ChileCarne attended the renowned 2024 Poultry School to continue improving its standards of poultry production, processing, safety, and quality. The intensive program, designed for poultry sector professionals, focused on the latest trends and technological advances in poultry processing.
The 2024 Poultry School, attended by industry leaders, producers, and specialists from the Americas, offered a robust program to immerse participants in an intensive learning experience on the most advanced practices in poultry production and processing.
The program included in-person lectures, hands-on exercises, demonstrations in plants, and a wide range of educational resources available through the Virtual Poultry School. The interactive and hands-on approach allowed participants to acquire new knowledge while experiencing the applications and technologies discussed.
Miguel Adasme, head of ChileCarne’s Industrial Area represented the association and highlighted the value of the course: “Attending the Poultry School in the United States was an excellent opportunity to learn about the processing plants of companies like Sanderson Farms, the third largest poultry producer in the US,” he explained. These exchanges not only allow Chilean professionals to get up-to-speed on the latest processes, management practices, and safety standards in the US, but also to learn first-hand about the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) and consider its applicability in Chile, a key element for the future of the Chilean poultry industry.
The group visited three primary and secondary processing plants, plus one dedicated to ready-to-eat products, some of which are been exported to China. The three plants operate under the NPIS, which makes it possible to process up to 175 birds per minute (35 more than the traditional system), while guaranteeing food safety with a small team of official veterinary inspectors. The course also included visits to Marel, a leading manufacturer of poultry processing systems, and Cryobac Sealed Air, a pioneer in meat packaging.
For ChileCarne, one of the main objectives of attending the course was assessing the applicability of these advanced practices in Chile, not only to improve efficiency and productivity, but also to ensure maximum food safety and quality in the country’s poultry production. Special emphasis was also given on staying up-to-date on critical issues such as food safety, labeling, and packaging throughout the production chain, which is essential to access increasingly demanding international markets.
As for the lectures, the course has been taught since 2007 by Dr. Marcos Sánchez Plata from Texas Tech University and focuses on safety throughout the poultry production chain, particularly in processing plants, and added value systems for breaded chicken products, packaging and labeling, among others.
In addition to the technical training, the course promotes international networking, facilitating exchange and collaboration between the participants, which included representatives from Agrocalidad, the Ecuadorian Agency for Agricultural Quality Assurance; Cargill group from Colombia; Pronaca, a leading Ecuadorian food company; and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), among others. “Networking with other regional companies and institutions is a key result of the program,” said Miguel Adasme, underlining the importance of these connections for future collaborations and joint projects.
ChileCarne’s participation in the 2024 Poultry School demonstrates the interest and determination of the Chilean poultry industry to stay up to date and significantly contribute to the continuous improvement of Chilean poultry production, processing, and quality standards.
