Egg Farmers of Canada commits $500,000 to AI research

Egg Farmers of Canada has committed $500,000 for avian influenza research to be awarded to and administered by the Egg Industry Center at Iowa State University. 
Egg Farmers of Canada is the national not-for-profit organization that represents Canada’s more than 1,000 egg farms. Given the significant impact that highly pathogenic avian influenza is having on the entire North American industry, the organization contacted the Egg Industry Center after the center published a call for pre-proposals to fund research needed to answer questions surrounding the ongoing outbreak. The destructive disease has impacted millions of egg-laying hens. It has been found in 15 states and has affected parts of Canada in the past and two Canadian provinces in the last six months.
“We are pleased to partner with the Egg Industry Center to tackle this North American challenge head on,” said Tim Lambert, chief executive officer of Egg Farmers of Canada. “We are confident that the world-class research emerging from the EIC, under the leadership of Dr. Hongwei Xin, will provide practical solutions for producers and ensure a safe and secure way forward for the entire industry.”
“We are extremely grateful to Egg Farmers of Canada for not only recognizing the need for this research, but making the much-needed financial commitment to help make it happen,” said Hongwei Xin, director of the Egg Industry Center and a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State. “Financial support like this greatly enhances our ability to fund additional worthy projects.” 
Researchers from across the U.S. submitted 19 different projects for funding consideration. The Egg Industry Center’s research grant program is structured to focus on the top concerns of the U.S. egg industry.