UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A research team led by Pennsylvania State University Penn State poultry scientists is conducting a nationwide survey of commercial broiler producers to identify trends in housing and husbandry methods — including organic and other production strategies — used to raise chickens for market.
The project, which includes researchers from several major university poultry science programs, is aimed at helping scientists better understand production and management methods, with an eye toward developing a “Brooder School” that will inform producers about the most current technologies and management strategies.
The goal, researchers said, is to provide useful tools to broiler growers who may have transitioned recently, or soon will transition, to antibiotic-free production.
The survey, funded by a Sustainable Agriculture Systems grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, will help poultry scientists identify production practices by region and assess producers’ informational needs that can be addressed through the development of university extension educational programs.
Survey responses will be anonymous and will include no identifying information. Partial survey results will be shared at a later date. Surveys should be returned or completed by Nov. 15, 2021.
Producers can find the survey online at https://psu.ag/3nUX0Yw or by following the QR code, seen here.
Farms needing paper copies may request one by sending an email to papercopy2@psu.edu.
