USA— Mississippi State University plans to expand poultry nutrition and feed manufacture research capabilities and implement of new feed manufacture programs with US$7 million research feed mill.
Recent upgrades to the poultry research unit include renovated poultry houses, research labs and an automated processing plant to support the school’s vertically-integrated “farm to processing” poultry science program format.
The new mill will replace the current costly and inefficient process of producing, batching and bagging feed for transport to an offsite pellet mill to be pelleted, rebagged and transferred back to the university.
The new mill offers nearly 5,000 square feet of interior processing space featuring grinding, batching, pelletizing and bagging systems and additional space for ingredient and finish feed storage as well as outside grain storage areas.
Scott Willard, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, expressed the impact the feed mill will have on teaching, research and outreach.
“The new mill will add to the poultry department’s current positive trajectory by providing the scientists with the ability to develop and test new additives, ingredients, feed formulations,” Willard said.
The Mississippi State feed mill is part of a multi-phase, department-wide facility expansion and upgrade campaign funded by the university and donations from industry leaders.
The new mill is currently in the fundraising stage and Wayne Farms, an American producer and processor of poultry has already donated US$500,000 towards its completion.
“Wayne Farms is proud to play a role in this important project as Mississippi State continues to evolve and expand its poultry science program with a new feed mill,” said Clint Rivers, president and chief executive officer of Wayne Farms.
Wes Schilling, interim head of the Poultry Science department also expressed gratitude for the investment in Mississippi State.
“This gift, along with others from the poultry industry, will help us complete the project and enhance our ability to provide practical research, training and outreach to better serve Mississippi’s No. 1 agricultural commodity, poultry,” Schilling said.
According to Mark Leggett, president of the Mississippi Poultry Association, poultry has been the largest agricultural commodity in the state for 21 years now.
Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE.
