USPOULTRY accepting research pre-proposals investigating the influence of transportation conditions on poultry

The USPOULTRY Board Research Initiative is requesting pre-proposals regarding research investigating the influence of transportation conditions on poultry. The objective of the research is to address two main issues, measuring the thermal well-being for poultry during transport and addressing how the conditions of transport affect these objective measures of thermal well-being.
The USPOULTRY Board Research Initiative was created by the Boards of USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation to address current issues facing the poultry industry. The USPOULTRY Board Research Initiative operates alongside the current USPOULTRY research program and augments the great success of the existing program by focusing additional resources toward defined areas of research.
For more information, visit USPOULTRY's website.

US poultry groups challenge trucking hours of service rule

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council, and National Turkey Federation have joined a coalition of industry groups in challenging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours of Service Final Rules for commercial truck drivers. The groups are arguing that portions of the rule will slow productivity, hurt jobs and have a negative impact on agriculture, manufacturers, retail supply chains and distribution operations.
In filing a joint amici curiae brief, the poultry industry is in agreement with the American Trucking Association's legal challenge. The group supports the view that the specific rest periods of the "34-hour restart" and the exclusion of all "on-duty non-driving work" during specified breaks should be held unlawful on the grounds that the changes are arbitrary and capricious.
The brief argues that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration failed to consider any costs on shippers, receivers or transportation intermediaries when evaluating changes to the rule. The coalition group also opposes a challenge lodged by Public Citizen and says it defends the administration's decision to maintain the 14-hour driving window and the 11-hour daily driving provision.
Groups participating in the amici filing include: American Bakers Association, Food Marketing Institute, Intermodal Association of North America, International Food Distributors Association, NASSTRAC, National Association of Manufacturers, National Chicken Council, National Grocers Association, National Private Truck Council, National Retail Federation, National Turkey Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Snack Food Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

US Poultry Handling and Transportation Quality Assurance Program to launch in spring

The Poultry Handling and Transportation Quality Assurance Program, a new program at The Pennsylvania State University, will be the first in the U.S. to provide third-party training, proficiency testing and certification on the correct techniques for handling and transporting poultry, according to The Poultry Science Association.
Scheduled to launch in late spring, the PHTQA will offer multiple one-day training sessions to transportation and catch crews on biosecurity, disease recognition, emergency planning and the safe and humane handling of birds. With the exception of ducks, the PHTQA will cover every segment of the poultry industry, including day-old poultry, pullets, spent fowl, broilers, leghorn and broiler breeders and turkeys.
PHTQA training will initially focus on companies in the Northeast, though depending on interest it may eventually serve as the foundation for a national program, said Dr. Eva Wallner-Pendleton, PHTQA’s senior editor and project coordinator and an avian pathologist and field investigator at Penn State’s Animal Diagnostic Laboratory. “While we have yet to conduct our first training session, we have already received a tremendous response – including international inquiries – from the program website," said Wallner-Pendleton. "There’s increasing pressure from the general public and others, both here and abroad, to ensure that animals are being handled humanely. While many companies have excellent in-house training on animal welfare and poultry quality assurance, this pressure has generated the need – and the desire among many poultry companies – for third-party certification. This program is designed to meet that demand."
Training sessions will be conducted by members of the PHTQA development team and will take place at the individual companies where bird handlers and transporters are located. At a later point, plans are to hold “train the trainer” sessions so that more individuals are qualified to conduct training.

North Carolina waives vehicle regulation to aid poultry sector

Maximum hours of service on motor carriers have been waived in parts of North Carolina so that feed and supply deliveries to poultry farmers are uninterrupted, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times.
“These feed shipments are essential to keep these animals alive during this extended cold snap and to protect our agriculture jobs,” said Gov. Bev Perdue, who signed an executive order suspending the regulation.
The executive order applies to Alexander, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties. Drivers of exempt vehicles must carry documentation that shows their deliveries are for relief efforts. The executive order is in effect for 30 days or until the cold and snow emergency ends, the newspaper reported.