Hillandale Farms expansion project denied by board

Plans for a proposed Hillandale Farms layer facility and feed mill have been denied by The Codorus Township Board of Supervisors in York County, Pennsylvania.
Plans for the Hillandale Farms expansion projects, proposed by the company and farm manager James Bailey, were initially proposed in April. Around that same time, a group known as Friends of York County Family Farmers formed with the intent of stopping the expansion.
According to a report from the Evening Sun, more than 150 township residents attending the board meeting, prompting the board to relocate the meeting from the municipal offices to a larger room. The board then approved three ordinances related to agriculture and zoning, one of which specifically aimed to place public health regulations on large farming operations like Bailey’s.
In addition to the plans for the new layer facility and feed mill, Bailey later in July had submitted a proposal to have a new barn build, also in Codorus Township. That barn, according to the submitted plans, would have been capable of holding 60,500 chickens.
Hillandale Farms, according to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database, is the seventh largest egg producer in the United States, housing an estimated 9 million laying hens. The company has production facilities in the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast and supplies retailers and distributors throughout the eastern half of the United States.

6 tips to keep your poultry flock healthy

A healthy flock is a happy flock. Healthy birds are better able to produce quality eggs, raise a clutch of chicks or roam our backyards. With disease pressures ever present, how can we prevent illness from entering our flocks?
Gordon Ballam, Ph.D.,a poultry nutritionist for Purina Animal Nutrition, encourages flock owners to create a simple disease prevention plan. Ballam divides prevention into two core topics: quality nutrition and sound management.
“The most important aspect of bird health is a partnership of good nutrition and flock management,” he says. “For optimal health and production of your birds, you can’t have one without the other.”
Quality nutrition
Nutrition is just as important to flock health as it is to human health.
“Think of yourself or your kids,” Ballam says. “Nutrition helps keep you both healthy. If we become tired, rundown or don’t eat, we’re more susceptible to catching an illness. It’s the same for chickens. Birds that are not eating a quality diet have higher susceptibility to illness.”
Because nutrition is the basis for health, be sure to feed birds a complete feed from a reputable company. The feed should include essential vitamins, antioxidants and minerals as well as prebiotics and probiotics to support digestive health and support a healthy immune system.
“Be sure to not feed more than a combined total of 10 percent scratch grains, treats and table scraps,” Ballam advises. “If these treats are given in excess, they dilute the critical nutrients of the complete feed.”
Sound management
Management is the second component of a healthy flock.
“Minimizing the transfer of disease through carriers will go a long way to reduce the potential risk of the flock catching a disease or parasite,” Ballam says.
Following are general guidelines for maintaining a sanitary flock and coop from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):[1]
1. Keep your distance.


• Restrict access to your property and your birds. If visitors have birds of their own, do not let them near your birds.
• Your birds should not have contact with wild birds and migratory waterfowl because they can carry germs and diseases. As an example, make sure there is a roof over your runs.
2. Keep it clean.


• Wash your hands thoroughly before and after working with your birds.
• Wear clean clothes and scrub your shoes with disinfectant before tending your birds.
• Clean and disinfect equipment, including cages and tools that come in contact with your birds or their droppings. Remove manure before disinfecting equipment. 
• Properly dispose of dead birds.
3. Don’t haul disease home.


• Buy birds from reputable sources.
• Quarantine new birds - and birds that have been removed from the flock and are being returned to the flock - for at least 30 days. The quarantine area needs to be in a separate building and as far away from your coop as possible. Nothing from the quarantined area should come in contact with your coop and the rest of the flock.
• If your birds have been to a fair or exhibition, keep them separated from your flock for 30 days after the event and follow the quarantine recommendations mentioned.


4. Don’t borrow disease from your neighbors.


• Do not share garden equipment or poultry supplies with your neighbors or other bird owners.
• If you do bring these items home, clean and disinfect them before they reach your property.
5. Know the warning signs.


• Early detection can help prevent the spread of disease. Symptoms of illness may include: decreased feed consumption, huddling, depression, closed eyes, respiratory signs (such as coughing and sneezing), watery greenish diarrhea, excessive thirst or swollen wattles and combs.[2]
6. Report sick birds. Don’t wait.


• If your birds are sick or dying, call your local cooperative extension office, veterinarian, the State Veterinarian or State animal/poultry diagnostic laboratory or the USDA toll free at 1-866-536-7593. The USDA will put you in touch with a local contact that can help you.
“These management tips can help you maintain a sanitary coop and help keep your flock in good health,” says Ballam. “At all times, it’s a combination of quality nutrition and sound management that can help maintain a happy, healthy flock.”
For additional information on bird biosecurity, visit http://1.usa.gov/1v6iEnc.
[1] “Biosecurity for Poultry – Keeping your Poultry Healthy.” United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[2] “Animal diseases.” Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Poultry expert stresses alternative problem solving

Keynote speaker at Midwest Poultry Federation Convention says industry can better solve problems if they look at things in a new way

Release Date: 2015-03-19

By Ann Reus



Poultry farmers should take a different approach to problem solving, Dr. Temple Grandin told attendees at the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention. 

The way for poultry farmers to solve problems in their industry is to take a different approach to problem solving, according to Dr. Temple Grandin, who was the keynote speaker at the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention Fellowship Breakfast on March 19.

Grandin, an animal science professor at Colorado State University and a consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior, also lives with autism and is an activist in the autism community who has written several best-selling books. She is a designer of livestock-handling equipment, and she has designed the facilities in which half the cattle in the U.S. are handled.

In her speech, Grandin touched on many topics, including autism, how to help special-needs children recognize their interests and sharpen their skills in the real world, animal behavior and animal welfare, and alternative approaches to problem solving.

Grandin told the audience at the Fellowship Breakfast that she sees the world in pictures, different than the way most people look at the world. She stressed that it is essential to have people who look at things differently working together to solve problems.

“Understanding how people think differently can really help us work together,” Grandin said. She said that putting different minds together can bring conflict, but ultimately will help come to better resolutions.




Animal auditing system made the ‘most positive’ change

When asked what she was most proud of in her career, she said that, contrary to what many might expect, it’s not her equipment designs, but her meat-packing plant auditing system.

“When I first started out, I thought I could fix everything with equipment, but I learned that’s not always the case,” Grandin said. “We have to have certain outcomes.”

She said the problem she ran into with her equipment often was the people using it. She said the management needed to be trained and the right people involved in the process.

“There are some people who shouldn’t be working with animals,” she said. But, “there’s about 20 percent of people that, when you train them, they’re fabulous stock people.”

Her auditing system is “the thing that made the most positive, good change,” she said.




Poultry, livestock industries need to be more transparent

Grandin also stressed the importance of the animal agriculture industry to be open with the public about what it does. She said “ag-gag” laws hinder the industry and companies should strive to be more transparent about what they do.

“If you get trashed, open the door,” she said. “You have to look at everything you do. How is it going to play on the Internet?”

Maryland governor-elect vows to scrap phosphorous runoff rules

Larry Hogan, governor-elect of Maryland, promised poultry farmers that his "first fight" as governor will be to scrap rules aimed at curbing the amount of phosphorous from chicken manure running into the Chesapeake Bay. Hogan, a Republican, will take office in January.
"We won't allow [the rules] to put you out of business, destroy your way of life, or decimate your entire industry," Hogan told the Maryland Farm Bureau (MFB) convention.
The rules Hogan spoke of were announced in November under the administration of Gov. Martin O’Malley and Maryland Agriculture Secretary Earl F. Hance. The rules, known as the Phosphorous Management Tool (PMT) seek to curtail farmers’ use of poultry manure as fertilizer, which was said to be a source of phosphorous that gets into the Chesapeake Bay, according to a column in the Baltimore Sun.
MFB in November had written to Hance to voice its opposition to the PMT.
“If implemented, the PMT restrictions will dramatically limit the use of locally produced organic fertilizer to much of the land on the lower Eastern Shore and in many other areas of the state. This limitation will have far reaching negative economic impacts on individual poultry growers, dairymen, grain operators, support businesses and local communities,” MFB President Patricia Langenfelder wrote.
“Our members strongly believe that it makes no sense to impose this burden on farmers when at 130 percent we are the only sector to reach our bay cleanup goals in the most recent analysis and are, in fact, doing more than our fair share.”

Learn to make poultry operation ‘YouTube-proof’ at IPPE

The Market Intelligence Forum is returning to the 2015 International Production& Processing Expo (IPPE). Sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association (NFPDA), the program will address the need to “YouTube-proof” operations by adopting a food-centered, rather than production-centered, paradigm.
The program will also provide insights on how domestic and global economies and consumer demands impact the poultry and egg industries, identify challenges facing the industry and discuss how the domestic and international poultry industries are positioned to move forward in 2015.The Market Intelligence Forum is free to all IPPE attendees and NPFDA meeting attendees.
“The Market Intelligence Forum is a popular program on the Expo schedule, and we are pleased to include it again in the 2015 education line-up. It is important to stay informed on current conditions and projections for the future affecting the poultry and egg industry. This program helps keep industry leaders up-to-date on the many factors that influence financial performance,” said USPOULTRY Chairman Elton Maddox, Wayne Farms, Oakwood, Georgia.
The program will feature an agriculture communication and media specialist, a leading economist and an industry performance analyst. Andy Vance, Penton Farm Progress Livestock Group, will review Messaging and Consumers: Understanding the Problem. Dr. Paul Aho, Poultry Perspective, will discuss Domestic and Global Drivers for 2014. Mike Donohue, Agri Stats, will provide insight into Performance Trends for the Poultry & Egg Industry.
The 2015 IPPE, the world's largest annual poultry, feed and meat industry trade show, will be held from January 27 – 29, 2015, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The Market Intelligence Forum is scheduled from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2015.

Venezuelan government giving credits to some poultry companies

To address the food shortage in Venezuela, representatives of its government have met with business and trade union leaders to find solutions to "ensure the food security of the population," according to the Caracas daily, El Periodiquito .
One of the measures resulting from these meetings has to do with the delivery of soft loans to some producers, such as poultry company H&H Agropecuaria SA. Its legal representative, Fabricio de La Pola, said it received from the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a credit for VEF350 million (US$55.8 million) "to continue the process of expanding production farms and the construction of infrastructure."
The firm benefited with this loan produces 5.5 million chickens per year and 25 tons of manure that can be used as fertilizer of more than 20 thousand cultivated hectares. For his part, Vice President of Finance Rodolfo Marco Torres called together agribusiness associations, including the National Federation of Poultry Producers (Fenavi), National Association of Egg Producers (Asoprohuevos) and the Institute for Research and Promotion of Consumption of eggs (Inprohuevos).
The purpose of this meeting was to "promote the development of a diversified, advanced, harmonious, and autonomous economy, able to meet the needs of the country." These actions contrast with the complaint made by the president of the Association of Poultry Farmers of Tachira State, Rafael Moreno, who asked the central government to help them finance the debt of US$900 million that the 122 member companies have with poultry feed importers.
"We have a reserve of raw materials up to late September and our monthly expenses total US$300 million. Along with the accumulated debt, an unsustainable situation has been generated, by not allowing honor payment commitments with international suppliers," said Moreno.
Poultry farms of Táchira produce 6 million kilograms of chicken meat monthly and 1,200 cases of eggs daily. All chicken producers in Venezuela are asking the government to close imports from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, "because we are able to meet domestic demand and the imported product is subsidized, affecting our thin profit margins."

Two large poultry farms planned in Southern Delaware

Plans are in the works for two large poultry farming operations in Southern Delaware’s Kent County. One of the farms would be the site of ten poultry houses, while the other would have 20 houses with each chicken house having a capacity to hold between 35,000 and 50,000 birds.
The operations would grow broilers for Mountaire Farms and Perdue Farms.
Size of poultry farm unprecedented
While both potential poultry farms are larger than the norm for Delaware, the 20-house poultry farm, if plans are realized, would be by far the largest poultry farm in Delaware, according to Delaware Online.
Bill Satterfield, executive director of the Delmarva Poultry Industry, says the plans represent good faith that the property owners and chicken companies have for the poultry industry in Delaware.
Large poultry farms may prompt changes to law
The unusually large size of the potential poultry farms has caused concerns for area residents, other poultry producers and officials from county and state agencies. One concern is that large operations like these could become a trend and not require any forewarning to neighbors whose lives may be affected by the construction of large poultry farms in their vicinity. The way Delaware’s Right to Farm law reads, anyone can put as many chicken houses on a plot of agriculturally zoned land as they want.
State Rep. Bobby Outten, R-Harrington, suggests changing the law would be a good idea.
“We aren’t going to do too much here now, but we need to get it changed so it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

Poultry farmers still on strike in Bahrain

Poultry farmers in Bahrain are are still on strike, despite reports that the dispute could have come to an end, the Gulf Daily News reports. Farmers want a better deal and signed guarantees from Delmon Poultry Company that their demands are being met.
Farmers have reportedly been assured a higher price per kilo of chicken, which is not expected to be passed on to consumers, and have already had demands relating to deliveries met. However, 31 of the 33 farms taking part in the strike in Bahrain want written assurances that their demands are being met before returning to work.
"The strike is still on," said farmers' union spokesman, Jameel Salman.
The poultry farmers went on strike on March 4 in protest of the high mortality rate of chicks they receive from the Delmon Poultry Company, which they claim are often sick, weak and die within days. The company, which is Bahrain's main supplier of fresh chicken, sells hatchlings to the farmers and then buys back fully grown birds when they are ready for the market.
"They said that they will increase our profit from 100 fils to 200 fils (USD0.27 to USD0.53) per kilo, and they agreed that our vets have the right to oversee the vaccinations of the chicks," said Salman. "This is great, but it's just talk for now until we get something on paper."
Salman said the average cost of rearing a chick to adulthood is around 800 fils (USD02.12), which is the price it is sold back to the Delmon Poultry Company at. Farmers say they get an average of 100 fils (USD0.27) in profit for each animal, but this is expected to double under a new deal.
The farmers are obliged to receive chicks earmarked for them for the next two weeks to avoid breaching their contracts, but after that can stop receiving hatchlings, meaning nobody will be there to raise them, leading to a shortage of fresh chicken in the market.
Delmon Poultry Company did not comment.

Register for webcast on how to build consumer trust in poultry

Join us for a webcast in which poultry industry stakeholders examine consumer attitudes about poultry and the challenge of building consumer trust. Where does poultry stand with consumers and what must be done to strengthen their trust in poultry and the companies that produce it?
Presented by WATT Global Media and sponsored by Zoetis, the panel discussion is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 9 a.m. CT / 10 a.m. ET. Register to attend.
Panelists will address issues involving:

• Corporate social responsibility
• Food safety
• Animal well-being
• Transparency in processes and products
• Food labeling
• Antibiotics
• Third-party inspection
• The role of brands and consumer education
The panelists
• Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown, Senior Vice President, Food Safety, Quality and Live Operations, Perdue Farms, is responsible for the food safety, quality and live operations for Perdue Farms and the Perdue and other Perdue company brands.
• Dr. Michael Doyle, Director, Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia, is Regents Professor of Food Microbiology at the College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Georgia.
• Mr. Alan Sterling, Director of Marketing, Wayne Farms, is responsible for marketing at the nation's sixth largest broiler producer.
• Dr. Carl Heeder, Senior Technical Service Veterinarian, Zoetis, has veterinary experience at Jennie-O Turkey Store and Michael Foods in the turkey and commercial layer businesses.
• Mr. Rich Kottmeyer, Managing Director, Strategic, a food, agricultural and retail consultancy, consults for Accenture in global agriculture and food production with an emphasis on customer experiences and interaction.

Poultry pest products win prizes at SPACE innovation awards

Poultry pest control products were among those recognized in this year's INNOV'SPACE Awards, the innovation awards that form part of the trade show SPACE to recognize new products and services.

Red mites
A One Star award was awarded to Elanco's Elector, which entered the French market for use against red mites in May. One application of Elector can provide total protection against red mites for up to 12 weeks due to its new mode of action, and trials in France have shown effectiveness within three to four days.
About 70 percent of layer farms in France are thought to be infected with red mite, and it is the second most important problem reported by French egg farmers. Europe-wide, some 74 percent of farms are thought to be infected.
Elector requires mites to adapt to two different nerve site receptors instead of one, making survival more difficult. Additionally, the product has a continuous effect, as the mites are subject to a double exposure. Spraying in hiding places give one exposure, and migration over surfaces offers another.

Lesser meal worms
Palmatrap, exhibited by San San Prodesing/Koppert France was awarded one star in this year's innovation awards.
The conical structure has been designed to capture lesser meal worms and fits over a bowl filled with feed. The product's rough exterior facilitates entry to the opening at the top and access to the feed, but its smooth interior makes exit difficult. Its manufacturers note that the trap, made from 100 percent recyclable plastic, can trap many kilos of insects, and that the device is robust and can be used over many years.
Rats and mice
A One Star award was also went to Wisecon France's Wisebox. The Wisebox rat controller is 100 percent poison free and offers a method of control that is based on the natural behavior of rats and mice.
The basic system is a box with an entry hole. Once the mouse or rat enters, it is electrocuted and bagged, meaning that when the box is emptied, carcasses do not have to be touched.
However, with Wisebox Intelligent, a daily followup is possible offering a record of the work of the traps, and the number of killed rats and mice can be accessed via internet. Wisebox can be placed inside or outside the poultry house and communicates with the farm manager by SMS when it needs emptying.
The trap is battery operated but also has a solar panel to extend battery life.

Agribusiness group to purchase Latvian poultry companies

AB Linas Agro Group has signed agreements for the purchase of four Latvian poultry companies. The agribusiness group based in Lithuania intends to purchase 87 percent of the shares of AS Putnu fabrika Kekava, and 100 percent of shares of SIA Broileks, SIA Cerova and SIA Lielzeltini.
AB Linas Agro Group estimates it will spend €12.5 million for the acquisition of shares of the Latvian companies. The transactions are expected to be completed by November 1, and the group intends to acquire all four companies jointly.
"We believe that poultry farming is a growing, viable and profitable industry even though the target companies are in need of restructuring," said Andrius Pranckevičius, deputy managing director of AB Linas Agro Group. "We see the opportunity to expand and diversify our activities by adding higher value-added products. A vertical integration will be implemented in acquired companies - feed production, eggs hatching and raising, slaughter and meat processing. Furthermore, the activities carried out by Latvian companies have a lot of synergy with the current activities of AB Linas Agro Group. We sell around 1.5 million tons of grains and feedstuffs per year, will forward some of the quantities to feed production in Latvia."
According to Pranckevičius, the largest of the purchased companies is a full cycle chicken meat producer AS Putnu fabrika Kekava. The company sells unprocessed chicken meat and chicken meat products. Revenue of the company totaled €33 million in 2012, though the company is not fully utilizing its production capacity. The company exports 27 percent of its products to countries in the European Union.
SIA Lielzeltini produces chicken meat and a range of processed chicken meat products, as well as combined feed for own consumption and sale, its revenue totaled €21 million in 2012 financial year. SIA Broileks is engaged in growing and sale of live chicken with the sales revenue of €1.2 million in 2012. The core activity of SIA Cerova is incubation of hatching eggs and sale of day-old chicks. The company incubated 5.9 million chicks in 2012 financial year and sales of the company amounted to €2 million.
AB Linas Agro Group expects that in the future the acquired group of Latvian companies will generate revenue of around €70 million.

Food manufacturers coalition supports Agricultural Guestworker Act

The Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition praised the introduction of legislation that would assist in establishing a stable workforce that can help sustain the rural communities where farmers, ranchers and food manufacturers grow and process the nation's and world's food supply.
"The introduction of this legislation, and the bill introduced in the Senate, are important first steps in the immigration reform process, which will be a dynamic debate featuring many proposals to reform our flawed immigration process," the coalition said. "We commend Chairman Goodlatte, and we look forward to working on a comprehensive approach to immigration reform."
The "Agricultural Guestworker Act," introduced by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., replaces the impractical H-2A program with a sensible guestworker program. The new program, known as H-2C, modernizes and streamlines the agricultural guestworker program and would be administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the federal agency that understands the unique needs of America's food manufacturers and farm and ranch operations.
The existing temporary programs for general labor skilled workers are for seasonal labor only. Under the "Agricultural Guestworker Act," the H-2C program would offer workers and employers more choices in their employment arrangements, creating more flexibility and making it easier for workers to move freely throughout the marketplace to meet demands. This new program will support food manufacturers, cattle operations, dairies, hog and poultry farms and other year-round agricultural employers.
"An effective occupational visa system may be the most important barrier to illegal immigration," the coalition said. "The right visa system with the right screening tools will in effect be a 'virtual border.' The 'Agricultural Guestworker Act' and the creation of the H-2C program would serve the diverse interests of the agriculture and food manufacturing industries and will boost the modern agriculture labor market."
Since not all agriculture jobs are the same or require the same level of skill and experience, the H-2C program would give employers the opportunity to invest their time in training workers for jobs by allowing them an initial stay of 36 months. Workers would then be required to leave for up to three months. After the period of leave, each H-2C visa holder would only be required to leave once every 18 months. This would provide farm labor stability and would encourage illegal farm workers to identify themselves and participate in the H-2C program.
Testimony delivered in February on behalf of the Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition, which outlines the group's major themes for immigration reform, can be viewed online.

Chicken industry opens doors to media at Sanderson Farms in Kinston, NC

The poultry industry is putting its best foot forward April 18 as members of the news media tour the Sanderson Farms chicken complex in Kinston, N.C.
Media representatives from 30 different news outlets will get a look at one of the nation's broiler production and processing operations, as they visit a broiler farm and the hatchery and processing plant at Sanderson's Kinston complex.
The tour is part of the Chicken Media Summit, which got under way Wednesday with a reception and dinner attended by representatives of the chicken industry and the media.
National Chicken Council Chairman Bill Lovette of Pilgrim's Inc. addressed media members, saying, "We are opening up these facilities to you (in the tour) so that you and your readers and listeners can see and understand what we are doing as an industry and how we are doing it.
"I know that your readers and your listeners and your viewers are very interested in where their food comes from. They want to know how animals are raised, and they have a lot of questions about modern agriculture. We want to be part of trying to garner the understanding and help answer some of those questions. So that is why we are taking the approach that we are."
USPOULTRY board member Bill Morris of Morris and Associates reminded the group of the poultry industry's economic importance, saying the industry generates more than 1 million jobs annually with an overall economic impact of $205 billion.
The Chicken Media Summit is sponsored by the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. 

Salmonella outbreak linked to Foster Farms chicken

Health officials say an outbreak of Salmonella illness in Washington and Oregon is linked to Foster Farms chicken.
The Oregon Health Authority said there were 43 cases last year in Oregon, and the Washington Health Department said there were at least 56 linked to a specific strain of the bacteria called Salmonella Heidelberg, the Associated Press reported. There were no deaths.
Foster Farms issued a statement concerning food safety concerns centered around the outbreak: “The safety and quality of our poultry products is Foster Farms' utmost priority. There is no recall in effect for any brand of chicken related to the Oregon Health Authority announcement as it is widely known that all raw chicken must be responsibly handled and properly prepared to ensure safety and quality. All raw chicken, like all raw meats, can contain bacteria that can be harmful to human health. For this reason, all raw chicken must be fully cooked to ensure safety and quality. Bacteria on food, including Salmonella, are fully eliminated and present no risk with proper storage, handling and preparation. Foster Farms does everything it can to ensure the safety of our poultry products within our facilities and our testing results demonstrate excellence. However, there is always room to provide more education and awareness about food safety practices. We want all consumers to have a safe and satisfying experience with chicken products.”
Health departments in both states reiterated the need for consumers to take care in handling and cooking chicken. Salmonella is common on all chicken, not just Foster Farms products, the agencies stated. Also, cross-contamination onto other foods is possible.

EPA withdraws order against poultry farmer

The Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn its order against West Virginia poultry grower Lois Alt which had stated the farmer must obtain a Clean Water Act discharge permit for stormwater runoff from her farmyard or face up to $37,500 in penalties per day. The order withdrawal comes after the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ruled in October that the American Farm Bureau Federation and West Virginia Farm Bureau had the right to join the lawsuit Alt filed in response to the order.
In withdrawing its order, the agency cited new management practices identified during a May 2012 re-inspection of the farm. However, the inspection report also states that dust, feathers and small amounts of manure were still observed on the ground at the farm, which was the basis of the agency's original order, according to American Farm Bureau Federation General Counsel Ellen Steen. “The EPA still has not backed away from its position that any amount of pollutant on the ground at a livestock or poultry farm requires a Clean Water Act permit,” said Steen. “The more likely reason for the EPA’s withdrawal is that it does not want to defend its position in court.”
The Environmental protection Agency's November 2011 order said Alt would have to pay $37,500 in fines each time stormwater came into contact with dust, feathers or small amounts of manure on the ground outside of her poultry houses as a result of normal poultry farming operations. The agency also listed separate fines of $37,500 per day if Alt failed to apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Alt responded by filing her own legal challenge to the agency order in June 2012.

Saudi Arabia lifts ban on chicken exports

Saudi Arabia has lifted its ban on chicken exports, but the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has said that exporters must abide by the rules for exporting subsidized goods.
Poultry farms wanting to export should return the subsidy of SR 2,000 (US$533) per ton, said the ministry. The ban was previously implemented due to rising poultry prices in the local markets. The ministry has emphasized the need to meet local demand for all goods and ensure the supply of products at reasonable prices.

FAO to invest in Equatorial Guinea poultry farming

The government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have signed an agreement that calls for the FAO to invest US$3 million over three years to develop poultry farming in rural Equatorial Guinea.
This investment is part of the government's efforts to develop the country's agricultural sector and create income-generating activities in rural and urban areas. The goal of the government and the FAO is to develop a family-based poultry industry that employs modern practices. The program will provide training and resources for feeding and care of poultry stock, vaccination against diseases and general veterinary care.
Miguel Oyono Ndong Mifumu, agriculture minister of Equatorial Guinea, and Athman Mravili, Malabo representative of the FAO, signed the agreement. "The goal of this government program is to develop the agricultural regions of the country," said Ndong. "This agreement will have a positive impact in rural areas by supporting the work of its people."
The agreement provides training in the provinces and extension and implementation of a system to deliver critical pharmaceuticals.

US poultry groups appeal National Fire Protection Association amendment

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and United Egg Producers have joined a coalition of animal agriculture industry groups in appealing the June 14 decision of the National Fire Protection Association to amend its 150 Standard for Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities.
The existing standard requires automatic fire sprinkler and smoke control systems for housing facilities containing Category A animals — those animals that pose a potential risk to the health or safety of rescuers or the general public, such as dangerous zoo animals. The amendment would require the installation of sprinkler and smoke control systems in animal housing facilities for Category B animals — defined as all animals not included in Category A — which would expand the standard to include poultry barns.
Coalition members say they believe the amendment fails to meet applicable due process standards and does not consider the biosecurity or the financial impact of the decision. The expansion, they say, covers far more animal housing facilities than had been previously covered, expanding the 150 Standard to cover nearly every single livestock farm in the U.S.
While National Fire Protection Association standards typically do not have the full effect of law, they are often adopted in local and state building codes and by insurance companies and may become requirements to receive occupancy permits or purchase insurance.

Bhutan poultry farmers ask government to control imports

Bhutanese poultry farmers from the south province Sarpang have submitted a petition to the government's national poultry development center, urging it to control the increasing amount of frozen chicken being imported into the country, according to reports.
The imports are affecting both the local market and the livelihoods of the producers, said the farmers. Besides having to compete with sheer volume, farmers said the imported chicken is being sold at lower prices compared to its fresh domestic counterpart. A kilogram of frozen chicken costs 160 ngultrum (US$2.90), which is sold to customers in bulk at 110–120 ngultrum ($2.00 to $2.10), while fresh chickens are sold for 140 ngultrum ($2.50) per kilogram.
Farmers are asking the government to set up a small processing unit at the local level, so their chicken looks cleaner and therefore more appealing to consumers. "Having to do everything manually, and unable to undergo proper processing, make the locally produced chickens look unclean,” they said. “Packaging is the main factor that is causing a majority to opt for frozen chicken, which looks much cleaner and well processed.”
In 2010, poultry farmers in Bhutan produced 116 metric tons of chicken, while the country imported 597.877 metric tons of frozen chicken.

Kenya poultry farming grows significantly in 2011

Kenyan poultry farmers in the Central province earned Sh 4.1 billion (US$47.3 million) in 2011 from the sales of chicken meat and eggs, as the industry grew significantly due to an increase in demand, according to Central Provincial Director of Livestock Production Mary Kanyi.
More farmers in the region are embracing poultry due to the current small size of farms as a result of a high population density. "A high demand for poultry products in the country's major urban areas greatly fuelled the industry to thrive, with local hatcheries struggling to cope with the current demand by farmers for day-old chicks," said Kanyi.
The current price for a day-old chick in the region is Sh 60 (US$0.69) for broilers and Sh 100 (US$1.15) for layers. It is expected, however, that high demand will push prices even higher. Poor quality of poultry feeds, lack of organized markets, shortage of breeding stock to improve indigenous chicken and high prices of day-old chicks continue to hamper the growth of the sector, said Kanyi, providing challenges to the industry. "As a result, my department had embarked on training farmers to prepare nutritious homemade poultry rations and encouraging the formation of marketing groups to get maximum returns as well as encouraging the establishment of more hatcheries in the area," she said.