Innovations often come from unexpected places and circumstances. In 2008-2009 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued a challenge to roboticists. DARPA wanted roboticists to create a robot that could motivate itself to a door, get under the door and motivate itself away.

Springdale, Ark. - As part of the integration of recently acquired Keystone Foods and the company’s global growth efforts, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) today announced changes to the enterprise leadership team that reports directly to President and CEO Noel White, effective January 28, 2019. They include:  

Barring a major disease outbreak that causes a human health crisis, chicken won’t be toppled this year from its longtime perch as the most consumed protein in America. That’s because the US will produce 54 percent more chicken than beef or pork.

Poor floor quality and a failure to stop visitors from entering poultry units are two areas where broiler farmers are failing to embrace high biosecurity standards.

IT is a great time to be in the protein business. Meat consumption is at an all-time high. In fact, the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) predicts Americans will eat a record amount of poultry and other types of meat this year – on average 222.2 lbs. per person.

Cloverleaf Cold Storage and Zero Mountain Inc. reached an agreement to merge cold storage warehousing businesses. Cloverleaf operations serve customers across the Midwest and Southeast, while Zero Mountain is a major cold storage and transportation provider in Arkansas.

A study published Jan. 4 in JAMA Network Open estimated 10.8 percent of US adults, or more than 26 million, have food allergies. Researchers from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University also found 19 percent of US adults think they are food allergic although their reported symptoms are inconsistent with a true food allergy.

As the federal government shutdown continues, so do its impacts on the meat industry’s regulators.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Safe Foods Corporation announced Wednesday Kelly Conley has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Conley has been with Safe Foods for one year as the company’s Director of Finance. Prior to joining Safe Foods, Conley worked closely with the Company as a Senior Financial Analyst with a consulting company.

Grants for installing Renewable Energy Systems and for making Energy Efficiency Improvements are potentially available from USDA-Rural Development. The grant funds may be used to pay 25% of the eligible project costs, with a minimum grant request of $1,500 (total project cost of $6,000)