Program synthesis and future challenge

With the steady attrition of poultry programs at universities has been an opposite trend in the poultry industry, where growth has steadily increased.After many years of monitoring the status of poultry science departments, the PSA Board in 1989 revamped the Status Committee to form the Ad Hoc Committee on the Status of Poultry Science in North America.The purpose of this committee, in addition to documenting changes, was to attempt a more proactive role in persuading universities not to eliminate poultry departments or faculty positions.The Ad Hoc Committee existed for approximately 6 yr, and was co-chaired by James Marion, Auburn University, and Mary Beck, University of Nebraska.During this time, the primary activity was to write letters to deans of colleges of agriculture in which poultry departments were being merged into animal science departments.