 3. Grower injects foundation sealant using an ordinary caulking gun. Voids must be thoroughly cleaned before applying sealant.

A Potential Solution

One product that we have recently tested to seal this void is made by BASF Building Systems and is called Sonneborn-Sonolastic NP. It is a polyurethane expansion joint sealant (equivalent products and brands may be suitable). This product comes in either a 10-ounce tube (NP1) for use with a common caulking gun or a 1.5 gallon pail (NP2) that must be mixed on site prior to use and requires a commercial grade siphon type caulking gun. This product is made specifically for sealing expansion joints in commercial and industrial buildings, so it is made to withstand harsh weather conditions and maintain its flexibility.

More information about this product and similar products may be found online at http://www.buildingsystems.basf.com/documents/

Photo 4. Freshly sealed void should be allowed adequate time to seal per label directions before applying static pressure.

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Ph oto 5. Before sealing the foundation air leak, the thermal image shows a 16.5-degree F temperature difference between floor litter and the top of the concrete stem wall. The black shading indicates cold air coming into the house, and the dark blue shades indicate the cold, moisture-laden concrete foundation.

np1_tdg.PDF. We injected this type of sealer into the void in a problem stemwall poultry house along the entire perimeter of the house foundation. One 10-ounce tube of sealer on average sealed 18 linear feet of the void around the foundation. This particular stemwall house required 60 10-ounce tubes of sealer and approximately five man hours to complete the job. This included cleaning the void and applying the sealer around the entire perimeter of the house. Photo 3 shows a grower injecting expansion joint sealant into the void between the concrete stemwall foundation and the bottom plate of the lumber wall. Photo 4 shows the void in the wall completely filled with the expansion joint sealer, thus achieving an air-tight seal between the two materials.

Preparation and Installation Before installing the sealer the void must be free of moisture, shavings, and darkling beetles to ensure that a consistent sealing and adhesion to the concrete and lumber are made possible. We recommend using a kitchen broom and a high velocity blower (leaf blower) to clean the void and prepare it for sealing. It is not recommended that any sealer be applied to the void if moisture is present on the concrete foundation or lumber seal plate. It is not recommended that excessive static pressures be placed on the house immediately after installing the sealer or before the sealer is allowed to cure.

The two thermal images (Photo 5 and Photo 6) taken before and after treatment of the stemwall foundation with expansion joint sealer show that the sealant did, in fact, stop the air leaking into the house by totally sealing the

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void between the concrete and lumber plate.

Photo 5 shows the concrete foundation of a poultry house with cold outside air leaking into the building through the void between the concrete foundation and the bottom lumber plate. The black shading on the picture indicates cold air and the dark blue shades indicate the cold, moisture-laden concrete foundation. The labels show that the temperature difference between the top of the concrete wall where cold air is leaking in and the litter approximately 18 inches away from the wall is 16.5 degrees F. Photo 6 is the same shot as the previous thermal image, but made after the void between the concrete foundation and the lumber wall was sealed with the expansion joint sealer. Notice that there is no air leaking into the building at the void as in the previous picture. The temperature in the building was higher in the picture on the right (+5 degrees F) due to the radiant heaters running in preparation for chick placement. However, with the air leak totally sealed, the temperature difference between the litter and the concrete/lumber plate joint where the void was reduced by more than 50 percent, to only 7 degrees F, an improvement of nearly 10 degrees.

The result, in addition to preventing cold outside air from chilling chicks, is that condensation along the stem wall is drastically reduced.

Regardless of house age, every poultry house should be checked for air leaks periodically to ensure the building envelope is intact and sealed. This can be done by conducting a static pressure test on the house. This means all vents shut, doors closed, fan shutters down, and all curtains tightened. Turn on 1 cfm of fan power for each square foot of house area. This means that for a 40 x 500 foot house (20,000 square feet), one 48-inch fan rated at approximately 20,000 cfm at 0.05 static pressure should be used. If you have a 54 x 500 foot house (27,000 square feet), you should use one 54-inch fan rated at approximately 27,000 cfm at 0.05 static pressure (or one 48-inch and one 36-inch fan) for the test.

The static pressure placed on the house should be very close to the same each time you check it and recorded somewhere for reference as the house gets older. If you cannot coordinate fan cfm’s to house area exactly, remember which fan you used and make sure you repeat the

P ho to 6. After sealing foundation void, thermal image shows no air leaking into the house and litter about 5.5 degrees F warmer, with only a 7-degree temperature difference between floor litter and the top of the concrete stem wall. This is a temperature improvement of nearly 10 degrees.

same procedure each time the static pressure is checked. If the house tests more than 2-3 points in static pressure lower than the previous pressure test, this indicates a loss of house tightness and is definitely worth looking into.

Voids in the building around door frames, electrical and plumbing entrances through the wall, end wall or man door frames, around sidewall and inlet curtains, and anywhere else uncontrolled air leaks into the building envelope must be sealed to eliminate outside air infiltration into the building. These air leaks are typically a little more difficult to seal because they are typically much larger and inconsistent voids. Leaks like these may require some carpentry work and additional caulking or higher density spray foam rigs to seal the void permanently.

Is This a Problem Worth Fixing? Yes!

It is hard to put an exact dollar value on bird environment improvements, but cold air on baby chicks will definitely slow chick development, affect consumption of starter feed, and adversely affect litter conditions and paw quality. Additionally, sealing reduces gas consumption in cooler weather and promotes temperature uniformity in both hot and cold conditions. The product we tested can be obtained in bulk for between $4 and $5 per tube, making the total cost of properly sealing a house less than $300. The value of the resulting fuel savings and performance improvements will more than offset the treatment cost.

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Chicken Industry Committed to Food Safety ... (continued from page 6) fund regulatory agencies through appropriations,” rather than by fees tied to the agencies’ activities.

“These activities are central to the government’s role in enforcing the law; they are government activities, not voluntary services for which companies receive commercial benefits,” she said.

The National Chicken Council, based in Washington, D.C., represents integrated chicken producerprocessors, the companies that produce and process chickens. Member companies of NCC account for approximately 95 percent of the chicken sold in the United States.

Evening of Fun Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex 7:30 pm – Program and Show – Coliseum Featuring: Diamond Rio 9:30 pm – Dance – Sheraton Ballroom, Featuring the dance band The Tip Tops.

Tickets – $150 – Children 18 and under admitted free.

Grower Tickets – $75

HSUS Strongarms McDonalds (continued from page 6) welfare practices, including the handling and welfare of egg-laying hens. For example, in 2000, McDonald’s U.S. issued industry-leading guidelines for egg-laying hens, which continue to exceed industry standards. In addition, we have adopted and implemented global Animal Welfare Guiding Principles, which advocate and support practices that provide animals, including egglaying hens, with an environment free from cruelty, abuse and neglect.” Their recommendation: vote against the proposal.

Likewise, Denny’s board also recommended voting against the proposal on the grounds of food safety, quality and economics. They cited two independent studies that showed, “conversion to cage-free eggs would result in a significant cost increase on a systemwide basis.” They also cited purchasing agreements that they were “locked-in” through 2010, that gave them advantageous pricing.

Annual Grower Meeting and Seminar 5:00 pm – Birmingham Ballroom/Sheraton The Annual Grower Seminar is an excellent opportunity for poultry and egg producers to learn about the latest innovation and technology available to our industry. The meeting offers producers an opportunity to not only gain valuable information, but to network with other members of the industry in our state.

In addition, the meeting includes refreshments, door prizes and the announcement of the 2009 Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year. Please make plans now to attend this important meeting. CAFO credits will be awarded.

E ve n i n g o f F u n S ch e d u l e

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ADVERTISING INDEX Alltech American Proteins Auvil Insurance First Financial Bank First South Farm Credit Lee Energy Poultry Supply

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