Aviagen hosts 2012 Canadian Young Farmers Program recipients

Oct. 9, 2012, Huntsville, AL – Aviagen recently hosted the three young poultry farmers who are the recipients of the 2012 Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Producers Association’s (CBHEPA) young farmers program at the company’s facilities in Huntsville, Alabama. This year’s CBHEPA young farmer program recipients are Ben van Steenbergen from Hepburn, Saskatchewan, Timothy van Steenbergen from Hepburn, Saskatchewan, and James Malda from Barrhead, Alberta.

The visit to Aviagen was an opportunity for the three young farmers to learn more about the US poultry industry and receive information about latest management advice and best practices including nutritional advice, veterinary, biosecurity objectives, production planning, shipping and export processes, as well as the latest Ross parent stock and broiler performance data. To get a close look at management practices, Canadian Technical Manager Mark Belanger accompanied the visitors on a tour of an Aviagen hatchery, the company’s Egg Depot, pullet and breeder farms, and a customer facility.

“On behalf of Aviagen, I’d like to congratulate Ben, Timothy and James on being selected as this year’s recipients of the CBHEPA’s young farmers program,” said Scott Gillingham, regional business consultant for Aviagen, Inc. “The young farmers program is a great opportunity to help prepare the next generation of production managers for future success in the global poultry industry and Aviagen is proud to be a part of the program.”

These young Canadian farmers have been working alongside their families in the poultry business from very young ages and plan to pursue careers in the poultry industry.