04/16/2002

Ground Broken on AU Poultry Science Building

AUBURN, Ala.—Ground was broken recently on a new poultry science building at Auburn University that will benefit the $8.5 billion Alabama poultry industry and consumers across the world.

The groundbreaking ceremony, which took place March 21 and included representatives from academia and industry, involved several years of planning and fund raising to make the new $20 million building possible. The 85,000-square-foot building will house Auburn's Department of Poultry Science as well as faculty from the AU College of Human Sciences' Department of Nutrition and Food Science (NFS).

According to Don Conner, head of the poultry science department, it will offer a wealth of opportunity for students and the poultry industry, but also for consumers who will benefit through more affordable and nutritious poultry products.

The building, said Conner, will house laboratories, classrooms and office space for the more than 20 poultry science department faculty, as well as staff and graduate students working with teaching, research and extension programs. "Most importantly, expansions of department programs enabled by this new building will directly support undergraduate students majoring in Poultry Science," he said.

Research programs underway in the department include poultry health, nutrition, reproductive physiology and management and genetics. A broad program in food microbiology, food safety and food quality also will be conducted in the facility.

Bob Brewer, retired head of the poultry science department who spearheaded the building planning and fund raising effort, noted that it took almost a decade to raise money for the building, beginning with a discussion between the Poultry Science Advisory Committee of the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association and AU poultry science faculty. The groups realized that, while Auburn's poultry department was rich in the desire to help the industry, it was lacking in high quality facilities, and faculty and support personnel numbers were inadequate to meet the ever-increasing needs of the poultry industry and consumers. A proposal for a new building was submitted to Auburn University administrators and the work began to secure funding for the dream.

Gerald Bailey, chairman of AP&EA's building fund raising committee that was instrumental in securing the needed funding, provided a retrospective on the history of this effort at the ground breaking ceremony.

A partnership of industry, federal and state governments and Auburn University began to work together with Congressional and legislative leaders to identify sources of funding, said Brewer. That work led to a combination of resources including $6 million from a USDA-CSREES Building and Facilities Program grant, $6 million from a State of Alabama Agricultural Bond Issue, $5 million from Auburn University and $2-3 million from the Alabama poultry industry.

"This building will be one more example of the strong partnership between the poultry industry and Auburn University," stated Conner. "With this new building, the future is bright for growing this relationship to the betterment of the state and the people of Alabama. The impact of the programs supported by this new building will have regional, national and even global benefits."

"The new poultry science building at Auburn will not only attract the brightest and the best students and faculty but will also stand as a monument to the ongoing partnership of Alabama's poultry industry and Auburn University," stated Johnny Adams, executive director of the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association.

"This new building will help Alabama's poultry industry -- in fact the poultry industry throughout the region and the nation -- make great strides in providing high quality food products to consumers," said AU Trustee John Blackwell during the ceremony. "It will help poultry producers and processors find better ways to make that food available, and it will help the industry find better, more economical ways to do so while still protecting the environment."

AU College of Agriculture Interim Dean John Jensen noted at the groundbreaking that the new building also represents Auburn's and industry's commitment to the world's consumers AND to collaborative and interdisciplinary science.

"One floor has been set aside for the College of Human Science's Department of Nutrition and Food Science (NFS)," said Jensen. "On that floor will be laboratory and office space for 10 NFS faculty members who are working in a wide variety of areas related to food safety and human nutrition. It also will be home to their graduate students, post doctoral fellows, visiting professors and staff who are so vital to the teaching, research and extension efforts in nutrition and food science."

"We are proud that this building represents such an exceptional collaboration of disciplines and ideas. We look forward to great things coming from all floors of this new building," he added.

William Walker, interim president of Auburn University, also noted during the ceremony that the building is a stepping stone to further, sustainable growth for Alabama's poultry industry -- and ultimately further growth and benefits for all Alabamians. "As we break ground on this new building, we are preparing new ground for a brighter future in Alabama, where knowledge and information can grow," he stated.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu

April 16, 2002