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AMES, Iowa – Food safety, animal welfare, hen housing and environmental quality will be the focus of the third annual egg industry issues forum hosted by Iowa State University’s Egg Industry Center.

“The goal of the forum is to update or increase people’s awareness on the latest developments and priority issues concerning the U.S. egg industry,” said Hongwei Xin, center director and professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and animal science.

The forum will begin at 8 a.m. April 7 at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The forum sessions will include:

• Update and outlook of federal food safety laws by Ashley Peterson, vice president of government relations, United Egg Producers

• Redesign of United Egg Producer’s 5-Star Egg Safety Program by Krista Eberle, director of food safety programs, United Egg Producers

• Impact of different hen housing systems on egg safety and quality by Peter Holt, research immunologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

• Dynamics of global egg production and trade with special reference to the impacts of banning cages in the EU by Barbara Grabkowsky, Lohmann Animal Health of Germany

• Comparison of cage versus non-cage egg production systems by Ken Anderson, professor and poultry extension specialist, North Carolina State University

• Hen Welfare in Different Housing Systems by Donald Lay, USDA-ARS

• A 10-month experience with enriched cage housing by Tom Silva, J.S. West and Companies

• Animal welfare transitions — an investor’s perspective by Steve George, president and CEO, Fremont Farms of Iowa

• Update on the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply by Darrin Karcher, poultry extension specialist, Michigan State University

• Production of clean energy from laying hen manure by Zhong Kaimin, president, Beijing DQY Agricultural Technological Co. Ltd

• Carbon footprint of egg production in the Midwest by Hongwei Xin and Maro Ibarburu, Egg Industry Center, Iowa State University

Forum registration is available at http://www.ans.iastate.edu/EIC

Established at Iowa State in 2008, the Egg Industry Center adds value to the egg industry by facilitating research and learning for egg producers, processors and consumers through national and international collaboration.