USDA Grant to Advance Organic Poultry Industry

A $3.34 million Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) grant by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund a project to address challenges in the organic poultry industry. The project is led by the University of Connecticut and also includes University of Minnesota, University of Arkansas, University of Kentucky, Tennessee State University, and USDA-ARS (Agricultural Research Service) in Fayetteville, Arkansas. UConnToday reports that the project will focus on four primary research areas: microbial safety, gut health and production efficiency, product quality, and consumer perception and cost. “The goal of this project is not only to address the existing challenges in organic poultry farming but also to provide sustainable solutions that can be adopted globally,” explained project leader Abhinav Upadhyay.
Related ATTRA publication: Approaches to Processing Poultry Meat for Sale: Navigating Regulations across the United States