Nebraska’s poultry industry: Quietly adding value to the state’s commodities
WAVERLY, NE — Together, Nebraska’s egg, turkey and broiler industries
make up a substantial poultry industry, one that has a huge economic
impact on the state, much of which is directed toward rural communities.
Nebraska
produces some 90 million pounds of broilers, 60 million pounds of
turkey, and more than 3 billion eggs annually. “That’s a ‘b’ as in 3
billion eggs,” said Bill Bevans, a turkey producer from Waverly and a
past president of the Nebraska Poultry Industries. “A lot of people are
surprised by that number – all the numbers, really.”
To produce
those 3 billion eggs, the state houses some 12 million laying hens as
part of an egg industry that contributes about $95 million to
Nebraska’s economy each year. Bevans noted that although Nebraska’s
commercial egg industry produces a lot of eggs, none are sold “in the
shell” like those at grocery stores. Instead, Nebraska eggs are used in
further processed egg products like pasteurized refrigerated liquid
eggs and frozen, dried and specialty products.
Turkey
producers in the state belong to the Nebraska Turkey Growers
Cooperative. Bevans said these growers raise more than 4.6 million
turkeys per year, which are processed and packaged under the Norbest
label in Gibbon. Norbest turkey is sold across the country and around
the world.
Meanwhile, the state’s broiler sector is unique –
with all broilers in the state being “Smart Chickens”, the brand name
of MBA Poultry, which began in Tecumseh in 2000. The company produces
air chilled fresh chicken that is antibiotic and animal byproduct free.
It also produces air chilled fresh organic chicken.
“Nebraska’s
poultry industry is the number one consumer of soybean meal and number
two consumer of corn in the state,” Bevans said. “Processing and
further processing poultry and other meat products is a natural value
added activity for Nebraska. Basically, we add value to grain in the
form of eggs, broilers and turkey, and add value to that again during
further processing.”
Bevans said Nebraska Poultry Industries
supports the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska
(A-FAN). “A-FAN assists poultry and livestock producers if they are
looking to expand and helps those who are interested in getting started
in the business,” Bevans said. “We also share A-FAN’s belief that
Nebraska’s poultry and livestock industries create many high quality
jobs and opportunities for young people in rural communities. We pay
taxes to support schools and communities and believe in being a good
neighbor.”
A-FAN is a non-profit agriculture promotion, education and producer assistance organization.
Nebraska
Poultry Industries, based in Lincoln, Neb., was established in 1970 to
foster, promote, improve and protect all branches of the poultry,
turkey and egg industries in Nebraska.
NOTE: To view Bill Bevans commentary about the poultry industry, click here.
Media: For more information, contact Bill Bevans at 402.786.2175 or Roger Berry of A-FAN at 402.710.1110 or 888.580.2326.