The U.S. Poultry & Egg Assn. (USPOULTRY) and the USPOULTRY Foundation have approved approximately $400,000 for seven new research grants at six institutions through the comprehensive research program.

The research funding was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations, based on recommendations from the Foundation Research Advisory Committee. The committee evaluates research proposals to determine their value to the industry and then makes recommendations to the boards for funding.

USPOULTRY’s comprehensive research program dates back to the early 1960s when funds were first approved for poultry disease research. It gradually grew into an all-inclusive program incorporating all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. Since the inception of the research program, USPOULTRY has reinvested more than $32 million into the industry in the form of research grants. More than 50 universities and federal and state facilities have received grants over the years.

“Research is an important aspect of USPOULTRY's and the Foundation’s service to the poultry industry. The Foundation Research Advisory Committee is the heart of the research program with committee members volunteering numerous hours reviewing and evaluating research proposals before making recommendations for funding. We sincerely appreciate and value their excellent work,” said USPOULTRY chairman Greg Hinton with Rose Acre Farms.

The research grants for each institution include:

1. "The Use of Accelerometers & Artificial Intelligence to Predict Presence of Woody Breast in Live Broilers throughout Growout & in Broiler Fillets" at the University of Arkansas;

2. "Automated Tracking of Laying Hens in Cage-Free Aviary Environment Using Affordable Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Chips" at North Carolina State University;

3. "Pathogenicity & Genetic Profile of Turkey Hepatitis Reovirus (THRV)" at the University of Minnesota;

4. "Comparative Genomics & In Vitro Screening Approach for the Identification of Vaccine Candidates for Food-Borne Pathogen Campylobacter Jejuni" at Mississippi State University;

5. "Effectiveness of Various Compounds in the Sanitation of Shell Egg Processing Equipment & Facility Surfaces" at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service;

6. "Using Electrostatic Precipitator to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Cage-Free Layer Houses" at North Carolina State University, and

7. "Poultry-Safe & Environment-Acceptable Pest-Repellent Paint" at the University of Kansas.

USPOULTRY is the all-feather association progressively serving its poultry and egg members through research, education, communications and technical services. USPOULTRY was founded in 1947 and is based in Tucker, Ga.