CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/05/06

UGA, Gold Kist set poultry science professorship

By Faith Peppers
University of Georgia

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Gold Kist Inc. announced the establishment of the Gold Kist Professorship in Poultry Science and Health Oct. 4 in Athens, Ga.

This endowed research position is being funded through a bequest from the late founder of Gold Kist, D.W. Brooks. The new professor will conduct research in avian disease and poultry health enhancement.

"This position will bring a researcher of national and international acclaim to UGA to complement and strengthen our poultry research programs," said CAES Dean J. Scott Angle. "This professorship will allow the department to continue to build upon its outstanding reputation and will ensure that U.S. poultry producers remain global leaders in the efficient production of wholesome and high quality poultry products."

Gold Kist President and CEO John Bekkers added, "Our company has a long history of support and commitment to UGA. We believe the establishment of this professorship has the potential of being one of the most important investments Gold Kist has made for the future of the poultry industry. Research in avian disease prevention is critical to the industry's success, and we are proud to be taking a leadership role along with UGA in this research area."

Georgia is the No. 1 poultry-producing state in the nation. Poultry represents more than half of the state's agricultural income, employs more than 100,000 people and contributes more than $13 billion annually to the state's economy. UGA's Department of Poultry Science has developed a longstanding reputation as one of the premier centers of poultry research in the world.

"The position will be a joint appointment of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine," said Mike Lacy, CAES poultry science department head. "This innovative approach strengthens the natural relationship and interaction between our two colleges and links our research in poultry nutrition, genetics and avian health. The benefits of such research to Georgia poultry farmers and consumers are critically important, whether we are talking about routine disease prevention, food safety, bioterrorism or keeping avian influenza out of the United States."

"This new professorship will be a great addition to our already well-respected graduate program and add to our ability to provide highly trained specialists to meet the food industry's needs in our state and nation," Lacy added.

"We are grateful for Gold Kist's continued leadership in the poultry industry and at our university. This endowed position will allow us to bring another world-class scientist to the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty," Angle said.

Gold Kist is the third largest chicken company in the United States, accounting for more than 9 percent of the chicken produced in the United States in 2005. The company operates a fully integrated business that includes live production, processing, marketing and distribution. Gold Kist's operations include nine divisions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Faith Peppers is the director of public affairs with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Michael P. Lacy
J. Scott Angle
Karla Harvill
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Manage holiday stress with kindness, boundaries 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
Conner Hall CAES News
CAES welcomes 2024 cohort of Rural Scholars 11/20/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences welcomed its fourth cohort of students chosen for the CAES Rural Scholars Program this fall just weeks after celebrating the program's first graduation. Georgia Orman, one of four inaugural Rural Scholars in CAES, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. The new scholars for 2024, all from Georgia, are Ela Ash of Ocilla, Lauren E. Coley of Cochran, Amelia Housley of Canon, and London O’Steen of Ambrose.
Women play a vital role in rural American farming, but much of that work is "invisible," like raising children or household chores, according to a new UGA study. (Getty Images) CAES News
The women and stress behind rural farming in America 11/19/24 Leigh Hataway
Recent research from the University of Georgia suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running. “If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” said Anna Scheyett, lead author of the study and a professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”
Mergoum at Creature Comforts CAES News
That's the spirit! 11/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras, Claire Sanders Kinnard
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Professional brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile.
Contest-winning concept becomes viable business for alumnus who developed solar-powered, self-propelled chicken coop as a student. CAES News
Poultry in motion 11/14/24 Sean Montgomery
Chris Ayers emerged from his orange and black rough-terrain vehicle with an ear-to-ear grin. “This is Chiktopia,” he said, sweeping his arm wide to indicate the back half of a 3,600-square-foot warehouse on his family’s farm in Ball Ground, Georgia. “This is where I manufacture and assemble the chicken coops. Everything is done entirely from over here.”
UGA Grand Farm Site Plan web CAES News
UGA Grand Farm wins stage two of 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund competition 11/13/24 Jordan Powers
Startups in the agricultural technology sector face significant barriers on the path to establishment, including access to training and capital. These barriers are heightened for underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking to start new companies. The University of Georgia Grand Farm, part of a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm, aims to change that.