The Pennsylvania State University
Department of Poultry Science

Mission

The mission of the Department of Poultry Science is to discover, translate, and implement knowledge in poultry and avian science to enhance the productivity and well-being of animals that contribute to human nutrition and health.

Vision

The Department of Poultry Science will continue to be a nationally and internationally recognized center for teaching, research, and extension/outreach scholarship and leadership in poultry and avian science.

Core Values

• Our highest priorities are excellence, scholarship, productivity, creativity, and innovation in education, research, and extension/outreach.
  
• Strong commitment to meeting the educational needs of undergraduate students interested in a career in poultry and avian science by providing high quality teaching and advising; by encouraging participation in internships, the Poultry Science Club, intercollegiate poultry judging activities, independent research projects, and international programs; and by fostering multi-cultural awareness
  
• Dedication to high quality graduate education through mentoring in the classroom and the laboratory; active participation in inter-college/inter-departmental programs; encouragement to grow intellectually through seminars, workshops, lab meetings, journal clubs, and attendance at professional scientific meetings; and providing opportunities to garner teaching experience
  
• Maintenance of an overall balance between fundamental and applied research in poultry and avian science
  
• Commitment to communicate effectively and responsibly with stakeholders while providing service through educational programs, web- and print-based information delivery, problem solving, and multi-disciplinary collaborative research
  
• Commitment to youth education in the poultry and avian sciences
  
• Nurturing of our faculty and staff by encouraging professional growth; demonstrating a strong commitment to diversity and cross-cultural understanding; and providing a safe and stimulating work environment in our offices, laboratories, and animal facilities
  
• Commitment to the College, its mission, and its systems approach to the organization of teaching, research, and extension

A Brief Overview of the Pennsylvania Poultry Industry

The Commonwealth ranks 4th nationally in egg production, 8th in turkey production, 14th in broiler production, and 3rd in the number of egg-type chicks hatched. (See poultry statistics.) According to the most recent USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data, the farm value of Pennsylvania poultry and eggs was $864 million in 2007. However, since this figure does not take into account the Commonwealth's very sizable game bird, broiler breeder, and embryo industries (for vaccine production), the value of the industry certainly exceeds $1 billion. Pennsylvania was the first state in the nation to institute steps to reduce the risk of Salmonella enteriditis (SE) contamination of shell eggs with a voluntary industry program for effective flock testing and management (the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program). Other examples of areas where Pennsylvania has been a national leader include its avian influenza monitoring program, which was recently adopted by the USDA as the model for the national program, and Pennsylvania's nutrient management program for confined animal feeding operations. Penn State Poultry Scientists and avian health professionals have been involved in helping to establish all of the above programs.

The PennAg Poultry Council is a communication and advocacy tool for the poultry industry in Pennsylvania and was established following the merger of the former Pennsylvania Poultry Federation into the council structure of PennAg in 1998. The council represents growers, integrators, processors, hatcheries, equipment, feed companies, vaccine companies, and advisors for everything from broilers to eggs to turkeys to game birds for the conventional and live bird markets. Council committees include the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP), Poultry Health, Research, Egg and Meat Bird, Scholarship, Special Events, and Executive, which is the leadership arm of the organization. The council's goals are as follows:

1. Provide regular updates to the poultry industry on research, trends, and other pertinent items
2. Increase media representation in order to increase exposure of the council in state and national publications
3. Explore ways to implement research and provide a forum for industry to offer suggested research topics
4. Increase efforts to promote food safety to consumers and to develop partnerships with retailers/grocers to improve food safety education in stores
5. Increase industry involvement in state poultry contests and to begin to develop incentives for the best students to consider careers in poultry science
6. Expand and enhance relationships with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, specifically with regard to poultry health issues, the PEQAP program, avian influenza, and biosecurity