Continuing to focus on the mission at hand, EIC has launched its newest initiative to provide information to the nationwide egg industry. Capitalizing on EIC's attendance of various industry events, the Center will summarize research and industry topics for egg farmers and farm staff that might otherwise miss out.
EIC is launching this service with its coverage of the 2017 Iowa Egg Symposium. "There is so much good information being conveyed by the industry's technical experts and researchers," stated Lesa Vold, EIC Communications Specialist. "I am excited to help get this information spread to a broader producer and allied industry audience."
Vold explained that it can be hard for egg farm owners and their staff to leave the farm for an educational event. Even if companies can send someone, others who need the same information can't leave. "This coverage won't address every point discussed by presenters, or replace the important things learned by networking with each other in the halls, but it may be the next best thing," stated Vold. "It could also be an easy resource for those who did attend to provide to their co-workers."
Nestled in the last bullet of EIC's mission statement are words that continue to provide the foundation for these service decisions at EIC. That purposeful point reads "communicating solutions to audiences throughout the egg industry and consuming public." Hongwei Xin, EIC Director and distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering says, "We have been building the organization one brick at a time, and any good engineer can tell you the structure is only as good as the foundation."
The first service offered by EIC was a national meeting called the Egg Industry Issues Forum. In 2018, this event will host its 10th anniversary event in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 16-18. The event provided a solid flagship program, but the Center soon followed up with its most widely used service, the monthly market reporting and industry analysis led by EIC Associate Scientist - Business Analyst, Maro Ibarburu. In 2012, the center launched its grant program to provide funds for researchers around the country working in egg-related research. The center continued to enhance its social media presence and launched a new website amid the 2015 avian influenza outbreak. The new website allowed EIC to house its market reports and other research information in a searchable on-line system.
Continuing to increase its focus on research, EIC compiled a listing of industry researchers and then started highlighting different researchers with a quarterly spotlight. And while EIC continues to populate its research library with research publication summaries, this new service can fill the gap between a published, peer reviewed journal article and all the other relevant research and industry-related information that exists.
"It has been quite a fun and productive journey to this point," stated Xin. "EIC is excited about this new service and will continue other new initiatives to fulfill our mission."
