AP&EA P.O. 240 Montgomery, AL 36101 Address Service Requested
May / June 2012 – Vol. 7 No. 3
Board of Directors Officers Spence Jarnagin, President, Huntsville* Johnny Adcock, Vice President, Woodland* Randall Ennis, Treasurer, Huntsville* Dale Gambrill, Secretary, Snead* John Pittard, Immediate Past President, Guntersville* Directors Ronnie Adrian, Collinsville George Attwood, Anniston Fred Cespedes, Hanceville Cory Early, Decatur Tim Esslinger, Eufaula* Billy Gilley, Cullman Harold Hunt, Gadsden* Heath Loyd, Boaz David Massey, Montgomery Dennis Maze, Horton Todd McMahen, Dothan Dr. Shannon Morgan, Birmingham John Pastrana, Russellville Mitchell Pate, Auburn Mike Pigg, Cullman John Roberts, Cullman Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge Roddy Sanders, Gordo Jason Shell, Gadsden Jack Sherwood, Troy Jason Spann, Hanceville Ken Taylor, Anniston Ben Thompson, Huntsville David Thompson, Ashland Stanley Usery, Athens Ricky Walker, Snead Craig Williams, Enterprise Advisors Dr. Don Conner, Auburn University James Donald, Auburn University Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University Jacob Davis, Montgomery Dr. Tony Frazier, Montgomery Perry Oakes, Auburn *Executive Committee Members
AP&EA STAFF Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Ray Hilburn – Membership Director Huck Carroll – Communications Director/Editor Jennifer Shell – Support Director Alabama Poultry Magazine 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 Magazine 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 www.facebook.com/BamaChicken
MES S AG E
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S
Dear Poultry Friends, Standing on the stage at the BJCC for this year’s “Evening of Fun,” I was overwhelmed at how many of you were in attendance. Ticket sales were the best that they have been in years, but standing on that stage and looking out at your faces, I was struck with how blessed we are to have so many great friends in this wonderful industry. Speaking of wonderful friends, congratulations to Gary and Barbara Wright and their family from Collinsville for being selected this year’s Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year. Their emphasis on family, hard work and sacrifice gives us all a renewed sense of pride in the poultry industry. Many thanks to the fantastic Arab FFA String Band. With their level of musicianship it is hard to believe that the oldest members of the group are only in the ninth grade. They made a lot of new fans at the concert. From the rush on the stage, it is obvious that Josh Turner had a lot of fans in the audience. They were not disappointed. He put on a great concert as expected. And, if all the folks on the dance floor are any indication, The Heather Hayes Experience once again was a big hit. I also want to thank our generous sponsors. You make events like this possible. You also make it possible for us to conduct educational seminars for growers and industry personnel, as well as funding our work with governmental and regulatory agencies. You provide the lifeblood for our organization, and all of us at Alabama Poultry & Egg Association deeply appreciate your friendship. A special thanks to our Association President Spence Jarnagin for an outstanding year of leadership.
Featuring This Issue Governmental Affairs Growing Up Hilburn Association News AP&EA Golf Classic Evening of Fun 2012 Poultry Farm Family Member News Practical Applications Calendar of Events
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Governmental Affairs
Poultry Groups Applaud Senate Bill to Normalize Trade Relations with Russia WASHINGTON – The National Chicken Council (NCC), National Turkey Federation (NTF) and USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) today applauded the introduction of a Senate bill that will establish permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia by repealing the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment. Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) formally approved late last year Russia’s terms for membership in the organization. But for U.S. companies to benefit from Russia’s accession, it will be necessary for Congress to permanently remove Russia from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment to the Trade Act of 1974 and authorize the president to extend PNTR to Russia. Jackson-Vanik requires Russia and seven other former Soviet states and non-market economies to comply with free emigration policies before enjoying normal trade relations with the United States. Since 1994, the United States
has certified annually that Russia complies with the amendment’s provisions and has conferred normal trade relations (NTR) status. “We appreciate the efforts of Sens. Baucus, Kerry, Thune and McCain for their introduction of this bill that will repeal the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment and create new jobs and boost the U.S. economy,” the poultry groups said. “As Russia enters into the WTO later this summer, PNTR will ensure that poultry companies can take full advantage of new business opportunities, that Russia’s commitments entering the WTO are enforced and that American businesses are on an equal playing field in the Russian market.” While Russia is home to 142 million consumers and maintains one of the world’s largest economies, it is the largest economy not yet formally subject to the global trading rules of the WTO. Russia is currently the third largest
Divide and Conquer, Redux The Senate didn’t include the controversial hen housing amendment in the Farm Bill, and the Humane Society of the United States is not happy. CEO Wayne Pacelle immediately penned a furious blog after the decision, claiming that the pork and beef industries threw the egg industry under the bus. He said that cattle and pork lobbies “outmuscled” the egg industry’s efforts and that much like rocks break scissors, “meat breaks eggs” in the political arena. We can’t fall for his trap of pitting industry against industry and farmer against farmer. HSUS and groups like it don’t really want to protect one sector of the industry over the others. They aren’t agricultural stakeholders. They want the entire industry to be eliminated, period.
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export market for U.S. broiler meat and is the tenth largest export market for U.S. turkey. “Continuing to export $300 million of poultry to Russia annually will provide better incomes for more U.S. workers and additional poultry to be produced by a growing number of family farmers across America,” the groups noted. “The Senate will not be voting on Russia’s WTO accession, rather it will be voting on giving the United States equal accession to general tariff reductions, market opening measures and the ability of U.S. interests, such as poultry, to seek trade relief, if necessary, through the WTO. “The U.S. poultry industry encourages swift action on this legislation to establish PNTR before Russia joins the WTO,” urged the groups. “This gives the United States the best chance of enjoying the full economic benefits that comes with Russia’s WTO membership.”
Sarah Hubbart, Animal Agriculture Alliance
And what stake does a pork producer or cattle rancher have in the success of an egg farmer? Actually, a whole lot. The activists are not going away. It’s a conflict industry focused on fundraising, not common sense animal welfare. The issues will change, the targeted industry will vary, but there will always be another campaign to run. And there will always be subjects that divide the agriculture community ideologically. That’s okay. There is enough room in the marketplace for all styles and sizes of production. But there are some things that we should always be able to agree on. Collectively, agriculture must take a strong stance against extremism. We need real collaboration among diverse agriculture groups and leaders across
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the food chain. (That’s why groups like the Animal Agriculture Alliance are so important.) But interestingly enough, there are some animal rights groups that are not happy with the tactics of HSUS and other organizations that work to push extreme change, albeit incrementally. The Humane Farming Association called the hen housing legislation “the rotten egg bill” and is vigorously lobbying against it. A group called United Poultry Concerns also opposed this effort and others like it that could be seen as a partnership between activists and industry. So it seems that the vegan agenda is not quite as unified as it appears. Perhaps agriculture should take a page out of the activist’s playbook.
Henry Hilburn and his boys, (left to right) Henry, Huey, Willie, Donald, Ronald and Ray. The boys were paid for their work on the farm, each receiving “21” a week for their pay, according to Henry. That was 21 meals a week and a roof over their heads.
Henry Hilburn loved his moonshine whiskey. According to Donald, his third son, Henry drank at least a pint every day, going so far as to stash bottles around Turner Supply, a hardware store where he worked in Luverne. He kept a gallon jug of the stuff in the kitchen next to where his wife, Melba, kept her flour barrel. He told her that she could throw out the flour, just not to touch his whiskey. Willie, his second son, recalls that his father kept a 10-gallon charred wooden keg of shine in his tool shed behind the house. When it was empty, a friend would pick it up and bring it back full, leaving it under the front porch of the house. Henry would carry it back to his tool shed. There were times when he would try to taper-off, but those times were short-lived. He never appeared drunk, so no one outside his family ever knew that he was drinking so heavily. One day, however, everything changed. He was sweeping the floor at Turner Supply on De-
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cember 9, 1955; it was the day of the birth of his fifth son, Ray, when a life insurance salesman came in. The store owner wasn’t interested in buying any more insurance, but pointed to Henry, explaining that he had just had his fifth child. The salesman must have been very inexperienced or greatly lacking in tact, because, looking at Henry, he said out loud, “I don’t understand how people can bring children into this world without knowing how they are going to pay for their education.” The arrogant cruelty of that statement must have hit home like a sledgehammer. In a 1986 interview, Henry remembered it, saying, “I got mad then. But whenever I’d get lazy or not feel like working, I’d think of that and it would give me a little push.” It must have been an incredible push, because from that day on, Henry Hilburn never drank again. Ironically, he still bought moonshine, this time by the gallon instead of the usual keg. He kept it for friends, but never tasted a drop of whiskey again.
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Since their marriage, they had lived in rental houses, usually sharing them with another family. The day after Christmas in 1950, with three young sons, their twobedroom home burned. They lost everything. Neighbors and friends pitched in to help, providing clothes and furniture. Eldest son, Huey, recalls, “The only time I ever saw Daddy cry was when folks gave him something.” Melba still holds on to much of the furniture that was given to them after the tragedy; she is too grateful to part with it. When they had first married in 1940, they had planned for a football team, but with hard times, as Melba says, “we settled for a basketball team – five boys.” They had met in the early 1930s, tough Depression days, in Goshen, her hometown. Henry was in the eighth grade at Glenwood High School. He played basketball and his basketball team had come to Goshen to play. Henry’s sports career and formal education came to an end that year when he was forced to drop out of school to help his partially disabled father on the farm. Still, he liked to play a pickup game of baseball with his friends, especially on Saturday afternoons in the summer. That ended too when his father sent him out to plow on Saturday afternoons. “I told my daddy,” he reminisced, “that when I was old enough, I wasn’t ever going to plow on Saturday evenings.” To which his father replied, “Yes, son, maybe you won’t, but one thing’s for sure, you’ll certainly know how to plow on Saturday.” Melba had grown up in very similar circumstances. Her father was a farmer and her mother died when she was 1 year old. They were poor. She remembers always having to use short pencils for her schoolwork and borrowing paper from schoolmates. Her father borrowed money from the bank to make his crops, and, once the money was spent, there was no more until the crops came in. She and Henry married on the eve of World War II
in 1940; he was in the Alabama National Guard, having been denied enlistment in the U.S. Army because of beginning hearing difficulties. Although his unit was mobilized, he was never activated. He had a job making $50 a month delivering commodity food for the city of Luverne. It was then that the Turner brothers asked Henry to come to work for them at Turner Supply. They were selling feed, seed, hardware, sporting goods and baby chicks. In those days, chickens were mostly grown in backyards by farmers’ wives. They purchased chicks either through the mail or a local feed & seed store. The beginnings of the modern poultry industry was still years in the future when Henry Hilburn started putting baby chicks by the dozens into cardboard boxes with air holes cut in the top. Staying with the Turner brothers until 1946, Henry supervised their small hatching operation and sold biddies to farmers for their backyard flocks. But with two young sons, Huey, born in 1942 and Willie, born in 1944, Henry was feeling the need to show some ambition. That year, he struck out on his own, opening a feed and seed store in Melba’s hometown of Goshen. He bought a Jamesway 1080 wooden incubator capable of hatching 1,080 chicks at full production. The incubator took six settings of eggs, usually on Tuesday and Fridays, and with three weeks hatch, it produced about 300 birds a week. This was seasonal, with no hatching during the colder months, because no one had heated chicken houses. For these backyard growers, markets were limited. Usually growers would bring their birds to the feed and seed store to barter them for feed and other needed items. The feed stores would contact local grocery stores and sell them live birds. That all seemed to work well for Henry’s new business. Where the business failed was in the area of credit. Henry was too generous with giving credit and it spelled
All of the boys got their start in the poultry business working on the egg carton press. It is still on the Hilburn farm.
Always an innovator, Henry rigged up an alarm system that ran from the incubators to his bedroom.
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the doom of his business. Within a year, he moved back to Luverne to work again with the Turners, running a feed truck and visiting farms. By 1948, Henry was once again ready to tackle the business world, but with the birth of his third son, Donald, he decided to keep his job with Turner and start a commercial table egg business on the side. He called it Hilburn and Sons. The sons, young as they were, were an integral part of the business. Starting out at 4:30 a.m., long before work every morning, Henry peddled eggs around Luverne, while 6-year-old Huey and 4-year-old Willie gathered the eggs, washed them and candled them in a homemade candler that Henry had fashioned from a ridgerow piece of tin. He had punched holes in it with a 20-penny nail, and with a strong light underneath, the eggs could be rolled through the shaped tin. The boys were able to roll the eggs back and forth, causing the yolks to move, revealing any impurities in the egg. The boys developed a system: Huey and Donald would gather the eggs and wash them, then Huey would do the candling while Willie graded and packed them. Later, as Donald got older, he helped out by cranking the carton-making machine, which pressed cardboard
cartons out of flat stock. As Hilburn and Sons grew, they began to look more and more like a real business. They started putting Hilburn and Sons stickers on the egg cartons, and later had egg cartons pre-printed with their name. Henry was always an innovator. He built the largest chicken house that anyone had ever seen in Crenshaw County and equipped it with outside nest boxes with hinged lids. This way the boys could collect eggs on Sunday mornings before going to Sunday school without getting their shoes soiled by going into the chicken house. All they had to do was lift the lids and lean over and pick up the eggs. The design, as innovative as it was, was not without flaws. Willie remembers the eaves of the house did not extend far enough from the house, so that when it rained, water dripped off the eaves in just the right spot to go down your pants when you bent over to get the eggs. Also, care had to be exercised when opening the lids to keep any nesting hens from flying out. As the business grew, so did the family. In November of 1953, Ronald was born. Hoping for a girl, in 1955 they got Ray instead. That’s when they decided to stop with a basketball team instead of a football team. More on “Growing Up Hilburn” in our next issue.
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Association News
SEAP&EA Names 2012 Officers CLAYTON – On Thursday night, May 31, the Southeastern Alabama Poultry & Egg Association met at Abercrombie Fish Camp to elect officers and hear a presentation by Blake Gibson of Jones-Hamilton on litter management. Also making presentations to the group were Jeff Sims of Animal Health International and Mistie Wiggs with Randy Jones Insurance Agency. During the meeting, there were discussions on bylaws, meeting locations and educational programs for the group. Michael Starling was elected as president, with Trip Horne as vice president and Glenda Green as secretary treasurer. Nine others were named as directors representing various areas in their counties.
(Front row – left to right) Glenda Green, secretary-treasurer; Shirley Payer, director; Jan Woodham, director; Charles Long, director; (back row) Clay Price, director; Phil Kirkland, director; Michael Starling, president; Glen Atkins, director; Trip Horne, vice president; Matt Jackson, director; Jason Robinette, director. Not pictured: Bill Infinger, director; Nicky JohnsonMitchell, director; Travis Bowman, director; and Mark Sanders, director.
AP&EA Announces Dates for 2012 Grower Educational Seminars The AP&EA 2012 Grower Educational Seminars have been scheduled to open Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 11:30 a.m., in the Cullman Civic Center in Cullman. The evening session will be held at 6:00 p.m., in the Snead State cafeteria in Boaz. On Thursday, Oct. 11, the morning seminar will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Tom Harbin Ag Center in Luverne. The evening seminar will be held at 6:00 p.m. at
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the Coffee County Farm Center in New Brockton. Some of the subjects covered will be: “The TSP Process” by Shannon Weaver of NRCS and “AFO/CAFO Record Keeping” by Kent Stanford of ACES. Two hours of continuuing education credit will be awarded and lunch or dinner will be served at each meeting. Make plans now to attend one of these seminars.
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LAKE GUNTERSVILLE, May 11, 5:30 a.m. – Under a dark but crystal clear sky, the 52 boat flotilla participating in the AP&EA “Big Bass” Fishing Tournament spread out across the lake. As the sun came up, tendrils of vapor rose from the cool lake waters, creating an almost surreal yet serene vision. Many might think of it as romantic, perhaps our honeymooning fishing couple, Mike and Sherry Wilson, found it to be so. At 12:30, with all boats in, the weigh-in began. First place went to the team of Stanley Morris and David Gray with a whopping total of 28.3 lbs. Billy
Hubbard and Lee Waldrop followed in second place with a total of 24.16 lbs., with third place going to Jeff Reed and Mike Bartlett, who hauled in a respectable 23.5 lbs. The “Big Bass” award went to Steve Howard, who brought home a 6.7 lb. monster. As for the honeymooners, well, they did okay, all things considered. Of course, they may have been distracted. After the tournament and the release of all fish, American Proteins provided Chick-fil-A sandwiches and drinks for lunch.
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LIMESTONE SPRINGS – To steal a line from the nineteenth century American romantic poet, James Russell Lowell, “And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days.” Okay, maybe in New England in June, but this is Alabama. But wait! Friday, June 8, at Limestone Springs Golf Course, was about as perfect as it gets on a June day in Alabama. Humidity was low and the temperature didn’t get out of the high 80s. Okay, it was a little warm, but not as hot as last year. Anyway, 34 foursomes of poultry pros took to the links in high spirits, on one of Alabama’s premier golf courses, in the biggest crowd to participate in the AP&EA Poultry Classic since ... well it’s been a long time. There were so many golfers signed up for the event that extra golf carts had to be brought in. While the big sticks were busy popping the little white pills, back at the clubhouse, the boys from K Supply were busy burning the butts in preparation for lunch, while AP&EA Membership Director Ray Hilburn was providing curb service to all who came his way by replenishing everyone’s golf ball stash with fresh balls. The course was beautiful, with well kept fairways and manicured greens. Everyone had a great time.
2012 HOLE SPONSORS AlaTrade Foods, LLC Alltech American Proteins, Inc. Aviagen Inc. Bobcat of Oxford Burch Corporation Cintas Corporation Cobb-Vantress D & F Equipment First South Farm Credit NA Fitco/ADF GSM Steel & Mechanical Contractors H. J. Baker & Bro. Hubbard LLC Keystone Foods LLC L. B. White – Casey Jones Lee Energy Solutions Liberty National Life Insurance Marel Stork Poultry Processing Pfizer Animal Health Randy Jones Ins. Agency Southwest Agri-Plastics Southwestern Sales
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The Winners Closest to the hole: Clay Allen – Hole #15 Wes Mitchell – Hole #7 Donnie Bullard Hole #5 Rus Harper – Hole #12 Southwest Sales Drawings: Jonathan Lacy – $200 Jessie Crane – $300 Third Place: Mike Sims Ron Stafford Ryan McCormic Lucas Hill
Matthew Branch, Nathan Dayhuff, Adam Langley and Adam Pierce with the fruits of their victory.
Second Place: Ben Mundy Darren Thames Eddie Fortner Scott Brady
First Place: Matthew Branch Nathan Dayhuff Adam Pierce Adam Langley
VIP Sponsors PLATINUM American Proteins, Inc. First South Farm Credit, NA
ChemStation of Alabama GSM Steel & Mechanical Contractors Liberty National Life Insurance
D & F Equipment Sales, Inc. International Paper
GOLD AlaTrade Foods, LLC Aviagen Inc. Bobcat of Oxford Chickmaster Incubator Company Cobb-Vantress, Inc. FMC Corporation Hubbard LLC K Supply Company, Inc. Marel Stork Poultry Processing Merck Animal Health Pfizer Animal Health Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative
SILVER Advanced Poultry Equipment & Supply, Inc. Alabama Ag Credit, FLCA Alabama Farm Credit, ACA Alabama Power Company Alltech Animal Health International Burch Corporation CEVA Biomune Company Cintas Corporation Elanco Animal Health Evonik-Degussa Franklin Industries, Inc. Ivesco, LLC Jones-Hamilton Company Merial Select Randy Jones Insurance Agency The Vincit Company
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Like Old Times: Ray and Dana Put on the Show
Ray Hilburn and Dana Bennett presented a program titled “My Role During a Catastrophic Event.”
The Wrights got their new farm sign
Seminar attendance was good ...
... and so was the picnic supper!
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BIRMINGHAM – Martin had Lewis, Huntley had Brinkley and Cheech had Chong, oh, and don’t forget Batman and Robin – all dynamic duos whose time came and went. Seldom did they get to reprise their partnerships, but on Saturday, June 9, in the Sheraton Ballroom, the team of Ray Hilburn and Dana Bennett, better known just as Rayna, brought their act back together, not for nostalgia, but for the 2012 AP&EA “Evening of Fun” Grower Seminar. It wasn’t Sonny & Cher, but it was an informative look at “My Role During a Catastrophic Event,” addressing issues effecting broiler, breeder and pullet growers during natural disasters, such as tornados, floods and heavy snows. Ray, membership director at AP&EA, and Dana, of course, worked for many years together at the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries in the poultry division. AFO/CAFO credits were awarded for attendance. Prior to the beginning of the presentation, AP&EA Grower Committee Chairman Kenneth Sanders welcomed all in attendance and introduced Association President Spence Jarnagin who presented the nominating committee report recommending the reelection of Billy Gilley of Holly Pond and Stan Usery of Athens as directors. The reelection was handled by a voice vote in the affirmative for both men. The next order of business was the introduction of Gary and Barbara Wright of Collinsville as the Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year for 2012. The Wrights are breeder growers for Wayne Farms/Albertville. They have been growing since 1995. They were selected from many outstanding nominees throughout the state. Not only are they excellent breeder growers, they are also very active in their community and church. The Wrights were presented with the first of the new AP&EA Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year farm signs. They also received a special plaque and a cash prize. At the conclusion of the program, five $100 dollar bills were drawn for as door prizes for five lucky winners. An indoor picnic supper was served at the close of the meeting.
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BIRMINGHAM – Wow! When the doors opened on the 2012 AP&EA “Evening of Fun” you might have thought that folks had been waiting for weeks. They came in ready to have some serious fun. They were in the middle of finding their seats when that bunch of show stealin’ outlaws from Arab took to the stage. They call themselves the Arab FFA String Band, but it’s hard to believe that the oldest one of these younguns is only in the 9th grade. From “Whoa Mule” to “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” these blue jackets put the blue back in Bluegrass. No bling, just Bluegrass,
for that high and lonesome sound, thank you, mam. Then came the introductions. Association Executive Director Johnny Adams introduced AP&EA President Spence Jarnagin, who introduced the Executive Committee. Then the 2012 Alabama Farm Family of the Year, Gary and Barbara Wright of Collinsville, was introduced. The Wrights came onstage with their children, children-in-law and grandchildren, all to the cheers of the audience. They are a great family and an outstanding example of all that is good about this industry.
ittee AP&EA Executive Comm
ector tive Dir u c e x E AP&EA dams Johnny A
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AP&EA Presiden t Spence Jarnagin
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Arab FFA String Band
When the lights went down, you’d have thought there was a cattle stampede as the kids and some adoring adults rushed the stage, jockeying for position to see. Their anticipation was palpable. Then, there he was, Josh Turner. His voice was so deep, it seemed to come up from one of the old abandoned iron mines on Red Mountain, and just as rich. He opened with the title song from his new album Punching Bag, following it up with the title cut from his 2006 album Your Man. He sang a number of songs from his album Haywire, including “Eye Candy,” “As Fast As I Could” and “I Wouldn’t Be A Man.” One of his biggest ovations came from his 2003 release, the deeply spiritual “Long Black Train.” A devoted Christian and family man, Josh’s spiritual roots showed again in his moving song “Me and God.” One of the highlights of the concert came with the introduction of the band. The beautiful keyboard player is actually Josh’s wife, Jennifer. Turner’s encore song was “Why Don’t We Just Dance.” That was a great set up for the after concert dance. It was a very satisfying and family oriented concert. It was the kind of fun that most everyone could enjoy. So make your plans to be here next year for an EVENING OF FUN!
TV creen Big s
ers! winn
Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year Gary and Barbara Wright of Collinsville
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“You all were so great!!! Thank you so much we had a blast!!!” The Heather Hayes Experience facebook.com/BamaChicken
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Okay, that was really a lame question – of course you had fun. I mean, why else would so many people be smiling and waving their arms around in the air? Yeah, and why did the dance floor stay packed until 1 a.m., if you weren’t having fun? The Heather Hayes Experience was an EXPERIENCE, once again. Their repetoire was so great that it even made us old foggies get up and dance, not to mention the kids. Did somebody say’ “duck to water?” That’s how they took to it. If you could harness the energy burned on that dance floor, you could heat a chicken house for a whole year and then some. Of course, if you went to bed early or totally stayed home, well you missed it. Wowser, did you ever miss it. So, like next year, get a babysitter or chicken sitter, whatever, cause you don’t want to miss out again. It was so much fun that the band posted on our Facebook page, and you know what they say about “when the band has fun!”
Hey, you just got to be there next year!
To see all of the photos of the concert and dance, go to our website www.alabamapoultry.org. You can download as many as you like for free.
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From Gary and Barbara’s back porch, overlooking Big Wills Valley, just outside Collinsville, the smiles and laughter says a lot about this family. And with three more grandkids on the way, it’s only going to get better. (Left to right) Cliffton Simpson, Amanda Simpson, Barbara, Shelby (Drew and Anna’s daughter), Colton (Cliffton and Amanda’s son), Gary, Amelia, Ashley, Kevin, Anna and Drew.
For Gary and Barbara Wright, AP&EA 2012 Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year, it’s all about family and staying close. Gary grew up farming in Collinsville. His dad and uncle owned and operated a feed mill in Collinsville that had been started by his grandfather in 1949. Gary’s father also had three conventional layer houses, selling eggs to Buck Appleton’s hatchery in Collinsville. Those houses later were converted into commercial layer houses and then to pullets. The family also row cropped and raised hogs. Barbara and her family had lived in Birmingham, where her mother taught school at Clay. Barbara attended school in Trussville, until her father developed a heart condition and was forced to retire, when she was in the tenth grade. They moved to Collinsville, where her father had been raised and they had a home that was used in the summer and on weekends. She and Gary met that summer at a softball game in Collinsville. They continued to see each other at softball games, which, in Collinsville are a social institution, throughout the summer. They became part of a group that routinely did things together. By the beginning of her senior year at Collinsville High School, where she was active as a cheerleader, they began dating seriously and became engaged. Two months after her graduation in May of 1977, they were married.
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Gary had graduated several years before and was on his way toward being an established farmer in the community. Row cropping, he raised cotton, corn, soybeans and grain sorghum. His grandfather had gotten him started in the hog business, and, as he says, “We’d gotten into it in a big way.” The thought of getting into the poultry business was still pretty far from his mind. Having grown up gathering eggs in those three layer houses he was familiar with the chicken business and, as he says, he “wanted no part of it.” By the mid 1980s, they had farming operations in three counties, then, an opportunity came up that Gary wasn’t so sure about. An elderly neighbor had an old broiler house that he couldn’t work any longer, and he offered it to Gary and Barbara to lease. Needing the additional income, they took him up on it, and the Wrights were in the chicken business. It fell to Barbara, who now had two kids in tow and a third one on the way, to handle the chicken business. Amanda was just 5 years old and Drew was 2 on the day that Barbara fed the chickens in the morning and went off to the hospital to have Kevin that evening. For the next 10 years that poultry house was nursery and schoolhouse for the three children. Barbara taught them their shapes and to count using drinkers and feed lines. She and Gary also lovingly taught them to work hard, giving each responsibilities as they grew older.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Barbara is all smiles when Colton and Shelby help her clean and gather the eggs, but she is all business when it comes to making sure that the eggs are ready for shipment to the Wayne Farms hatchery in Albertville.
The kids worked on the farm beside their parents in the summer and weekends, but during the school year there was time for sports. Amanda played basketball and the boys played football. They also were very involved in 4-H and then FFA, showing sheep and hogs. Amanda, in particular, was very competitive in FFA. In fact, she became the first female FFA president in her school’s history. It was at an FFA competition that Amanda fell in love with Auburn University. She was in the 10th grade in 1995 when she set her heart on going to school at Auburn to study poultry science. Gary and Barbara knew that there was no way that they could afford to send Amanda to Auburn without making some drastic changes. The hog business was declining and row cropping wasn’t going to pay the bills. The poultry business, however, was expanding, still Gary wasn’t sure he wanted to be “married” to the chicken business. By this time however, the man from whom they had been renting the broiler house had died and his estate sold the property, so, as they say, “after much discussion and a lot of prayer,” a decision was made to build two breeder houses. They contracted with Wayne Farms of Albertville and in June 1995 they got their first flock of hens. Their relationship with Wayne Farms continues, where the Wrights consistently rank as a top breeder producer. With the advent of the poultry business, the hog business faded away completely. The poultry business has been very good for the Wrights. It has allowed them to put Amanda and Drew through Auburn with degrees in poultry science and agricultural economics respectively. Kevin, an outstanding student in his own right, did not want to leave home. Instead he got two associate degrees from Gadsden
State Community College. All three of the kids are married and have children, and they live nearby. Best of all, they all love each other – their good natured laughter is evidence of that. Amanda is married to Cliffton Simpson and they have one son, Colton. They also have another child on the way. After graduation from Auburn, she worked for five years as a service tech for Tyson Foods. She now works with Alabama Farm Credit. They live on a farm that Gary bought before he and Barbara were married. After graduating from Auburn, Drew went to work with NRCS, moving first to Florida and then to Grove Hill, Ala. Now back in Collinsville, he and his wife, Anna, and their daughter, Shelby, live in Gary’s grandparents home. Anna, who is also pregnant, is due any moment. She is the 4-H coordinator for Cherokee County. Kevin works with Cherokee Electric Cooperative in Centre. He and his wife, Ashley, have a daughter, Amelia, and have just learned that they are also expecting. They live in Barbara’s parents home, just under the hill from Gary and Barbara, and about a hundred yards from the chicken houses. Ashley keeps Shelby and Colton, as well as Amelia and another cousin in her home during the day. The grandchildren particularly love to hang out at Gary’s workshop, which is built on the property near Kevin and Ashley’s house. They have their toys, a refrigerator full of cold drinks and a cupboard full of favorite cookies. Their favorite toy, however, is their Paw Paw (Gary). They also like to help their Maw Maw (Barbara) sort eggs in the hen house. The extended family functions as a single unit when it comes to farming. Everyone pitches in when it’s time to clean the chicken houses once a year between flocks. Barbara tells a story about Anna coming up from
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May / June 2012
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Auburn with Drew, when they we just dating, to help. one month’s time, Barbara says that Anna was a little overwhelmed at first, they will remove all of the slats and but pitched right in. Today, Gary and Kevin row crop together, farming nest boxes, reapproximately 500 acres, growing corn and soybeans. move all of the They also grow hay to feed the combined family herd litter, clean everyof 330 beef cattle. Cliffton and Drew work together with thing and then put the cattle, but everyone gets together to harvest the hay. it all back in Gary says that their success in the poultry business place. In early Nois attributable to keeping the eggs gathered and off the belts. Barbara has three employees that regularly help vember they will her gather the eggs. The breed of hens that they are cur- receive 9,000 20- Gary’s mother, Elna, joined them at the rently using does 90 percent of their laying before noon, week-old hens and “Evening of Fun” in Birmingham so from 7:30 in the morning until lunch time, it stays 1,000 males per house, and the process begins again. Gary and Barbara are very active in their church, busy in the breeder houses. During the four week peak laying period of the hens 46-week laying life span, they Liberty Hill Baptist. Gary is a deacon and teaches Suncan expect to collect 7,500 eggs per house per day. After day School. Barbara used to teach Sunday School, but now, with the demands of the breeder houses and egg that peak, they see a decrease of 1 percent a week. A high hatchability rate is also very important. Dur- gathering, she attends church on Sunday and Wednesing the peak period, they averaged a hatchability rate of day evenings. They are active in Brotherhood and WMU 92 percent, and even now with their birds past 50 weeks where they see to the needs of the sick and shut-ins in their community. Gary is a volunteer firefighter and they old, the hatchability rate is a remarkable 89 percent. Knowing the idiosyncracies of the particular breed are active in AP&EA. The Alabama poultry industry is proud to honor is also beneficial. Barbara has learned with this flock that she can only enter the house once a day to check Gary and Barbara Wright as our 2012 Alabama Poultry for ground eggs. She is careful not to vary her routine Farm Family of the Year. from one day to the next because of the excitability of the hens. She also has to keep a watchful eye on the Congratulations! roosters, especially as they get older and more aggressive toward the hens and anyone “I’ve never taken time for much, but working inside the houses. Toward the end of September, when those grandkids are around, I they will sell this flock and begin quit what I’m doing. Grandkids are preparation for the next flock. In special.” Gary Wright
“We consider being able to live and work on the farm a blessing. The poultry business has been very good to our family.” Barbara Wright
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Member News
Galen Grace Named Development Officer for Alabama 4-H Galen Grace has joined Alabama 4-H and its fundraising arm, the Alabama 4-H Club Foundation, Inc., as development officer responsible for raising donations for the state’s largest youth development organization. “It is a privilege to be working on behalf of the youth, volunteer leaders and staff of 4-H,” said Grace. “I know first-hand the impact 4-H made in my life, and the lives of my family members, and I am honored to do the same with today’s 4-H’ers.” Grace’s 4-H roots are strong. Both he and his brothers were active 4-H’ers in Walker County, and he has been a longtime volunteer and advocate for 4-H. Lamar Nichols, assistant director for 4-H and Youth Development with ACES is excited about working with Grace. “His knowledge of Extension, Alabama 4-H and the agricultural industry is very important as we work toward our vision for increased funding for Alabama 4-H & Youth Development in partnership with the Alabama
4-H Club Foundation, Inc. A 1973 Auburn graduate, Grace has had a diverse professional career in the agricultural industry. He is active in numerous professional organizations. Grace has Galen Grace (right) oversees also volunteered in sev- a young contestant in the annual 4-H Chickeque Contest eral capacities with agricultural committees with those organizations. He has been honored by numerous organizations, including the Presidential Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association, the Dean’s Workhorse Award from the AU College of Agriculture and the Honorary State Farmer from the Alabama Future Farmers of America.
AgDiscovery Adventure Set for Sept. 29 at E.V. Smith Center Given the reality that less than 2 percent of America’s population now farms for a living and that less than 18 percent lives in rural areas, it is no wonder that so few people can connect with agriculture or understand how crucial it is to their quality of life and to our state’s economic and physical well-being. Alabamians will have the opportunity to renew that connection this fall during the first-ever Ag Discovery Adventure: A Window to the Future. Co-sponsored by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and Auburn University’s College of Agriculture, Ag Discovery Adventure will offer adults and children a host of entertaining and enlightening hands-on activities and presentations that will showcase agricultural technology and illustrate the key role agriculture plays in every aspect of our lives past, present and, most important, future. The day of discovery will be hosted by the AAES’s 3,816-acre E.V. Smith Research Center, located on Interstate 85 between Montgomery and Auburn. The full lineup for Ag Discovery Adventure is still a work in progress, but already on tap are hay rides, high-tech treasure hunts, a corn maze, modern tech-
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nology to enhance agriculture production, worm beds and a milking demonstration, all designed to introduce folks of all ages and walks of lifeto the wide world of agriculture, from crop and animal production and bioenergy to home gardening and sustainability. The vision for Ag Discovery Adventure is that it becomes an annual event that expands in future years to cover all facets of agriculture production within the US, but to realize that goal, we need your support. Please join us as an exhibitor at or a sponsor for this inaugu ral effort. Together, we can enhance Alabamians’ understanding of and appreciation for agriculture and its bounty. To learn more, go to www.AgDiscoveryAdventure.com or contact: 334-844-5887 or agcomm@auburn.edu.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Practical Applications
Converting from Propane to Natural Gas: Be Informed!
By Dennis Brothers, Jess Campbell, Gene Simpson, and Jim Donald National Poultry Technology Center, Auburn University When a grower makes the decision to convert a farm over from LP to NG all of the heating equipment in the houses must be converted by either modifying or replacing the orifices in the equipment. The regulators must also be replaced to make the plumbing system compatible with the new gas system. Every existing farm plumbing system must be inspected and sized by a qualified gas professional to make sure that the existing gas system can be converted or modified for use with natural gas.
Poultry growers across the United States are looking for every possible way to reduce energy costs. The first strategy in reducing fuel costs is to make sure you are purchasing poultry house heating fuel at the lowest possible prices. At present, a very high percentage of poultry houses in the United States are heated by propane (liquefied petroleum gas, or LP). However, the number of locations in the United States. where natural gas (NG) is available is growing. Sometimes, the grower is required to pay a fee to bring the natural gas lines to the farm. In most of these locations where there is an opportunity to convert a poultry house from propane to natural gas, it has been economically advantageous to do so given current price relationships between propane and natural gas. Growers must make sure when they are considering this decision to take into account all the costs associated with using each heating fuel. Converting from propane to natural gas requires changing the burner orifices, associated plumbing and other equipment on the farm so that brooders and heaters will operate efficiently with natural gas. The conversion from propane to natural gas is not difficult but it must be well thought-out and done with the help of a qualified natural gas technician. In this article we will explain the most important details involved in converting from propane to natural gas, discuss some of the common pitfalls and problems associated with a conversion, and then look at the economics and the possible payback based on comparative prices of propane and natural gas.
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The Facts about Propane and Natural Gas Natural gas is a mixture of lighter-than-air flammable gases, including methane, butane, ethane and pentane. Propane, on the other hand, is collected during the processing of oil and natural gas and is heavier than air. Both are explosive risks if allowed to concentrate; fortunately, both readily disperse when released into the environment. Both are colorless, odorless gases when released into the open environment. Both have additives that give them the familiar “rotten egg” odor for the safety purpose of detection. Natural gas is piped directly into a poultry house in the form of gas, while propane arrives at the farm in a tank truck and is pumped as a liquid into 500 or 1000 gallon holding tanks. The liquid propane evaporates from the wetted surface area in the top of the tank and is then piped into the poultry house in the form of gas. Generally, natural gas is sold by the therm, but in some areas is sold by the thousand cubic feet (MCF). A therm is the quantity of gas necessary to produce 100,000 BTUs of heat. A therm is approximately 100 cubic feet. Propane is sold by the gallon. One gallon of propane produces 91,660 BTUs of heat. Some people will tell you that natural gas does not burn as hot as propane. This is not true. The flame temperatures of natural gas and propane are almost identical at approximately 3,560°F. The reason this idea persists is that often people are not delivering the correct volume of natural gas to the appliance – brooder or furnace. It
Alabama Poultry Magazine
takes approximately 2.5 times the volume of natural gas to produce the same amount of heat as it does propane. Burning one cubic foot of natural gas produces approximately 1,012 BTUs of heat while burning one cubic foot of propane produces 2,520 BTUs of heat. The difference in heat content per cubic foot does not mean that natural gas is less desirable as a heating fuel. Fairly simple equipment adjustments enable natural gas to produce the same amount of heat as propane. It is important here to remember that the two fuels are not sold on the same per cubic foot basis. Only by analyzing the true cost per comparable unit, can a proper business decision be made. The heat generated by both LP and NG is known for being much cleaner than that produced by oil or gasoline. NG and LP are both completely combusted in the appliance, producing mainly carbon dioxide and water as exhaust products. NG, like LP, is a good clean fuel that will not negatively impact the health or performance of the flock as long as the house is properly managed. Facts about Conversion from Propane to Natural Gas: Equipment and Operation
3. Determine total amount of heat load in the house/s. This needs to take in consideration possible future additions or upgrades in heating equipment. 4. Determine the pipe sizes needed for the installation according to the above criteria. a. Refer to NFPA 54 – National Fuel gas Code Handbook for proper pipe size guidelines. b. Compare to existing pipe sizes if converting and resize to larger as needed. c. Only properly sized piping will allow for all heating equipment to function according to manufacturer’s specifications. 5. Regulators will almost always need to be changed. NG regulators have larger orifices and different internal mechanisms to account for the lower pressure and different flow characteristics typical of NG. 6. Finally, the heating equipment itself must be converted. This includes: a. Burner orifices. b. Pilot orifices if applicable. c. Gas control valves. d. Data plates – to insure future safety for future maintenance.
There are a number of things that need to be considered when changing from LP to NG. The priorities are: • Total BTU Load in the House • Incoming Gas Pressure • Gas Line Sizing past the Meter • In-line Regulators • Actual Conversion of the Heater All must work hand in hand for proper heater operation. Since it takes 2.5 times the volume of natural gas to get the same heat value as propane, all areas of the piping and supply pressures must be reviewed and if necessary re-sized to allow the appliances to work at full potential. The size of piping not only depends on pressure but also the distance it must cover. To insure the right decisions are made, a general conversion checklist is recommended. Growers need to be aware and make sure a similar checklist is covered by the installer or the gas company. The following points should be on the checklist: 1. Determine the gas pressure supplied from the gas meter. This effects main gas supply pipe size and pipe size inside the house. 2. Make a sketch of the plumbing layout to help determine the length of the plumbing and to aid in pressure loss calculations
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It is highly recommended for growers to contact the manufacturer of the heating equipment in their houses before taking on a LP to NG conversion. Most companies that manufacture poultry heating equipment have very detailed and specific guidelines for converting their appliances from one fuel type to another. Often it is best to purchase conversion kits specific to the heating equipment. These can be obtained either directly through the heating equipment manufacturer or their distributer. The cost of conversion kits, additional plumbing upgrades as well as labor for doing the conversion must be added into the final cost of conversion. Be wary when a NG company offers to hook up a poultry farm and says “all there is to be done is drill out the burner orifices.” While occasionally this may be all that needs to be done, more often than not, it is more complicated than that. When situations where growers have been unhappy with their conversion are examined, it is often found that someone did not follow a step-by-step process like the one listed above. Usually the problem lies in a plumbing deficiency somewhere in the system. Changing from propane to natural gas should only be done under the guidance of an experienced natural gas technician. The salesperson trying to convince a grower to convert to NG is often not the best source for this
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guidance. Questions regarding the suitability of appliances for use on natural gas rather than propane should be answered by the manufacturer. While this may seem complicated, changing fuel types is a very straightforward task if done with reasonable care. It should also be noted that if a grower is building a new poultry house, initial plumbing cost for NG will be virtually the same as for LP with only marginal differences in pipe size. It may indeed be a good idea to plumb with NG sized pipe even when currently unavailable; if there is a reasonable chance NG could become available in the future. “Oversized” pipe with LP is not considered a problem. Facts about the Economics of Choosing Between Natural Gas and Propane In broiler belt states like Alabama, where the price of natural gas is regulated by a state agency or elected municipal district boards, natural gas rates are less likely to experience the major price swings we typically see with propane. This may result in decreased fuel price risk facing growers. Natural gas is sold by the therm, which will produce approximately 100,000 BTUs of heat, or in some areas by the MCF (one thousand cubic feet). An MCF is approximately equal to ten therms. Propane is sold by the gallon, which will produce 91,660 BTUs of heat. The difference in heat content means that to compare the true costs of heating (cost/BTU basis) of natural gas vs propane: Cost of one gallon of propane = Cost of one therm of natural gas divided by 1.09 (or of one MCF ÷ 10.9) Cost of one therm of natural gas = Cost of one gallon of propane multiplied by 1.09 Cost of one MCF of natural gas = Cost of one gallon of propane multiplied by 10.9 Examples: Natural gas at $1.60/therm or $16.00/MCF would have the same value as propane at $1.47/gallon (1.60 ÷ 1.09 = 1.47; 16 ÷ 10.9 = 1.47). Propane at $2/gallon would be equivalent to natural gas at $2.18/therm (2 x 1.09 = 2.18) or $21.80/MCF (2 x 10.9 = 21.80).
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Tables 1 and 2 illustrate the true heating cost comparisons of natural gas vs propane at various price levels, starting with either the propane cost or the natural gas cost. Where natural gas pipelines are not close enough to a farm to allow no-charge connection, the grower may be able to pay a fee for extension of the pipeline to get connected. Even when such fees seem very high, the long-term cost savings of natural gas may make the natural gas connection economically justified. Close study of both Table 1 and 2 indicate that converting to natural gas could yield substantial savings. The Bottom Line All costs of making the required equipment modifications or replacements must be figured into a decision to convert to natural gas. There can be “hidden costs� with either of these fuel choices and growers should be aware of them when making their decision. For instance: Some NG companies may charge a flexible rate varying seasonally or they may charge a minimum amount regardless of usage. In addition, growers should
be aware that natural gas bills may include additional service charges, which can change from location to location but may add 5 percent or more to the bill. With LP, growers may be charged a tank fee annually. There is also the need to be constantly aware of LP fuel levels in the tanks so one can re-order in a timely manner. Oftentimes, when the LP companies are most busy and slow to deliver is when the grower is in the worst need of fast LP delivery. Conversely, NG is always there and available but a grower no longer has the ability to shop for a lower price for their heating fuel. All these must be taken into consideration but they are typically not the overriding concerns. Generally speaking, if NG is available, given current and projected price relationships between LP & NG, converting to natural gas offers an excellent opportunity to decrease annual energy costs for heating and brooding. The conversion to natural gas is likely to pay off in the longer term even if the grower has to pay a steep fee for connection. Growers also need to be aware of the pitfalls of a poor conversion and take steps to insure that they do the job right the first time.
Table 1 Price of NG per MCF
Price of NG per therm
$10.00
Table 2 Convert to NG if less than $/1,000 cuft
Price Paid for LP
$1.00
Stay with LP if you are paying less than $/gal $0.92
$11.00
$1.10
$1.00
$2.30
$2.50
$25.00
$12.00
$1.20
$1.10
$2.20
$2.40
$24.00
$13.00
$1.30
$1.19
$2.10
$2.29
$22.90
$14.00
$1.40
$1.28
$2.00
$2.18
$21.80
$15.00
$1.50
$1.38
$1.90
$2.07
$20.70
$16.00
$1.60
$1.47
$1.80
$1.96
$19.60
$1.70
$1.56
$1.70
$1.85
$18.50
$18.00
$1.80
$1.65
$1.60
$1.74
$17.40
$19.00
$1.90
$1.74
$1.50
$1.64
$16.40
$17.00
Convert to NG if less than $/therm
$2.40
$2.62
$26.20
Note: Price points in tables are based on the cost/BTU equivalence formulas for LP and NG explained on page 30, and do not take into consideration possible costs of conversion, which are typically minor factors in the long run but which should also be included in the decision process.
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Conversion from propane to natural gas is typically advantageous in areas where natural gas lines are located close enough to the farm. The conversion process involves changes or modification of equipment, such as trading propane tanks (above left) for natural gas meters (above right).
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Allied Fund-Raising Golf Tournament October 4 – Chesley Oaks – Cullman 2012 Grower Educational Seminars Tuesday, October 9
11:30 a.m. Cullman Civic Center – Cullman 6:oo p.m. Snead State Cafeteria – Boaz Thursday, October 11 11:30 a.m. Tom Harbin Ag Center – Luverne 6:oo p.m. Coffee County Farm Center – New Brockton Alabama Poultry Industry Workshop Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center November 13 -14 COUNTY ASSOCIATION MEETINGS Central Alabama Poultry & Egg Association Thursday, July 26, 2012, 6:30 p.m. Beeland Park, Greenville Marshall County Poultry & Egg Assn. Annual Meeting Friday, August 3, 2012, 6 p.m. Civitan Park, Guntersville Southeast Alabama Poultry & Egg Association Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 11:00 a.m. Craig Waller Farm, Clayton Randolph, Clay, Calhoun, Cleburne, Etowah & Talladega Counties Tuesday, August 14, 2012 6:30 p.m. Bobcat of Oxford, Oxford
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ADVERTISING INDEX Alabama Ag / Alabama Farm Credit American Proteins Aviagen Bobcat of Oxford Daughtry Ins. Agency Ecodrum Farm and Ranch Hardware First South Farm Credit Goldin Metals Hayes Rasbury Ins. Agency Jones-Hamilton PLT Lee Energy Solutions Northwest Envirofan Randy Jones Ins. Agency Thompson Tractor
Alabama Poultry Magazine
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