Poultry
USDA Defend the Flock Program
Poultry for the Consumer
The poultry industry has developed into the premier meat food product consumed in the United States. The reasons for this ascention to the top of popular food products (meat and eggs) list are many. They are nutritional, economical, versatile in preparation, and are available in many different food products suitable for the modern American lifestyle.
The same factors that make poultry products popular also increase the need for food quality and safety information to the consumer. This site contains materials that answers many of the major questions posed by the information-seeking consumer of poultry products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Publications
- Safe Food in a Hurry addresses the concerns and procedures to follow to produce safe food products.
- Feeding a Crowd? Do It Safely presents simple rules you can use to avoid trouble and insure food safety when feeding large groups of people.
- A Quick Consumer Guide to Safe Food Handling tells you what to do at each step in food handling.
Publications
News
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- If egg prices have seemed higher than ever lately, it’s because they are, and consumers can place much of the blame squarely at the feet of the ongoing bird flu outbreak.
With highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, in the environment in Mississippi, owners of backyard flocks have to take extra steps to keep their chickens healthy.
Avian influenza poses an extremely low risk to human health and none to food safety in Mississippi, but its presence poses a risk to backyard flocks and the state’s $3 billion commercial poultry industry.
BILOXI, Miss. -- A large group of agricultural producers gathered at the 2025 Producer Advisory Council meeting Jan. 14 at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. The annual meeting serves as a forum for agricultural producers to discuss their needs with Mississippi State University personnel, including administrators, researchers, specialists and Extension agents with the MSU Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU Extension Service.
Success Stories
In late February, Mississippi State University hosted the 2024 National Floriculture Forum, an annual conference held at different locations around the country.
Children who enjoy hands-on learning and want to showcase their accomplishments and compete against fellow participants can join the 4-H Poultry Chain Project.
She grew up in the 4-H youth development program in Indiana, and her husband was in Ohio 4-H. Fast-forward a few years, and Inez Saum became a volunteer leader for Mississippi 4-H.
