The University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture and Adisseo, a France-based animal nutrition company, have established a collaborative partnership to advance agricultural poultry nutrition research, the system announced Nov. 7.

A memorandum of understanding, signed Oct. 18 by Mark Cochran, vice president-agriculture for the Division of Agriculture, and Stefan Jakob, director of research and development in nutrition and animal health at Adisseo, establishes an endowed professorship in the division’s department of poultry science, Cochran said.

Jakob said the endowed professorship will provide leadership in poultry nutrition and promote further development of sustainable poultry nutrition strategies. “It will simplify the exchange between academic research and industry application,” he said.

“The University of Arkansas is pleased to be establishing a close collaboration with Adisseo,” Cochran said. “We are convinced that this partnership will be highly beneficial for academic research and its translation into industry application.”

Mike Kidd, head of the poultry science department, added that “numerous faculty have expressed a desire to strengthen research synergies at both the fundamental and industry application levels.”

Once the endowed professorship position is filled, ongoing research at both institutions will be developed together and strengthened with broader projects, Jakob said.

Adisseo is a leading global feed additive firm. The group relies on its 11 research centers and its production sites based in Europe, the U.S. and China to design, produce and market nutritional solutions for sustainable animal feed. Adisseo is one of the main subsidiaries of China National BlueStar.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land-grant educational system.