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Missouri Department of Agriculture

Ag Business Development

Poultry

The poultry industry in Missouri can be divided into two distinct and different chains - large-scale contract production and small-scale direct marketing off the farm. Missouri ranks 10^th in U.S. broiler production and 5^th in U.S. turkey production. Missouri poultry and poultry by-products generate agricultural sales over $728 M. These sales reflect, almost exclusively, contract production. Whereas contract production sells ready-to cook fresh or frozen and further processed (cut-up, debone, etc.) meat to wholesale markets, individual producers for the most part sell whole non-frozen birds to individual consumers in retail markets.

Value added opportunities exist for both segments of this industry. By stressing the development of value added products, the broiler industry has increased the demand for poultry and companies will likely continue the trend of developing new uses for broiler meat in a variety of food products. Pastured poultry and organic poultry offer marketing potential for individual producers. Poultry manure can be composted into soil amendments and fertilizers. For the small-scale producer, wholesale marketing of eggs and meat to institutions, restaurants and local grocers offers a new market opportunity. Opportunities exist for individual producers to form alliances or cooperatives to take the lead in capturing this wholesale market.

While current federal and state regulations permit selling non-inspected poultry to institutions, restaurants and grocers within certain limitations, USDA is reviewing these exemptions and it is expected that by the end of 2002 the exemptions will be eliminated. The intent is to have poultry regulations more closely reflect meat regulations and all poultry sold outside the ‘custom’ definition will require either a state or federal inspection. Currently Missouri has one USDA-inspected poultry processing facility for small-scale producers.

Resources:

• www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/npip - provides information on the National Poultry Improvement Program.
• www.poultryegg.org - provides information on current poultry issues and upcoming seminars.
• www.wattnet.com - provides information on the latest news headlines relating to poultry.
• www.attra.org - provides information on production and marketing.
• Mobile Poultry Processing Unit
• Pastured Poultry - a how-to resource
• Pastured Poultry Study - evaluating success