Eggheads

In 1985, Bernd Meerpohl watched his father take a risk in purchasing a struggling farm equipment company. That company was called Big Dutchman, and today it operates in 174 countries and generates around €1.5 billion in annual sales. 

Bernd took over as CEO in 1992, and maintained the unwavering commitment to salesmanship, innovation, and emerging markets that's made Big Dutchman into the global behemoth they are today. 

Today, Bernd walks us through the pivotal moments that shaped the company's growth, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the rise of alternative laying systems in the US, and shares his candid views on the role that data collection and AI systems will play in the future of animal agriculture. 

From the time you start to suspect you might have an HPAI outbreak on your farm, to getting lab confirmation, can take between 1 and 5 days. And while producers wait for those results to come back, they're forced to make extremely tough decisions — cancelling deliveries, isolating employees, culling entire flocks — based on incomplete information. 

Erik Tyrrell-Knott is the President and Chief Business Officer of Alveo, a company that's built a handheld HPAI testing device that delivers a trustworthy result in 45 minutes. And while their tests won't replace the current lab testing we use today, their aim is to give veterinarians and producers the data they need to act with speed and confidence. 

Today, Erik walks us through how the test works, why it represents such an important leap forward in the fight against HPAI, and how it could one day make "partial depopulation" possible.

Most people would figure that lighting a hen house is a question of screwing in some bulbs and turning them on. But as it turns out, the type of lighting you use can have a profound effect on birds, shaping their behavior, improving welfare, and driving production results.

Max Obers is the CEO of HATO Lighting, a Netherlands-based company with over 50 years of history in agricultural lighting. Today, Max walks us through the science of how chickens perceive light differently than humans, how HATO puts that knowledge to work on farms across the world, and where the technology is headed next. 

There are so many different types of egg-farmers: traditional caged operations, cage-free, free-range organic...the list goes on. But one organization strives to represent all of their interests, and advocate on their behalf at the highest levels of government. 

Chad Gregory is the President and CEO of the United Egg Producers (UEP), an organization that represents over 90% of US egg farmers. The UEP provides a forum where producers big and small can debate important topics, and shape the policies that ultimately impact how they do business. 

Chad came on the show just a few days after the State of the Union address, and for the second year running, President Trump referenced the egg industry directly. Today, we get into what the President said, the UEP's ongoing efforts to get an HPAI vaccine approved, and how they've responded to ongoing pressure from animal rights groups. 

Bruce Dooyema's career in poultry began in the 7th grade, when his parents bought him a dozen chickens to raise in the backyard. Now, as Director of Strategic projects at Versova, he's responsible for around 40 million of them. And as if that wasn't enough responsibility, Bruce serves as President of the International Egg Foundation, where he helps establish layer operations in countries struggling with food insecurity. 

Today, Bruce walks us through what goes into managing 40 million birds, especially in a time where even the best laid plans can be entirely upended by HPAI. He also discusses his work with the the IEF, and the incredible impact they're having across the developing world. 

There are so many different ways to introduce contaminants during the egg production process: improperly used chemicals, dirty equipment, poor handling techniques, the list goes on. And it's the job of today's guests to develop and enforce the protocols that prevent all that from happening, which would be a tough enough gig for one facility, let alone 15. 

Kim Rice is the VP of Food Safety and Quality at Rose Acre Farms, the second largest egg producer in the US. She joins us today to talk about mitigating all of the different avenues for biological or chemical contamination, what makes the egg business unique in terms of food safety, and the several layers of bureaucracy she needs to navigate on a day-to-day basis. 

Finding the right ventilation solution can be make or break for your layer operation. And especially now with the emergence of cage-free farming, making sure air is circulating evenly can be key in ensuring your chickens remain healthy and productive. 

Craig Morley is in charge of sales at Aerotech, and Ross Demerly is their applications and sales engineering manager. Together they have a combined 60-plus years of experience working in agricultural ventilation, and they've been involved in some major innovations, including the rollout of the EC motor. Now, as part of a larger company called Grain and Protein Technologies Climate Control and Air Treatment, Aerotech continues to innovate alongside some big global players in the field.

Today, Craig and Ross walk us through how ventilation tech has evolved throughout their careers, how the business has changed during that time, and the ways they continue to formulate solutions for the issues facing farmers.

Sometimes people have this idea that farmers shouldn't use immigrant workers at all, and that there are enough people looking for work domestically to staff their operations. Today, we're getting into why that's often just simply not the case. 

Kyle Farmer is the founder of Farmer Law PC where he's an attorney specializing in immigration law. He works with producers, and operators throughout the agricultural industry to help them navigate the complexities of the legal system, and find solutions for their labor needs.

Today, Kyle walks us through why access to foreign labor is often a necessity for farmers, delves into the ins and outs of different immigration programs, and explains how politics play into all of this. 

The last few decades have seen an incredible amount of change in the egg industry. That's especially true of egg grading, where we've gone from machines that can process 200 cases per hour, to systems that can do 800. And where advances in vision automation mean we no longer need people on the line manually inspecting eggs for dirt or cracks. 

Craig England was formerly the President of Sanovo Technology USA and also served as the President of MOBA USA, two of the world's foremost egg processing technology companies. Today, he walks us through the timeline of how automation transformed the breaking and grading process, and the profound impact that had on the broader industry. 

In four generations, the Braswell family has gone from selling animal feed to local farmers, to becoming one of the largest suppliers of organic feed and specialty eggs on the east coast. And now, Trey Braswell, the president and CEO of Braswell Family Farms, is focused on continuing that incredible legacy. 

Trey joins us today to walk us through the history of the company, to take us inside their long-standing partnership with Eggland's Best, and explain how his unique approach to team building and leadership has made Braswell resilient to whatever challenges may come.