THE FEDERAL-GOVERNMENT VIEWPOINT

The poultry industry will remain an important segment of US agriculture well into the 21st century. The consumer demand for poultry products, especially poultry meat, can be expected to remain strong. Today's key issues for poultry producers, processors, and retailers will likely remain significant through the 1990s: bacterial infections and contamination, other diseases, drug residues, cholesterol and other nutritional concerns, and animal welfare. In all of these areas, government involvement will continue through research and extension. However, future levels of federal involvement are inextricably tied to future levels of appropriate funding for research and extension, an uncertain proposition at best. Although the federal establishment is preparing for a future that may be seriously constrained by reduced budgets, there are several trends expected to continue until the year 2000 and beyond: 1) Environmental issues will continue to be a major driving force, if not the single most important factor, affecting federal agricultural programs. 2) Research on poultry will focus on improving animal nutrition, preventing disease, breeding for desirable nutritional characteristics such as leanness, and reducing the incidence of bacterial contamination during processing and handling. 3) Without compromising the traditional separation of public and private responsibilities, government and academia and industry will work more closely in identifying problems and developing practical solutions.