USDA Grants Available to Assist with Energy Efficiency Improvements to Poultry Houses

SUBJECT: USDA Grants Available to Assist with Energy Efficiency Improvements to Poultry Houses

TO: State Poultry Organizations

FROM: Bennie Hutchins, Energy Program Coordinator

Enclosed is information about the Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants program that we encourage you to share with poultry producers in your state. Many of your producers are continually making improvements to their poultry houses that result in energy conservation, as well as enhancement of production efficiency. Growers may qualify for a USDA grant to pay for 25% of the cost of these improvements.

Over the past 8 years we have assisted more nearly 200 poultry producers from 8 states in securing grants for more than $7 million! A recent evaluation of 40 producers that participated in this program over the past several years revealed that they have been able to reduce their annual electricity consumption by 6% and their annual propane consumption by 41%. This grant program, with its resulting Energy Audit and retrofits, is for real! Don’t let your growers miss out on this opportunity.

USDA-Rural Development is now receiving applications for 2011 funding. No application deadline has yet been announced, but producers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible while funds are still available. Improvements that are eligible for funding assistance includes any work to make the houses tighter and better insulated (walls, doors, ceilings), improved brooders (radiant, direct-spark or tube), lighting, computer controllers, vent doors, curtain improvements, interior stir fans, exhaust fan replacement with more efficient fans, water/drinking systems, baffles, insulated brood curtains, etc.

As representatives of the poultry industry and of contract producers/growers in your state, you are one of the best networks we have to get information on availability of these grants out to your state’s poultry producers.

Please distribute the enclosed 1-page flyer to your member/growers and to representatives of poultry companies in your state, especially the Production Managers. Another key network in getting this information to growers are your poultry supply contractors and vendors. If you have a data-base of those contractors that you can provide to use, we will be glad to distribute this same information for their use.

Make additional copies as needed. If you would like to receive this flyer in digital format, email your request to AER@msrcd.org and one will be emailed to you. Also consider converting it into a Press Release for use in your organization’s newsletter, or in whatever other media outlet you feel appropriate.

Once growers are informed, those that are considering poultry house upgrades can then call or email our office and we will email or mail them a complete Applicant Information Package. However, funding approval is not a guarantee, but approval rate for our clients is over 90%, or double the national average. Interested producers need to get in contact with us as soon as possible, but at least a minimum of 15 days before they plan to start their improvements.

Note that any expenses incurred by the applicant/grower prior to the date that the grant application is received in the state office of Rural Development will not eligible for reimbursement. Applicants may begin the improvements as soon as we are able to complete their grant application and turn it in to Rural Development state office...at their own risk, of course.

If you have any questions, please call me at 601-748-2622 or email me at AER@msrcd.org. Thanks for your help in getting the word out to your poultry producers!

Ford Foundation Allocates Student Recruiting Grants

TUCKER, GA, October 19, 2010 - The U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation has approved student recruiting grants totaling more than $160,000 to the six U.S. universities with poultry science departments, and 11 other institutions with poultry programs. The Foundation provides annual recruiting funds to colleges and universities to attract students to their poultry programs.
The six poultry science departments receiving the grants were:

• Texas A&M - $30,413
• North Carolina State - $18,540
• Mississippi State - $17,079
• University of Georgia - $17,714
• Auburn - $17,905
• University of Arkansas - $18,349

The 11 other institutions with poultry science programs receiving recruiting grants under the Foundation's Poultry Science Education Funding Program:

• Abraham Baldwin (GA) - $3275
• California Polytechnic - $4000
• California State Fresno - $4000
• Clemson - $3500
• Georgia Tech - $1500
• Jones County Jr. College (MS) - $4000
• LSU - $5500
• Modesto (CA) - $2500
• Penn State - $7000
• Stephen F. Austin - $3000
• West Virginia - $3000

"It is vital that we continue to attract bright young people to study for careers in the poultry industry," said USPOULTRY chairman Steve Willardsen, Cargill Value Added Meats, Wichita, KS. "The future of our industry depends on aspiring young managers joining our companies today who will be the leaders of tomorrow. Ford Foundation recruiting grants play an important role encouraging students to enroll in poultry studies," he said.

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association established the Ford Foundation in 1994 to provide student recruiting funds to universities with poultry science departments. In 2004 the Poultry Science Education Funding Program was added to the Foundation's umbrella so that other colleges and universities that offer identifiable poultry science studies also are eligible to apply for recruiting grants. Application must be made for these grants, which provide up to $7,000 each.

Monty Henderson, George's, Inc., and Chairman of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation, presented a check in the amount of $18,349 to Dr. Michael Kidd,Head of the University of Arkansas Poultry Science Department and Director of the Poultry Science Center of Excellence. Joining the presentation was Marvin Childers, The Poultry Federation. "Attracting young people into poultry studies today is essential for the poultry industry's prosperity in the future," Henderson said.

National Chicken Council Decries EPA Decision on Higher Blends of Ethanol in Motor Fuel

WASHINGTON – October 13, 2010 -- Increasing the amount of ethanol in motor fuel, as authorized today by the Environmental Protection Agency, will eventually hit food shoppers in their pocketbooks, the National Chicken Council said today.

“Rising grain prices driven by the voracious demand for feedstock from the heavily subsidized ethanol industry caused an increase of six percent in the retail price of fresh whole broiler chickens from 2008 to 2010,” said George Watts, president of the National Chicken Council. “Channeling even more corn into ethanol will, in time, only drive up the cost of chicken even more. Consumers will end up paying for the ethanol industry’s demands. It is time to put an end to interference in the market and government mandates that benefit the ethanol industry and raise the price of corn.”

EPA issued a partial waiver to allow gasoline marketers to add up to 15 percent ethanol to motor fuel, a sharp increase from the current limit of 10 percent. EPA acted at the behest of ethanol industry organizations.

The National Chicken Council represents integrated chicken producer-processors, the companies that produce and process chickens. Member companies of NCC account for more than 95 percent of the chicken sold in the United States.

Come See Us!

Please stop by and visit the South Carolina Poultry Federation at the SC State Fair on October 14Th-16Th! You will find us in the Cantey Building in the SC Ag section. Hope to see you!