NEWSROOM

BioSec Bob here—it's April 4, 2026, and we've got a poultry-heavy briefing for you this morning.

Let's start with the research side. Universities and government labs continue working to shore up the nation's poultry supply chain against disease threats. That ongoing investment in surveillance and diagnostics is keeping producers ahead of potential problems, and it's a reminder that the infrastructure protecting your flocks didn't build itself. It takes continuous effort and funding to stay alert.

Over on the consumer side, we're seeing a push from public health officials warning families against giving live chicks and ducklings as Easter gifts to children this year. The concern centers on salmonella transmission and animal welfare—birds that end up in unprepared homes create real problems for both families and, frankly, for the industry's reputation. It's worth your time to know what's being communicated out there.

Turning to regulation, the FSIS is looking at how it defines meat and poultry establishment sizes. That's a technical conversation with real implications for how operations get classified, inspected, and what standards apply. If you run a smaller processing facility or work with one, keep an eye on this as those conversations develop.

On the people front, North Carolina State has produced another leader heading into federation work. The poultry world's got a deep bench of folks coming up through university programs, and that matters for the industry's future.

A quick safety alert came across the desk—a public health notice for certain chicken nuggets sold at Walmart. These things happen, and transparency from retailers and producers is what keeps consumer trust intact. If any of that product's in your supply chain, you're already moving on it.

Finally, if you're thinking about entering or nominating for the 2026 poultry industry safety awards, applications are open. Those programs highlight real work being done on farms and in plants to protect workers and product quality.

Lot of moving parts in poultry today—stay alert on the regulatory side.