Well, we should by now have recovered from the International Poultry Expo − a great event this year − USPOULTRY take a bow! We are busy assimilating information and assessing products and services offered at the IPE. We will share our observations in upcoming editions highlighting items which have the potential to improve performance and profitability.
The lead article in this edition deals with the survey conducted in late 2009 on the state of the industry and the prospects for the upcoming year. We hope to have a greater participation in the 2010 survey in October so as to provide more representative data and applicable interpretation. The egg industry appears to be sound despite the economic stresses which we and our consumers are enduring. If there is one commodity shared by producers it is confidence. Given freedom from catastrophic diseases, restraint in expansion and a gradual increase in employment, as predicted, we should experience improved returns compared to 2009.
The impact of government policy and regulations by the EPA, FDA, and OSHA in addition to the Departments of Agriculture and Justice and the activities of animal rights groups are the imponderables for the coming year. Hopefully reason will prevail across a broad section of these organizations which influence how we operate our production facilities and our marketing activities.
