Students from the University of Arkansas' Department of Poultry Science attended the 2017 International Production and Processing Expo held Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 in Atlanta. IPPE is regarded as the largest annual trade show for the poultry, meat and feed industries.
More than 90 students combined from the Department of Poultry Science, the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff made the trip and participated in the College Student Career Program held in conjunction with IPPE.
The College Student Career Program allows seniors and graduate students to interview with potential employers and underclassmen to interview for internships. In addition to interviews, students learned about the many career opportunities in the poultry industry and allied industries around the world.
"Attending IPPE was very beneficial to my academic success," said Brock Daniels, a sophomore poultry science and agricultural business double-major, who interviewed with major companies including Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, Cal-Maine Foods, Maple Leaf Farms and Cobb-Vantress. "It allowed me to interview with companies and get a chance to apply what I have been learning in class."
Robert Hudgens, an agriculture business and animal science double-major, interviewed with Tyson Foods and Cal-Maine. "Attending IPPE helped me become more confident in job interviews along with professional networking," said Hudgens, who has a production internship offer with Tyson Foods in Green Forest.
Danielle Edwards, a junior poultry science major, interviewed with Perdue Farms, Aviagen, Cal-Maine Foods and Tyson Foods. "Attending IPPE was educational and a great experience," said Edwards. "I learned more about companies I've never heard of as well as got to know the companies I did know about a lot better."
Overall, nearly 600 students interested in careers in the poultry industry were in attendance. The program attracted students from 36 universities throughout the United States while the International Student Program brought in 12 students from six universities in Latin America.
The International Production and Processing Expo is a collaboration of three shows—International Feed Expo, International Meat Expo and the International Poultry Expo—representing the entire chain of protein production and processing. The event is sponsored by the American Feed Industry Association, the North American Meat Institute and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association.
