OAKWOOD, Ga. — Located in the heart of the “Poultry Capitol of the World,” the University of North Georgia’s Oakwood campus is breaking new ground to train and educate the poultry industry’s next leaders through what will be a dedicated poultry science building.
“Poultry is a major economic engine for our state, and Gainesville, Ga., is the heart of that industry,” Dr. Michael P. Shannon, UNG president, said during Monday’s ceremony.
During this year, UNG’s Oakwood location will see the construction of what will become the Bob Lathem Poultry Instructional Center Complex and Abit Massey Poultry Instructional Center.
In a fitting change from a usual groundbreaking, ceremonial chicken feed corn was scooped by several members of the university’s faculty, as well as several representatives from the poultry industry and trade associations.
“Today we make a declaration to Georgia’s poultry industry, to Gainesville, and to America that the UNG campus will be … the place where poultry leaders are made,” Shannon said, adding that this new facility, “will give this university something that it has never had before, a permanent home intentionally designed for poultry education, poultry thought, and poultry leadership. This center will include dedicated laboratory and classroom spaces in cutting-edge equipment, offices and supporting spaces.”
This facility will give students the ability to learn on the actual equipment they will be using in the workforce, he added. Students will also continue to explore all the varied aspects that go into the modern poultry industry.
“This industry needs decision makers,” Shannon said. “It needs scientists, engineers, logistics professionals, environmental experts, sales and marketing professionals, policy leaders and innovators. Our job at UNG is to do everything we can to help students see those possibilities and prepare them to step into them boldly.”
Leading the task of poultry science education at UNG for the past 15 years has been Dr. Linda Purvis, UNG associate professor.
“Over that time the classrooms that I have taught in has changed but the one thing that has not changed is this institution’s unwavering commitment to the education that we provide our students,” Purvis said. “This addition to our campus and our program will help us to recruit, prepare and equip students better than we have ever been able to before. This center will create a hub of student engagement and educational opportunities that we’ve never experienced.”
“The new industry teaching lab will be the heart of this building, and it will allow us to bring real world instructional equipment and technology used in the field, giving our students the opportunity to learn with hands-on experience in a safe and controlled environment,” she added. “This facility will serve as a catalyst to connect our students to the industry that is right in their backyard by building a bridge between the classroom and real-world experiences.”
“Our vision is to create an environment where the classroom is more than just four walls,” Purvis said. “This facility will provide our students with something they have needed for over a decade — a customized, dedicated, well thought out instructional facility specifically for poultry science. After years of transition, our students will finally have a home that they can call their own where industry, education and opportunity continue to abound.”
Making this facility possible is also the financial support of local poultry companies, Lathem Family Farms who honor their founder Bob Lathem in the facility naming, and Wayne-Sanderson Farms who donated to recognize the contributions of industry legend Abit Massey.
“What a great day to invest in the young people,” David Lathem, owner/CEO of L and R Farms and Lathem Family Farms, said. “Here we have all of these young, smart, bright people; they all know about the poultry business. They just don’t know enough. But now, they will get a chance to know enough. We are going to bring them into here and we are going to train them, and give them internships, and we are going to keep this industry going forward, because that is what it’s all about — paying it forward.”
“Our family is honored to be a part of this, and this is truly a great day for our great industry,” Lathem added.
Michael Crump, Wayne-Sanderson Farms chief operations officer, also noted all of the many aspects involved with the poultry industry that students will be able to take advantage of through these new facilities, as well as company cooperation.
“When you think about our business there is a quality side, and there is an avenue for students to get into the quality side of the business,” Crump said. “We have a marketing team. We have a safety team. We have an engineering team. We have a finance team. We have an HR team. So, it’s not just about chickens. It’s about everything that makes our industry as successful as it is. And this facility that we are here to celebrate is truly a bridge between the academia side and the industry side.”
In providing some of the impact and importance that poultry has on Georgia’s economy, as well as in honoring the late “dean of the poultry industry” Abit Massey, Mike Giles, Georgia Poultry Federation president, noted that, “it’s fitting that we are here where the industry really evolved and grew up.”
“We produce more broilers than any other state in the nation,” Giles said. “Over 1.3 billion, that translates to 30 million pounds of chicken produced in Georgia annually, much of it right here in Gainesville, Ga., and it also has an economic impact of $40 billion annually.”
Through the transition years for the Georgia poultry industry in the last half century, Massey, the former GPF president emeritus, knew how to bring people together and collaborate between universities, companies and government.
“He would be so pleased about this project,” Giles said. “He would be delighted that his name is attached to this building. This is going to be a place where students will learn about opportunities and the spirit of collaboration, and that collaborative spirit that Abit had will live on in this building.”
Lewis Massey, Abit Massey’s son and a partner with Impact Public Affairs, noted that Abit, “loved the poultry industry and he loved working with so many people in this room.”
“This center and this complex are going to be much more than just brick and mortar,” he said. “It’s going to be a living promise to the memories and the legacies of the Massey family and the Lathem family, and the students and teachers and faculty that are going to teach and learn and grow and are going to carry on what the vision of the poultry industry can be. This university has already laid the groundwork of a very successful program.”
State government representatives were also on hand to note the importance that this new university facility will have on the economic growth for the state.
“Agriculture needs a seat at the table in economic development, and what better way to lead the industry than in breaking ground on an excellent facility like this,” Georgia state Sen. Drew Echols said. “For generations, poultry has employed thousands of people, fed millions and created opportunities for families all across this region.”
“The poultry industry doesn’t just create jobs, and poultry houses, and processing plants,” Echols added. “It supports farmers, truck drivers, feed suppliers, manufacturers, restaurants, and the list goes on. When that industry succeeds, the community around it succeeds. I’m especially proud that UNG is stepping up for Georgia’s largest agriculture industry. This investment sends a powerful message to farmers, poultry companies, students and the entire community. We see you, we value you, and we are willing to invest in the future.”
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper added that, “we can’t be successful unless agriculture is successful.”
“This year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation,” he said. “For 250 years what has allowed America to sustain is that backbone of agriculture. In 1776, 90 percent of Americans were farmers. Fast forward to 2026, only about 1.2 percent of Americans are involved with production agriculture. We have had to get creative, and innovative, and we have had to invest. And that is what today is about. Today is about investment. Not only investment in structures, but investment in people, and an investment in our future.”
UNG President Michael Shannon also shared his hope that this time next year they would be welcoming everyone back to campus to see the new buildings ready to go.
“This center represents the power of industry and education working together,” he said. “We want to be the poultry industry’s education partner. It’s talent partner. It’s leadership partner. A place where students find opportunity … and where ideas become partnerships.
“Today we celebrate a building in memory of two iconic men who helped shape an industry. But what we are really building is a place where their legacy becomes opportunity for our next generation.”
