Poultry industry explores operational approaches to sustainability

The Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit focused on communication and the importance of working together to strengthen the industry.  

Sustainability is much broader than environmental issues, according to a panel discussion at the fourth annual Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit held on January 24 at the 2012 International Poultry Expo.

True sustainability, according to the panel, addresses the many areas where an effective sustainability program can impact the “triple bottom line” — people, the planet and profit. In addition to operational approaches, each panel member stressed the importance of communication and working together towards sustainability to strengthen the industry going forward. “Agriculture is a key element of protecting our water resources across the country,” said Nancy Stoner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “We (the EPA and the poultry industry) really are interdependent, whether we want to be or not. We need each other.”  

Panelists also included Jim Perdue of Perdue Farms, Mike Helgeson with GNP Company, Suzy Friedman with the Environmental Defense Fund and Dr. Brian Kiepper with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.