Guest Lecture: Georgie Cartanza

Early in the semester, we were given the opportunity to receive a guest lecture from Miss Georgie Cartanza, an organic poultry producer in Dover, Delaware. We learned about the history of poultry production, the entire process, what it means to grow organic chickens, and almost anything else you could imagine within the poultry industry. One of the things that most stood out to me was the economic impact of poultry production on the Delmarva peninsula. In the Delmarva area alone, there is over $3 billion in value of chickens alone, nearly 14,500 employees in the industry, and that the Delmarva area produces 6% of the poultry in the country (which may not seem like a lot, but coming from little ole’ Delaware, it is!). We also learned about the biggest problem in the poultry industry – public perception. Often times when people think about chicken farms, they think of the terms “factory farms,” animal abuse, etc. In fact, many organizations cherry pick photos, videos, and facts to show the public that make the poultry industry look considerably worse than it actually is. In actuality, it’s quite the opposite. Poultry houses are spacious and very comfortable, chickens get as much time as they want to roam, interact, play, and grow as they please. It is very important to teach people the real facts about agriculture, especially today in a time where people’s concerns about animal welfare and safety is ever growing.

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