Unplucked

PSA Annual Meeting Symposium 2025: Boots on the Ground

In this special episode, Unplucked takes you inside the 2025 Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, held in Raleigh, North Carolina. Host Andy Vance sets up the podcast booth right at the heart of the event to bring you exclusive interviews with researchers, educators, and graduate students shaping the future of poultry science.
 
Join nearly 1,200 members and guests from 39 countries as they share groundbreaking research and practical solutions across 600 symposia, abstract presentations, and posters. Hear from Dr. Jason Emerett of the University of Illinois on the evolving challenges of teaching poultry science, the impact of AI in the classroom, and preparing the next generation of scientists. Listen as graduate students discuss their projects on poultry disinfection processes, immune responses in turkeys, Salmonella control, antibiotic alternatives, and genetic markers for broiler fertility.
The episode also features Dr. Don McIntyre, a PSA legend with 45 years in the industry, reflecting on mentorship, the power of professional networks, and the collaborative spirit driving innovation in poultry science.
Key topics this year include avian influenza, immunity, genetics, nutrition, smart farming, and food safety—all driving the poultry industry forward.
 
Whether you’re an industry professional, researcher, educator, or student, this episode offers a front-row seat to the PSA’s mission of advancing, sharing, and applying the latest in poultry science worldwide.
 
Learn more about upcoming PSA conferences and events at poultryscience.org.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy Vance
Producer - Lyndsey Johnson
Audio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Outlook of Poultry in EMEA

Nutrition is becoming a lever for both performance and footprint, and the strategy differs by region. Andy speaks with Dr. Behnam Saremi of CJ Bio about the outlook across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where climate, feed availability, and policy targets push nutritionists toward new formulations. The discussion explains how single amino acids enable lower crude protein without sacrificing growth, how precision diets can reduce nitrogen and carbon outputs, and why immune status and health challenges should guide formulation choices rather than sit outside the model.
They also explore the role of data. Dr. Saremi shares where big datasets and AI can help connect physiology, feed economics, and sustainability metrics in ways that guide real decisions. The episode offers a practical set of ideas any nutritionist can test. Start with a clear outcome, validate with commercial trials, and bring procurement and operations into the conversation early so that better formulations become better results on the balance sheet and in the environment.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Chicken or Egg: Is the Public Misinformed or Are We Miscommunicating?

You can be right on facts and still lose on trust. Communications strategist Hinda Mitchell joins Andy to talk about how poultry and livestock leaders can connect with people who do not live near a barn. They discuss the power of simple explanations and real images, how to respond when a crisis hits, and why answers land better when they come from people who do the work. Hinda lays out a proactive approach. Explain how food is raised before others define the story, invite questions, and treat tough conversations as opportunities rather than threats.
The episode is filled with examples producers can copy. Build a rhythm of sharing small, honest updates. Keep numbers in plain language and tie them to everyday concerns like affordability and safety. Train the whole team on who speaks and how to listen. Listeners leave with a step-by-step framework for earning credibility one conversation at a time.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Egg Prices

When eggs get expensive, everyone notices. To separate signal from noise, Andy welcomes Brian Earnest, lead protein industry analyst at CoBank, for a clear walk through supply, demand, and the structural changes that shape the retail shelf. They explain how highly pathogenic avian influenza cut laying capacity, why recovery is uneven, and how cage-free conversions changed the cost structure and the product mix. The episode puts headlines into context, comparing eggs with pork, beef, and chicken, and explaining how regional markets and contracts complicate simple year-over-year comparisons.
Producers and buyers get practical takeaways. Brian outlines indicators to watch in flock numbers, placement data, and feed markets. He also describes scenarios that could bring prices down or keep them sticky, and how retailers think about promotions when shoppers feel price fatigue. It is a calm, data-driven discussion for anyone who needs to plan budgets, manage expectations, or answer consumer questions with confidence.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Extension

Good science is only useful when it reaches the people doing the work. Andy sits down with Dr. Tony Pescatore to explore how the land-grant system turns research into practical help for farmers, integrators, and educators. They revisit a career that spans printed bulletins, county meetings, and the early internet, and look at how today’s mix of short videos, podcasts, and searchable factsheets meets people where they are. The conversation highlights what makes extension credible. Responsiveness, independence, and a focus on the specific problem in front of the producer.
Listeners get a set of timeless principles. Ask better questions before offering answers. Translate jargon without losing accuracy. Share tools that fit the labor and equipment people actually have. Dr. Pescatore also reflects on how extension bridges backyard flocks and commercial complexes without judgment, and why that broad view helps the entire sector stay resilient during disease events and market shocks.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

The Minds Behind the Science: Meet the People Driving Poultry Innovation

Career paths in poultry science rarely run straight. Andy talks with Dr. Marc de Beer, president of Aviagen North America, about how a grounding in nutrition became preparation for leading a global genetics business. They discuss curiosity as a career tool, the difference between lab certainty and field ambiguity, and how to make decisions when data are good but incomplete. Dr. de Beer shares the practices he uses to evaluate risk, build resilient teams, and keep a long view when the news cycle pulls focus to the next crisis.
This is also a conversation about culture. Listeners hear how mentorship opens doors, how to give feedback that moves projects forward, and how to maintain scientific integrity inside commercial pressure. From designing clean experiments to translating results for customers, the episode offers a practical playbook for scientists who want to lead and for leaders who want to keep science at the center of their decisions.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Feed the Future: Innovations in Poultry Nutrition

Precision nutrition is a mindset as much as it is a set of tools. PSA President Dr. Martin Zuidhof joins Andy to map how data, modeling, and feeder technology can reshape breeder and broiler programs. They explain how individual bird data unlocks new ways to control body weight, improve uniformity, and match nutrients to biological need rather than to averages. The conversation clarifies what precision feeding can already do, where it still needs refinement, and why small improvements in consistency can yield large gains in welfare and efficiency.
Listeners get a realistic picture of implementation. Dr. Zuidhof shares lessons from successes and stumbles, including how to design trials that translate to commercial houses, how to focus on a few controllable variables at a time, and how to communicate change so teams understand the why behind new protocols. The episode closes with a look at sex-specific formulation, variable protein strategies that protect margins and the environment, and a practical checklist for using data to guide feed decisions rather than to overwhelm them.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Birds of a Feather: International Perspectives on Poultry Science

Housing is not just a building choice. It is a biology choice, a management choice, and a market choice. Andy welcomes Dr. Inga Tiemann for a grounded comparison of European and North American approaches to welfare and production. They look closely at cages, aviaries, enriched systems, and mobile housing, and explain how genetics, behavior, and daily labor shape outcomes inside each environment. The episode avoids ideology and stays with evidence, showing how the same bird can succeed or struggle based on perches, litter quality, lighting programs, and the way people move through the house.
Dr. Tiemann shares how precision behavior monitoring can reveal flock patterns that the eye misses. Listeners hear how sound, light, and layout influence movement and resting behavior, how feather cover and keel bone integrity become real-time welfare signals, and how positive welfare can be measured rather than assumed. The result is a practical framework for producers and retailers who want better welfare and consistent performance without losing sight of cost and staffing realities.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

History of Poultry: Part 3 - How Poultry Became Poultry: Hybridization, History, and the Making of a Modern Industry

How did a patchwork of backyard flocks become one of the most sophisticated protein systems on the planet. In this episode, Unplucked looks backward to see forward as host Andy Vance sits down with historian Dr. Margaret Derry to trace the arc of modern poultry. They unpack the early days of organized breeding, the rise of performance testing and record keeping, and the split between egg and meat lines that redefined both genetics and management. Listeners get a clear story of how scientific curiosity, commercial incentives, and a growing network of land-grant institutions turned scattered innovations into a reliable industry.
The conversation steps out of the museum and into the barn with practical lessons for today. Dr. Derry explains how show rings and competitions shaped how people thought about type and function, why experiment stations and university labs accelerated progress, and how the first wave of industrial hatcheries forced a new level of standardization. Together, she and Andy frame the past as a toolbox for the present. When supply chains feel fragile or public trust wobbles, understanding where the industry came from can help leaders make decisions that keep both birds and businesses healthy.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Ethics in Publishing

The value of science depends on trust in the record. Andy interviews Olivia Nippe, a senior publishing ethics expert at Elsevier, about how journals and researchers are responding to image manipulation, paper mills, and the growing complexity of data. They examine authorship standards, peer review quality, and the detective work that editors and integrity teams do to protect readers and the public.
Listeners get plain-spoken guidance on good practice, from data handling and figure preparation to conflict disclosures and how to respond if concerns arise. The episode makes a strong case for transparency and for collaboration between editors, reviewers, and authors, so that research can move faster without sacrificing credibility.
 
CREDITSHost - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGALThe information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.