EIC Assists in Creation of Emissions Estimator Tools

The Egg Industry Center has recently worked with United Egg Producers and their environmental consultant, Tom Hebert, to find a solution for egg farmers who will need to begin reporting ammonia emissions maybe as soon as June 2, 2017. This reporting requirement is due to a change in the 2008 ruling that provided exemptions to all animal feeding operations from reporting under CERCLA (the Comprehensive Emergency Response Compensation and Liability Act) and EPCRA (the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act). This change means that animal feeding operations with ammonia emissions in excess of 100 pounds per day need to report to federal, state and local authorities.

The first step in this process is for facilities to know if the parameters of their facility cause them to have to report. To estimate emissions based on the different types of operations, several ammonia estimator tools have been developed. They can be used as follows:

  • Layer Ammonia Emissions Estimator Tool can be customized by housing type, inventory and manure storage system. (NOTE: Cage-free floor system barns with no manure removal system should use this form using the high-rise housing system fields to calculate their emissions.)
  • Pullet Ammonia Emissions Estimator Tool for Weekly Site Removal can be customized by pullet age and is based on daily manure removal from the living spaces and weekly removal from the farm.
  • Pullet Ammonia Emissions Estimator Tool can be customized by put age and manure removal for either no or long-term on-site manure storage.

These tools, and any subsequent updates, are housed in the EIC Research Library under the Environment topic area.

New Research Funded by EIC

The Egg Industry Center located at Iowa State University recently approved funding for five new egg research projects. These awards conclude the provision of funding for 15 projects totaling nearly $885,000 since the Center started its award program in 2013. Funds have been provided to researchers at nine different U.S. universities based on their proposals to the Egg Industry Center Advisory Board. Newly funded egg research projects include:

  • Cage-free housing ventilation options to reduce disease spread, improve air auality and enhance bird welfare led by Dr. Eileen Fabian located at Penn State University.
  • Comparison of gut and lung microbiomes of hens raised in conventional and cage-free houses to determine disease susceptibility led by Dr. Melha Mellata located at Iowa State University.
  • Development of feasible methods to extract immune-enhancing yolk IgY and produce differentiated and functional yolk products led by Dr. Tong Wang located at Iowa State University.
  • Analysis of sequence data of survivors and controls from highly pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks led by Dr. Anna Wolc of Iowa State University.
  • Improving the transition between rear and lay environments to improve welfare and productivity of aviary-housed laying hens led by Dr. Janice Siegford of Michigan State University.

The first EIC-funded project finalized its research recently and was reported on at the 2017 Egg Industry Issues Forum in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Maja Makagon of UC-Davis presented highlights of her research related to keel bone damage.

EIC was proud to partner with the Iowa Poultry Association to make this information available in their recent member newsletter. EIC encourages your dissemination of the information we post. If you have questions regarding re-use of this information, please contact us.

Taking note of Egg Forum 2017

The Egg Industry Issues Forum was held on April 19-20, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio. Hosted each year by the Egg Industry Center, the purpose of Forum is to update or increase producer and allied-industry awareness on the latest developments and priority issues concerning the U.S. egg industry. Gathering nearly 200 industry partners together, the group learned about the challenges and opportunities of colony and aviary and outdoor housing systems, flock management and pullet rearing differences for cage-free, and research surrounding air quality and emissions in cage-free as well as the roles of wild birds, rodents and insects in the spread of HPAI. WATTAg reporters were on-site and have published several articles on Forum presentations including:

The Egg Industry Center is moving the Egg Industry Issues Forum to Phoenix, Arizona to celebrate its 10-year anniversary of brining research to the US egg industry. Dates are being finalized but mark your calendars now for the week of April 16-20, 2018. For participation or sponsorship questions, please contact Lesa Vold.

EIC was proud to partner with the Iowa Poultry Association to make this information available in their recent member newsletter. EIC encourages your dissemination of the information we post. If you have questions regarding re-use of this information, please contact us.