August 19, 2020

US poultry event in September goes virtual

A scientific and educational event for the US chicken industry that was usually held in Ocean City, a town in the US state of Maryland, will now happen virtually - possibly in response to COVID-19 that has affected much of the United States.
 

The National Meeting on Poultry Health, Processing and Live Production will return virtually on September 28-30. Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI) Inc. made the decision for the updated format of event's 55th edition. Of late, virtual events has become a common trend for various shows and meetings worldwide due to concerns of COVID-19 infections.

The change of the National Meeting's format allows anyone in the worldwide chicken community to attend three days of informative sessions from home or office for one US$99 registration fee, a press release stated. DPI is offering member chicken growers a discounted US$49 registration fee.

"The need for cutting-edge research in poultry health, food and worker safety and animal welfare is greater now than ever before, and we are pleased to be able to continue our tradition of offering a dynamic agenda, but in a virtual setting," said DPI executive director Holly Porter, in a statement. "We're looking forward to an engaging, productive conference in a format that makes it easier than ever for the chicken community to take part in the National Meeting."

More than 20 veterinarians, chicken company leaders, government officials, researchers, extension educators and animal health officials will deliver presentations at the meeting on topics including supply chain disruptions, air quality impacts from animal agriculture, employee safety in the COVID-19 pandemic, robotic poultry deboning trials and platinum brooding practices.

- Kent Country News