Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture tours Aviagen hatchery

Oklahoma Secretary/Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Reese toured Aviagen’s Sallisaw, OK, hatchery on Oct. 8. Reese along with Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture members and 10 of the state’s directors of agricultural departments recently visited various agricultural facilities throughout eastern Oklahoma.
The Aviagen Sallisaw site was chosen as part of this tour because of its current $9.5 million expansion, which benefits the area’s economic growth. It also helps strengthen the state’s leadership role as one of the nation’s top poultry producers.
“Poultry is Oklahoma’s second largest agricultural industry, and Aviagen is the state’s largest primary breeder hatchery. Aviagen’s Sallisaw expansion will substantially contribute to the state’s ability to provide breeding stock, and ultimately, an affordable source of protein to customers around the world,” said Jason Mack, vice president of operations for Aviagen North America. “These issues are vital to the state’s agriculture and extension programs, as well as to Aviagen’s longstanding presence in and collaboration with the state.”
The expansion, slated for completion on Oct. 12, will promote Aviagen’s Sallisaw hatchery to the largest in its U.S. fleet, increasing the facility’s performance by 50 percent and its workforce by 20 percent.