2018 Egg Forum
May 2, 2018
We would like to thank you for choosing the Egg Industry Center as a way to continue expanding your knowledge of the industry.
Solving for “X” in the new customer value equation of food purchase decisions
Mr. David Fikes
Don Bell Memorial Lecturer
David Fikes is Vice President, Communications and Consumer/Community Affairs for Food Marketing Institute, the trade association for supermarkets, grocery stores and all venues of food retail. His areas of responsibility – which embrace consumer research, animal welfare issues, and overcoming the contemporary challenges of communication – all feed his fascination with people and deepen his curiosity about how we think, feel, interact and convey our values. Prior to his position with FMI, Fikes served as the Director of Communication for the American Frozen Food Institute. Before entering the world of food trade associations, he worked for 20 years as an Episcopal priest, serving parishes in Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. Fikes holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arkansas and a Masters of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Autonomous robotics for layer house management: a vision of the future
Mr. Colin Usher
Colin Usher is a Research Scientist II at the Georgia Tech Research Institute where he has served as a technical lead and project manager for the past 18 years. His technical expertise is in machine vision, robotics, system integration, and embedded system development. During his career, he has designed, developed, and tested robotic control systems, image-based classification systems, embedded logic control systems, and mobile applications.
The current state of u.s. agriculture and the changes that are coming
Mr. JOE KERNS
President of Kerns and Associates, Joe Kerns has 30 years’ experience working with producers, suppliers, and mills to support agricultural operations. He and his team assist clients with procurement and risk management activities for industry leaders such as ADM, Premium Standard Farms, Continental Grain, and Iowa Select Farms.
(A slide deck is not available for this presentation.)
Attract, engage, Retain: tips to hit the sweet spot in your hiring practices
Ms. Melissa O’Rourke
Melissa O’Rourke is an Attorney and Farm & Agribusiness Management Specialist and Extension Team Member for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. O’Rourke holds a B.S. from Illinois State University, an M.A. from the University of Minnesota, and a J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law. She has practiced extensively in the fields of business and estate planning, human resource legal issues, immigration matters and agricultural commercial litigation.
E.coli and salmonella vaccine technology
Dr. Jim Sandstrom
Jim received his DVM degree from the University of Minnesota in 1981, followed by four years of clinical practice in dairy and companion animal medicine and surgery. Dr. Sandstrom is a veterinarian and the manager of Epitopix, a USDA-licensed vaccine manufacturer located in Willmar, Minnesota. He has been the general manager and director of sales and technical services for Epitopix for the past seventeen years.
Communications lessons learned from facing consumer questions and critics
Ms. Janice Person
Janice Person is the online engagement director on Monsanto’s corporate engagement team. Janice has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Phillips University in Enid, OK and a Master’s degree in journalism from the University of Memphis. Janice is one of the founders of the farmer-led AgChat Foundation which seeks to empower farmers to tell their stories online and remains active with the organization’s programs.
Egg forum panel: a producer’s perspective on management of the cage-free transition
PANEL PRESENTATION
Mr. Mike Gemperle
Mike Gemperle is Vice President of Gemperle Family Farms located in California. Mike graduated from St. Mary’s College with a B.S. in both economics and finance and then completed a tour in the US Peace Corps before returning to the farm. Mike has worked 10 years on the design and implementation of cage-free facilities. His philosophy for cage-free management is that you have to get down to the level of the hen and see what they see to try and imagine what they are thinking.
Mr. Brett Pickar
Brett Pickar is a Regional Operations Manager for Daybreak Foods, Inc. with over 20 years of experience in the poultry industry. He is a fourth generation farmer with a passion for all types of livestock and agricultural practices. He feels employee stakeholders are the most valuable asset to a growing company and even more so as we balance animal welfare, public perception and profitability in our operations.
Mr. Darrin Eckard
Darrin Eckard is the Complex Manager at lowa Cage Free. Prior to his seven years at lowa Cage Free, he worked for Sunrise Farms, Hickmans Ranch and HyLine in similar positions. Darrin has managed all types of production facilities and been involved with many on-farm research projects. Darrin believes that thinking outside of the box is key to finding day-to-day solutions on the farm.
Mr. Dan Krouse
Dan Krouse is the 6th generation of his family to practice agriculture in North Manchester, Indiana. Before returning to work in his family’s business, he earned a B.A. from DePauw University, and an M.B.A from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Today, he is the General Manager of Midwest Poultry Services, which produces over nine million eggs every day and employs about 560 people in Indiana and Illinois.
Field findings of partial vs. Full litter access in aviary hen housing
Dr. Hongwei Xin
A Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, Dr. Xin works in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and Animal Science Departments specializing in animal production systems engineering. He also serves as the Director of the Egg Industry Center, and is Assistant Dean for Research within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Dr. Xin received his B.S. degree in Shenyang Agricultural University in China, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Nebraska. Many of his 60 former advisees currently hold positions in industry or university and govern-ment institutions in the U.S. or abroad. Dr. Xin has authored/co-authored over 500 publications and has presented in over 16 countries. He is a member of many academic, industry, and government scientific advisory boards or task forces at state, national and global levels.
False layer syndrome: a new presentation of an old disease
Mr. Mike Petrik
Mike Petrik grew up on a poultry farm in Ontario raising broilers, turkeys, laying hens and layer pullets. He graduated from Ontario Veterinary College in 1998, and received his MSc in Animal Welfare in 2014 from the University of Guelph. For the past 18 years, Mike has been the Director of Technical Services for McKinley Hatchery. Mike has presented on welfare and disease issues nationally and internationally.
The Egg Industry Center wants to again thank all of our wonderful presenters!
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