The USPOULTRY Foundation continues its longstanding commitment of supporting student outreach programs to attract bright young people into poultry careers. The Foundation sponsors the annual College Student Career Program, the International Student Program, poultry judging competitions and recruiting grants at colleges and universities throughout the nation. The Foundation also supports FFA and 4-H.
Support for the National 4-H Poultry & Egg Conference is made possible in part by a Foundation gift from Amick Farms. At the 2016 Conference held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Barbara Jenkins, vice president of education and student programs for USPOULTRY, presented awards in five separate competitive events that included poultry judging, chicken barbecuing, turkey barbecuing, an egg preparation demonstration and an avian bowl (poultry and egg trivia). A Poultry Careers workshop was also held at the Conference, exposing the 4-Hers to hands-on information from poultry food industry personnel, and the participants were given pertinent information about career and educational opportunities in the poultry industries.
The Conference hosted 139 senior 4-Hers representing 24 states, allowing them to compete in educational events that help them learn to formulate and defend decisions, speak publicly and expand their poultry-related skills. Matthew DeFilippo, Emma Holiday, Emma Roberto and Will Tornamb, from Pennsylvania, were named top team overall winners. Tornamb was also named the top overall individual winner.
"The USPOULTRY Foundation has been a proud sponsor of 4-H for many years. We realize that these youths are our industry’s future, and our objective is to encourage them to pursue a career in the poultry and egg industry," remarked Jenkins.
