The USPOULTRY Foundation awarded a $7,000 student recruiting grant to Cleveland Community College (CCC) in Shelby, North Carolina. CCC successfully completed its second year offering applied animal science courses to students in the agriculturally rich foothills of North Carolina. Through its Associate in Applied Animal Science Technology degree program, CCC provides students with a strong foundational education, preparing them for careers in the poultry industry and related fields.

To foster engagement with the poultry industry, the animal science program organized a variety of field trips and events in collaboration with Case Farms, the Farm Bureau, 4-H and Cooperative Extension poultry agents. Each activity saw participation from 15-30 students, along with representatives from the key organizations as well as N.C. Farm Link and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency, which offered valuable connections with potential employers.

Grant funds will support recruitment efforts at high school and middle school career fairs, as well as targeted classroom presentations within middle and high school agricultural programs. Additionally, the funds will be used to host recruitment camps like Animal Science Days, agritourism events, field trips, mock poultry judging contests and other activities designed to engage students and connect them with careers in the poultry and egg industries. These initiatives aim to strengthen the pipeline between education and employment in the sector.

The USPOULTRY Foundation board approved student recruiting grants totaling $324,215 to 28 colleges and universities across the U.S. with a poultry science department or industry-related degree program. The Foundation provides annual recruiting and retention funds to colleges and universities to attract or connect students to their poultry programs or industry. The grants were made possible in part by gifts to the USPOULTRY Foundation from companies, individuals and families, in addition to funds earned over the years from the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo.