Poultry industry leaders recently convened in Nashville, Tenn., for USPOULTRY’s 2025 Poultry Processor Workshop, where the spotlight was on leadership, technology, biosecurity and operational excellence. The event offered attendees strategic insights into elevating plant performance, ranging from effective team management and disease prevention to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and preventive maintenance. Presenters stressed that to improve results in every part of the process, teams need to work together, build strong systems and put people first for long-term success.

As part of his presentation on “Leadership: Top Down or Bottom Up? Answer – YES!,” Neal Walsh, chief operating officer at Butterball LLC, emphasized the value of both approaches. He explored leadership dynamics and highlighted that transformational success comes from purposeful leadership, collaboration and trust. Walsh stressed a people-first mindset, noting that shifting focus from results only to team well-being significantly boosted morale and cooperation.

Dr. Mark Burleson, senior director of veterinary services at Wayne-Sanderson Farms, highlighted mounting bird health challenges in the southeastern United States, noting a concerning rise in average broiler mortality nationwide. He emphasized the persistent threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza, addressed the spread of avian metapneumovirus and discussed limited relief through the recent conditional approval of live vaccines in the United States. Burleson also noted ongoing concerns with infectious laryngotracheitis, suggesting the need for continued evaluation and improved risk assessment strategies.

Kirt Lillywhite, vice president of AI software engineering at KPM Analytics, highlighted the transformative role of AI in food and agriculture, particularly through AI vision grading for bird defects and quality. He emphasized how AI improves consistency, reduces labor costs and workplace hazards, and enables precise defect detection through image analysis, assessing dimensions like width, height and identifying issues such as exposed flesh.

In their presentation on “Finding Success: Building a World-Class Maintenance Program in the Poultry Industry,” Chase Adams, maintenance manager, and Toby Shearer, plant manager, with House of Raeford Farms, emphasized the essential elements of building a world-class preventive maintenance program. They outlined five keys to a successful preventive maintenance program in poultry processing and stressed that more than fixing equipment, maintenance is about being a dependable, solutions-focused first responder who supports plant-wide goals.